HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: Concertize (was: Toe/tow)
Date: 7 Nov 92 01:20:59 GMT
Reply-To: roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig)
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@nimaster

In article <TSOS.147.721037163@uni-duesseldorf.de> TSOS@uni-duesseldorf.de (Detlef Lannert) writes:
>In article <1992Nov2.181808.7098@Princeton.EDU> roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig) writes:

>>However, I'd look again if I were you; I'm sure the OED has a few
>>British sightings somewhere.  (Not to mention the close German cognate...)

>Since you did mention this before (and e-mail to your account didn't work
>last time I tried) I'd like to point out that the German word you are
>alluding to -- the modern spelling is "konzertieren" -- is old-fashioned
>and not used any more; at least not in that part of the musical world to
>which I have (frequent) access.

Not too surprising; after all, the English word dates to the late 19thC.
On the other hand, I'm sure I've heard it a few times in Germany (and 
I've spent over three years of my life, all told, there -- and attended
hundreds of concerts).  Yes, "Concerti(e)ren" is old-fashioned, but then,
I spend a fair amount of time reading 18thC sources, and my brain sometimes
gets that way...

>But if "concertize" is really such a buzz-word in the US-American scene,
>we'll sure borrow it and will soon be loaded with "konzertisieren".

Only 20 years after "groovy."  I'm not too concerned about the consequences...

>I'm still waiting for a clever politician to come up with the idea of a
>tax on ugly and unnecessary words. 

Since when do politicians tax their own bread and butter??????  8-)

>They could at the same time lower the
>income tax (and still make a profit) -- and I could buy a lot more
>(ugly and unnecessary) things...

Roger
From: paul.burnett@pcs.sj.ca.us (Paul Burnett) 
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Medical word for pain after illness?
Date: 5 Nov 92 06:46:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: PCS-BBS - San Jose, CA - 408-270-4085
Reply-To: paul.burnett@pcs.sj.ca.us (Paul Burnett) 

TO: yozzo@watson.ibm.com (Ralph Yozzo)


RY>Does anyone know the medical word that is used to describe the condition
  >of suffering after an illness or a disease has been cured?

Two words come to mind:  "debilitate", which leads to "enervate" and
"devitalize".  The other word is "malinger".  <D&R>

---
 . QMPro 1.0 07-2042 . ...from San Jose, CA
From: dgreen@thor (David Greenebaum)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: Derivation of "wonk"
Date: 10 Nov 1992 23:17:34 GMT
Organization: /etc/organization
NNTP-Posting-Host: thor.berkeley.edu

Daniel A. Asimov quotes Ted B Samsel:
>>
>>I like this word WONK. As in  policy WONK. Any ideas on the
>>derivations thereof?
>>-- 
>>Ted....
>
>Possibly relevant is that, when I was a student in the Boston area
>1964-68, "wonk" was a term used at Harvard and Radcliffe for a person
>who spent a lot of time studying.  It was said to come from the word
>"know" spelled backwards.
>
>--Daz
>
I dunno how _relevant_ it is, but the usage was still current (or
else revived) in the late 1980's.  The word had also spawned a verb
form, usually "to wonk out"--meaning to study hard, usually in
preparation for something.  (But then, who studies if there's _not_
something to prepare for?)

---------------------  
 |\  | |\  |\  |// |   
 | > | |\\ | \ |/  |   David Greenebaum/University of California/Berkeley, CA
 |<  | | \ |   |   |   dgreen@athena.berkeley.edu, dgreen@garnet.berkeley.edu
 | > | |   |   |   |
 |/  | |   |   |   |   "I make mistakes, but I am on the side of good -- by
---------------------  accident and happenchance." -- the Golux
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: ccjal@cc.newcastle.edu.au (John A Lambert)
Subject: Re: acronyms and full stops
Organization: University of Newcastle, AUSTRALIA
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 04:51:39 GMT

In article <5721@esf.esf.de>, tholome@bangalore.esf.de (Eric Tholome) writes:
> Sorry if this is a FAQ, but I've only been reading this newsgroup for a couple
> of months...
> 
> I was wondering: when I use an acronym as the last word of a sentence, do I need
> to add a full stop? In other words, which of the following is correct:
> 
> 	He went to the U.S.A.
> 	He went to the U.S.A..
> 
> Thanks for your help.
> 
> Side question: whatever rule is to be applied in English, is it applied also in
> other languages such as French, German, etc.?
> 
> My apologies if I made any mistake: I am not a native English speaker (It's even
> worse actually: I'm French! :-) ).
> 
> 							Eric
-- 
Here (in Australia) we would write
      He went to the USA.
Abbreviations consisting of only capitals don't use full stops. 

