HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gtoal@castle.ed.ac.uk (Graham Toal)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Subject: Re: Gleanings (38)
Date: 9 Apr 92 07:06:36 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

In article <9204081803.AA28088@Ra.MsState.Edu> maynor%RA.MSSTATE.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU (Natalie Maynor) writes:
:> what, why, and how.  Today I am lucky if I can stop myself from ending my
:> sentences with a preposition ... alas, but thank God my mother isn't around
:
:Why would you consider it lucky to stop yourself from ending sentences with
:prepositions?
:   --Natalie (maynor@ra.msstate.edu)

Well, I'm *always* getting into trouble by ending sentences with propositions.

G
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Tue, 7 Apr 1992 16:20:07 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         "Natalie Maynor" <maynor%RA.MSSTATE.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject: Re: CompuServe Flat Rate - New
Comments: To: WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu

> CompuServe now offers a flat-rate ($7.95 per month) service, giving you
> access to a subset of the usual stuff.  Most importantly, it gives you
> unlimited email and acess to the news wires.  So, if you hate your mail
> software, yo could always switch your WORDS-L sub over there and use a nice
                                                                   ^^^^^^^^^^
> front-end to wade through it all.  God knows it sounds enticing to me...
  ^^^^^^^^^

Yuck!!  I can't stand CompuServe e-mail style compared to what I'm
used to (Unix).   I find it clumsy and inconvenient.

   --Natalie (maynor@ra.msstate.edu)
     whose list mail was arriving in under 2 hours for a while but
     has now crept up closer to 3 hours
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Date:         Sun, 12 Apr 1992 06:32:28 -0500
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         Nancy Harwood <harwood%TENET.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: First Posting of Sunday
Comments: To: English Language Discussion Group <WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Comments: cc: Multiple recipients of list WORDS-L <WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>

On Sun, 12 Apr 1992, Karen Kay wrote:

> Hey, I haven't even had coffee yet....it's making now.  I'm going to
> Memphis this afternoon till Tuesday afternoon, not setting nomail.
>
> Still haven't written my two talks, still need to do laundry. I usually
> don't dry my clothes, but I think I'll do that today.... And I noticed
> that I can't remember where my tickets are....

Here's an after-birthday wish that your trip is a pleasant one and that
the coffee helps your distraction (isn't caffeine wonderful?)  It does
make me feel better to know I'm not the only procrastinator around here.
ndh
>
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Date:         Wed, 15 Apr 1992 18:40:00 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         "815 Stephen H. Karlson 753-6980"
 <TA0SHK1%NIU.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      That sinking feeling

It has been eighty years since RMS TITANIC had the collision with
the iceberg.

Steve Karlson
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Original_cc:  WHITERJ
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Date:         Fri, 10 Apr 1992 10:47:00 MDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         The Ronin <WHITERJ%MSCD.BITNET@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: roll call

Asketh        Tony Harminc <TONY@VM1.MCGILL.CA>

> If you guys are almost but not quite perfect at making trees, does it
> mean you make B+ trees ?

     Actually, I kind of like the B* trees, but only because it is
more fun to watch someone try to read through the code.

The Ronin
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Date:         Tue, 7 Apr 1992 00:23:21 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         Tushar Samant <tushar%ZAPHOD.UCHICAGO.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: S T R E S S ! !

I tell you, you might laugh at this Lisa, but none of her jokes are
unintentional. You think these great ones just crept in by oversight ?


>When Cathy goes shopping it usually crates more stress.

>Every year she sets out to buy a new bathing suit and it takes a week
>worth of strips just for her to decide to wear last years ...

>Lisa
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Fri, 10 Apr 1992 20:59:44 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         "Natalie Maynor" <maynor%RA.MSSTATE.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: ODDS 'N' ENDS

>    On the other hand, it may be that you should be interpreted as saying
> that certain kinds of changes in language cannot take place - e.g. the
> collapse of English into a set of grunts (one threatening grunt, one
> amorous grunt, etc). If so, I am curious to know what changes are assumed
> to be possible, and on what grounds.

English is not likely to collapse into a set of grunts because "collapse"
implies suddenness.  Language change is not usually that sudden.  Certain
changes are more likely than others (can't give you a detailed list right
now -- and am pretty sure you wouldn't want a detailed list anyway), but
just about any change that is not a violation of the workings of the
human speaking apparatus is possible.  On what grounds is this assumption
made?  History.

> This is also why I ask what you mean by "communication". A system of grunts
> may be a perfect system of communication among people who "need" no other
> means of communication, but does this imply that there is nothing "wrong"
> with the transformation of English into a system of grunts?

Yes.  If the speakers of English don't need any more than grunts, there's
nothing wrong with that system of communication.
   --Natalie (maynor@ra.msstate.edu)
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Sat, 11 Apr 1992 06:59:11 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         "Natalie Maynor" <maynor%RA.MSSTATE.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Understatement of the Year
Comments: To: WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu

> I dunno, I just clipped it, sent it, and it worked.  Maybe it has
> something to do with the fact that I'm on a VMS, not Unix?

Unix has nothing to do with it.  It's a listserv feature, and listserv
does not run on Unix.  (See my previous note for why there was no
problem.)
   --Natalie (maynor@ra.msstate.edu)
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Mon, 13 Apr 1992 19:03:00 EST
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         "Aaron Dickey, The Happy Spore"
 <AXD7104%ACFCLUSTER.NYU.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Gleanings (39)
Comments: To: words-l@uga.cc.uga.edu

 5) Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber (Ken W.)