John A Lambert
Centre for Literary and Linguistic Computing
The University of Newcastle NSW 2308 Australia
ccjal@cc.newcastle.edu.au
From: lattanzi@coos.dartmouth.edu (Stephen C. Lattanzi)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: mnemonics in general
Date: 10 Nov 92 16:58:55 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Here are the mnemonics that I'm familiar with for the digits of pi (sorry;
none of them approaches 100 digits!).
 
---

Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling
In mystic force and magic spelling.
Celestial sprites elucidate -
All my own striving can't relate.

---

"How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after two large problems involving
quantum mechanics."

---

"Now I, even I, would celebrate
In rhymes inapt the great
Immortal Syracusan, rivaled nevermore, who,
In his wondrous lore, passed on before,
left men his guidance how to circles mensurate."

---

   Que j'aime a faire connaitre un nombre utile aux sages.
   Immortel Archimede, artiste, ingenieur,
   Qui de ton -------- peut priser le valeur?
   Pour moi, ton probleme eut de serieux avantages.

(I forgot an eight-letter word in the third line.)
----------------------------------------------------
 
- Steve Lattanzi (lattanzi@dartmouth.edu)
From: tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: Various things
Date: 9 Nov 92 22:14:26 GMT
Reply-To: tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen)
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation, Colorado Springs, CO
Originator: tchrist@pixel.convex.com
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

At least some places, "pop" and "soda" are different, like
down at the drugstore/sodastand in the small-town midwest.
Pop is premade, like Code, etc.  But you can get a cherry 
or chocolate soda, which is a wonderful and different thing.

--tom
-- 
    Tom Christiansen      tchrist@convex.com      convex!tchrist

	    Pronunciation -- think of Psyche!
	    Is a paling stout and spikey?
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: tdlg9831@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Tracey Dianne Layng)
Subject: Re: pop &c.
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 16:14:02 GMT

ai118@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Rich Zidonis) writes:


>In a previous article, peter.curran@canrem.com ("peter curran") says:

>>
>>>b) What areas of the U.S. still call carbonated beverages "pop" and
>>>not "soda" ?

>Pop it is in northeast Ohio.
>-- 
>RAZ     ai118@cleveland.freenet.edu


In Illinois it is pop, but I understand that in Northern Wisconsin it is soda
water, and in some parts of the South "coke" represents all kinds. For example,

"I'll have a coke." 
"What kind?"
"Sprite."

I don't know if that's right or not, but that's what I heard.

In this same venue, I always called drinking fountains "bubblers", and eskimo
pies (those chocolate covered ice cream things on a stick) are "paddle pops."

Tracey
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: nadeau@bcarh1ab.bnr.ca (Rheal Nadeau)
Subject: Re: gender pronouns
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 15:31:41 GMT

In article <1992Nov6.142139.7425@mcnc.org> key@mcnc.org (Kathy E. Yount) writes:
>
>pepke@scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke) writes:
>
>>Which of the following two statements is correct?
>
>>A) If a person wishes to discuss gender-neutral pronouns, he should do it
>>somewhere other than sci.skeptic.
>
>>B) If a person wishes to discuss gender-neutral pronouns, they should do it
>>somewhere other than sci.skeptic.
>
>Neither unless in A) you know the person is a male.
>B) is incorrect because you have changed from singular
>(a person) to plural (they)
>Why not just avoid the gender-neutral pronoun when possible?  i.e.
>The subject of gender-neutral pronouns should not be discussed in
>the sci.skeptic newsgroup.

Passive phrase.  How about:

  If people wish to discuss gender-neutral pronouns, they should do it
  somewhere other than sci.skeptic.

I believe this is actually the recommended form according to The
Canadian Style, my favourite style book (created by the Canadian
government for the use of public servants.  I also have the companion
volume, "Le guide du redacteur".  Once in a while, governments get
it right . . .)

The Rhealist - Rheal Nadeau - nadeau@bnr.ca - Speaking only for myself
From: cochran@spam.rtp.dg.com (A. Jing Hippy)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: Fro (Was Re: Floating and Sinking (Stuff))
Date: 6 Nov 92 14:02:24 GMT
Organization: A Suffusion of Yellow

In article <1992Nov5.111141.7429@ncsu.edu>, echyatt@eos.ncsu.edu (EDWARD CRAIG HYATT) writes:
|> In article <HERMIT.92Nov5010057@am.ucsc.edu> hermit@cats.UCSC.EDU (William R. Ward) writes:
|> >In article <RICHARD.92Oct29141904@ml.harlqn.co.uk>, richard@harlqn.co.uk (Richard Brooksby) writes:
|> >) I bet you haven't seen `fro' without `to'.
|> >
|> >Well, here's a counterexample to your theory:
|> >"In the early 1970's, Michael Jackson wore his hair in a fro."
|> >
|> >So there!
|> 
|> And another one  :)
|> 
|> I think a fro is also a woodshaving tool (if I've got the spelling right).

Sorry. That's a "froe" which, according to my dictionary, is also spelled
"frow" (you learn something every day, don't you?).

Dave, from Georgia, where we still use tools like froes, slingblades and
mattocks.

+--------------------------------------------------+
|Dave Cochran, Data General Corporation, RTP, NC   |
|cochran@dg-rtp.dg.com                             |
+--------------------------------------------------+
|I daydreamed that I was falling and just before I |
|hit the ground, I fell asleep.                    |
+--------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: evan@hpl.hp.com (Evan Kirshenbaum)
Subject: Re: Various things
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:05:16 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories

In article <1992Nov9.221426.27729@news.eng.convex.com> tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen) writes:
>At least some places, "pop" and "soda" are different, like
>down at the drugstore/sodastand in the small-town midwest.
>Pop is premade, like Code, etc.  But you can get a cherry 
>or chocolate soda, which is a wonderful and different thing.

In Chicago, a "soda" is an ice cream drink with flavored syrup and
carbonation.  (Coke, etc. are "pop".)  My dad found out that this
wasn't universal when he stopped in a drugstore in (I believe)
Pennsylvania and asked for a "chocolate soda".  He wasn't pleased with
what they gave him :-).  (There, you have to ask for an "ice cream
soda".)

On as similar topic, "pop" for me was always a mass noun:  we would
ask for "pop" or "some pop" or "a glass/bottle of pop".  My sophomore
roommate was from Cleveland, and he used "pop" as a count noun.  He
would offer me "a pop".  (To the extent that it was meaningful in my
dialect, this would have meant one of those hard candies on a stick.
The disc-shaped ones were "suckers", but the spherical ones could be
"pops".)

Evan Kirshenbaum
    HP Laboratories
    3500 Deer Creek Road, Building 26U
    Palo Alto, CA  94304

    kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com
    (415)857-7572

Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: rallen@netcom.com (Robert W. Allen)
Subject: Re: A plan for the improvement of the English Language by Mark Twain
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 23:20:04 GMT

This 'plan' has been circulating for a while. I first read it in an issue
of 'Readers Digest' circa 1972. In that magazine it was credited to a
Mr. M.J. Shields of England. Does anyone have any idea how Mark Twain's
name became associated with this?
--
Rob Allen
rallen@netcom.com
From: martin@pharaoh.cyborg.bt.co.uk (Martin Gorman)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: Toe the Line. Do you mean "tow the line?"
Date: 4 Nov 92 16:25:58 GMT
Organization: British Telecom

briand@tekig5.pen.tek.com (Brian D Diehm) writes:

>>	I have never seen "toe the line" but I have seen "tow the line."
>>	In my experience thas is a sailing term.   Leave the "toes" to Quayle.
>>	(grin)

>Hmmmmm. I have never seen "tow the line" but I have seen "toe the line."
>Had I seen "tow the line" in print I would have guffawed at the ignoramuses
>who let it slip. (I'm not always the gentle soul I should be.)

>Arguing from ignorance (we all do it some) and from logic (which we all can
>misuse) I'd say it was originally "toe." Here's why:

>"Toe the line" is a parallel expression to "toe the mark," both of which mean
>don't step too far, bubba. Don't push it. Both take the same psychological idea
>and state it in discrete metaphorical terms. As such, "toe" works fine.
>
Literally "Stand to attention with your toe at the line so that you are
standing in a line of military precision with your fellow (WWII POWs?)."
From: briand@tekig5.pen.tek.com (Brian D Diehm)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: Medical word for pain after illness?
Date: 6 Nov 92 20:21:43 GMT
Reply-To: briand@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.

>Does anyone know the medical word that is used to describe the condition
>of suffering after an illness or a disease has been cured? 

I'd say debility, but that doesn't convey the pain aspect you cite. It
does convey the idea of permanent weakness left by the ravages of a disease.

-Brian
--
Brian Diehm
Tektronix, Inc.                (503) 627-3437         briand@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM
P.O. Box 500, M/S 19-286
Beaverton, OR   97077
From: martin@pharaoh.cyborg.bt.co.uk (Martin Gorman)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: What does S.W.A.T. stand for ?
Date: 4 Nov 92 16:27:30 GMT
Organization: British Telecom

heinz@marvin.tuwien.ac.at (Heinz Herbeck) writes:

>Could someone please tell me what S.W.A.T. means ? I've seen a lot of S.W.A.T.
>teams in several movies, and I was always wondering what the abbreviation was
>standing for.
Special Weapons And Tactics?
From: ostvold@imag.imag.imag.fr (Bjarte OSTVOLD)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Have X, will travel
Date: 6 Nov 92 21:45:42 GMT
Distribution: alt
Organization: IMAG Institute, University of Grenoble, France


Can someone explain the origin of this type of phrases:

	"Have X, will travel"

where X is a noun.

 
Thanx in advance,
-Bjarte
--
--
Bjarte OSTVOLD	(ostvold@ensibull.imag.fr)
From: bl2m+@andrew.cmu.edu (Benjamin D. Lukoff)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: ***OED ONLINE***
Date: 11 Nov 92 20:39:00 GMT
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

The University of Washington has made the OED online unavailable to
users not accessing UWIN from the University of Washington itself...
Therefore telnetting to uwin.u.washington.edu will not get you the OED
online...
From: segr@nessie.mcc.ac.uk (Simon Read)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english,connect.audit
Subject: Re: "Pass the buck"
Keywords: buck, pass
Date: 6 Nov 92 23:25:08 GMT
Organization: Manchester Computing Centre

As I understand it "the buck" is a poker term for the device
used to hold the pack of cards. I think it's called a shoe in
"Blackjack".

Passing the buck id then a term simply meaning passing on the
reponsibility of being the dealer.

But I may be wrong?

Simon Read
----------
Simon.Read@umist.ac.uk
From: leveret@warren.demon.co.uk (Nick Leverton)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: mnemonics in general
Date: 12 Nov 92 19:34:21 GMT
Organization: Indexed; Access: Random.
ReplyTo: leveret@warren.demon.co.uk
X-Mailer: cppnews $Revision: 1.19 $

In article <1992Nov10.165855.1591@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Stephen C.
Lattanzi memorises:

>   Que j'aime a faire connaitre un nombre utile aux sages.
                                 ce ?

>   Immortel Archimede, artiste, ingenieur,
>   Qui de ton -------- peut priser le valeur?
               jugement

>   Pour moi, ton probleme eut de serieux avantages.

Nick Leverton
-- 
a politician is an arse upon
which everything has sat except a man           e.e.cummings
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: Tom Christiansen <tchrist@convex.COM>
Subject: Re: Various things
Originator: tchrist@pixel.convex.com
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 22:34:05 GMT
Reply-To: tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen)
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation, Colorado Springs, CO
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

From the keyboard of evan@hpl.hp.com (Evan Kirshenbaum):
:In Chicago, a "soda" is an ice cream drink with flavored syrup and
:carbonation.  

Yup, that's what I meant.  I grew up about 70 miles north 
of O'Hare.

    soda		ice cream soda
    pop			soda pop

Some places they still say soft drink.

:On as similar topic, "pop" for me was always a mass noun:  

As was "beer".  When I meant people who asked for "pops" or "beers"
it always sounded, and still sounds, weird to me.

--tom
-- 
    Tom Christiansen      tchrist@convex.com      convex!tchrist
  "The most merciful thing in this world, I think, is the inability of
  the human mind to correlate all its contents..."   
	    --H.P. Lovecraft, from "The Call of Chthulu", 1926.
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: umdaher1@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Karl R. Daher)
Subject: Re: pop &c.
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Distribution: alt
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 00:57:11 GMT

In article <199211.4867.7770@dosgate> "peter curran" <peter.curran@canrem.com> writes:
>
>>b) What areas of the U.S. still call carbonated beverages "pop" and
>>not "soda" ?
>
>LL>Well, this isn't the U.S. -- but my Canadian boyfriend calls it "pop."  So
>LL>do my Michigander parents.  Must be all that cold air.
>
>When I was growing up, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, it was always "soft
>drink."  But in the last ten years or so it seems to have become "pop."
>(Americans are everywhere - the country is going to the dogs.  :-))
>
>Peter Curran
>Usenet: peter.curran@canrem.com
>---
>  DeLuxe 1.25 #12339  
>--
>Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
>World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044

In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the people I know call them 'soft drinks'.
Perhaps the American influence has not yet reached the isolated westerners,
Peter !

Karl Daher
umdaher1@ccu.umanitoba.ca

*** If ignorance is bliss, why aren't there more happy people ? ***
From: briand@tekig5.pen.tek.com (Brian D Diehm)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: a good dictionary
Date: 6 Nov 92 20:30:15 GMT
Reply-To: briand@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.

>)>>IA>Now for our zoo"logy lesson ... last I saw a grasshopper, its knees
>
>) That's really zo"ology, as in zoe-AW-luh-gee. As Daniel Harrington Elster
>
>You seem to have misunderstood the purpose of the " mark.  When "IA"

Sheesh! Will I never get over being corrected for that posting? 8-}

You're right, of course. If that's the ASCII way of putting a dieresis on a
letter, then the original poster was exactly right. However, diacriticals in
the English language, like the compound letters (I forget the precise term,
which will no doubt lead to more corrections!) such as "oe" and "ae", all these
have pretty much become archaic. So I never suspected that when I saw the
original posting.

-Brian
--
Brian Diehm
Tektronix, Inc.                (503) 627-3437         briand@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM
P.O. Box 500, M/S 19-286
Beaverton, OR   97077
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: yan@mercury.cs.uregina.ca (Yongfei Yan)
Subject: Re: "Taiwan" and "Thailand"
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 21:01:57 GMT
Organization: University of Regina, SK, Canada

In article <667.18.uupcb@pcs.sj.ca.us> paul.burnett@pcs.sj.ca.us (Paul Burnett)  writes:
>Is it just a coincidence, or is there some common linguistic root
>connecting the "tai" in Taiwan" and the "thai" in "Thailand"?

The "tai" for Taiwan means "a dais, or a raised platform", while "Thai" for
Thailand, according to Chinese translation, means "grand".  I think they
are all originated from Chinese, but I doubt that they have the same
meaning or share a common linguistic root.

John Yan
>---
> . QMPro 1.0 07-2042 . ...from San Jose, CA
>
From: ai118@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Rich Zidonis)
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: pop &c.
Date: 11 Nov 1992 16:32:28 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: ai118@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Rich Zidonis)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc4.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, peter.curran@canrem.com ("peter curran") says:

>
>>b) What areas of the U.S. still call carbonated beverages "pop" and
>>not "soda" ?

Pop it is in northeast Ohio.
-- 
RAZ     ai118@cleveland.freenet.edu
From: miner@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
Subject: Re: Derivation of "wonk"
Date: 4 Nov 92 20:14:13 CST
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

In article <1d3u69INNpqp@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, bh419@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Ted B Samsel) writes:
> 
> I like this word WONK. As in  policy WONK. Any ideas on the
> derivations thereof?
> -- 
> Ted....

Well: I'm a professional linguist who worked three years with the
Winnebago language (Amerindian, Wisconsin & Nebraska),and when I first
heard "wonk" I recognized it as the Winnebago word for "man."  (I
won't bother trying to write it properly im ASCII, but that's exactly
the way it sounds, "wonk.")

Since I don't know of any other origin, I'm bound by the principles of
Holy Mother Science to stick with this one.  A lousy theory is better
than no theory at all: the word is from Winnebago, until further notice...
-- 
-Ken <miner@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> {Sometimes you have to look reality straight
 OPINIONS ARE MY OWN            {in the eye, and deny it. - G. Keillor          



Newsgroups: alt.usage.english,alt.sex
From: freier@mail.physics.utah.edu (rodney james freier)
Subject: Re: A gender neutral pronoun
Organization: University of Utah - Physics Department
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 20:04:00 GMT

I have noticed that I use the word "they" as a singular, gender unspecified
pronoun.  Example:

      I saw someone the other day.  I was to far away to see what they looked like,
but something was familiar about them.

  I know that most people cringe hearing the strange mix of number in this sentence.
I say things like this often, though, and my roommate seems to have become accustomed
to it.    

   It's pretty well agreed that we can't use "it".  We either have to modify the
use of an already existing pronoun, or come up with another word entirely.

Rod (freier@mail.physics.utah.edu)

Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
From: mcwg9235@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Marsha Woodbury )
Subject: "that throws light on the bank"
Summary: hmmm
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 11:51:43 GMT
Keywords: what kind of bank?

In an art class I'm taking, we are reading Louis Sullivan,
architect, writing about form and function.  He writes,
in a dialogue format, about form and function, then 
the respondent says, "that throws light on the bank"

OK, is that an expression about throwing light on a 
problem?  Or is it about bank buildings?  A foreign
student asked me to explain, and I wasn't sure.
-- 
Marsha Woodbury   marsha-w@uiuc.edu
A simile is like a metaphor.
University of Illinois, Middle of Nowhere