A skit from the RoriginalS _Saturday Night Live_, c. 1978.  Steve Martin played
Theodoric of York, a barber in EnglandUs middle ages.  This, of course meant
that he spent most of his time performing bloodlettings and applying leeches to
his Rpatients.S  ItUs most famous for the monologue Martin gives at the end of
the sketch, where he talks about how people should strive to learn, expand their
mind, learn more about science, etc., for the betterment of mankind.  Then he
shrugs his shoulders, says RNaaaaah,S and goes back to his bloodletting.  The
skit was so popular that it became a running gag on the show.  By the way,
this skit appeared on the same night as...

40) Lisa Loopner/Bill Murray's Todd Delamuca (Neal)

which was already explained by someone else.  (Sidenote: NBC reran this
episode a few months ago.  When Steve Martin went RNot!S all my friends turned
and looked at each other like it was a sign from God.  It was quite amusing to
me...I thought EVERYONE knew he did it first. :) )

10) Amanda Payes (Chris S.)

Amanda Pays, actually.  SheUs an English-born actress, and an amazingly
beautiful one at that (yum!).  She appeared on _Max Headroom_ and _The Flash_,
but unfortunately is best known as the wife of Corbin Bernsen, who plays the
smarmy divorce lawyer Arnie Becker on _LA Law_.

18) Acqeduct (Neal)

Already explained, but itUs spelled Aqueduct.

34) ROT13 (Aaron)

ROT13 (it stands for ROTation 13, I think) is a simple way of transposing the
letters in an E-mail message.  ItUs called ROT13 because what it does is take
each letter and shifts it down 13 letters in the alphabet.  In other words,
A becomes an N, B becomes an O, and so on.  IUve only seen it used on Internet
and USENET joke mailing lists to keep certain people from being offended by a
particularly sick joke that might be emailed.  That way they have to go out of
their way to read the joke, and thus wonUt complain about it.

43) Gordon Liddy (Judith)

G. Gordon Liddy was the most infamous of Richard NixonUs Rplumbers.S He led
the break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters in 1972, which is what
led to Watergate.  HeUs now a very rich man, having made a lot of money as a
writer, actor, occasional talk show host, running Rsecurity seminarsS for
business executives, and giving speeches.  Truly the American Dream come true.
:-)

--Aaron

(PS- Hmmm...it seems that VMS doesn't like Microsoft Word's way of
printing quotation marks.  Oh well, each weird "U" is a ', and each
weird "R" is a beginning " mark, and each weird "S" is an ending "
mark.)
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Wed, 8 Apr 1992 12:48:48 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         "Natalie Maynor" <maynor%RA.MSSTATE.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: CALLING ALL STUDENTS OF RUSSIAN
Comments: To: WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu

> Says Natalie about what I said in response to Aimee's msg about.....

No.  I said it in response to somebody else's response to Aimee's message.

>   Before I
> took Latin, I could never figure out what a direct/indirect object
> was.

And how has it helped you to know what a direct or indirect object is?

> I didn't really know how to use tense.

That sounds serious.  Did you simply omit verbs, did you speak in the
present tense all the time, or did you speak in infinitive forms?
   --Natalie (maynor@ra.msstate.edu)
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Wed, 8 Apr 1992 08:19:00 PST
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         Lobstrosities Unite <CHRISS%CWU.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Mail bar codes

>Chris--
>
>There are programs for the Mac that will create these codes and put them on
>envelopes for you.  If you're willing to fork out a few $$ for a little wand
>you can read them too, as well as UPC codes, and all sorts of neat stuff. It's
>much fun for the kids on a rainy day. :)
>
>--Aaro
>      n

Yeah, I have a couple of those.  What I'm being asked to do is generate them
directly from data from our student information system, so I need to know
exactly how to do it.

Thanks,

Chris
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Organization: Computing Center, Mississippi State University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Sat, 11 Apr 1992 11:45:14 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         Frank Peters <fwp%CC.MSSTATE.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Bitnet or Internet Words-L?
Comments: To: words-l@uga.cc.uga.edu

In article <WORDS-L%92041110520704@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU> Carol Goodson
 <CGOODSON%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU> says:
>Internet is far, far faster and more efficient than bitnet
>>most of the time.  UGA has a problem that I thought had been solved
>>this morning.  It came back tonight, however.  My internet mail from
>>UGA is being delayed by a couple of hours, although my internet mail
>>TO UGA is getting there promptly -
>Things are definitely screwed up right now.
>
>Maybe there's really something to that SURANET maintenance they will be
>doing on Monday 4/13....a computer tuneup

Nope.  Internet uses a distributed address database (unlike the static
tables used by bitnet).  This is usually more efficient and allows the
internet ot have an order of magnitude more machines without problem.

But the distributed nature of this database makes it somewhat easier
for them to become corrupted.  And the source of the problem is a
persistent corruption in the UGA nameserver.  Here is the correct root
nameserver information:

.       465291  NS      NS.NIC.DDN.MIL.
.       465291  NS      AOS.BRL.MIL.
.       465291  NS      KAVA.NISC.SRI.COM.
.       465291  NS      C.NYSER.NET.
.       465291  NS      TERP.UMD.EDU.
.       465291  NS      NS.NASA.GOV.
.       465291  NS      NIC.NORDU.NET.


And here is the root nameserver information returned from the UGA
nameserver:

.       481970  NS      NS.NIC.DDN.MIL.
.       481970  NS      AOS.BRL.MIL.
.       481970  NS      KAVA.NISC.SRI.COM.
.       481970  NS      C.NYSER.NET.
.       481970  NS      TERP.UMD.EDU.
.       481970  NS      NS.NASA.GOV.
.       481970  NS      NIC.NORDU.NET.
.       378213  NS      a.isi.edu.
.       306669  NS      moevax.edu.tw.
.       229453  NS      SRI-NIC.ARPA.

The last three entries in this list are bogus. This corruption is
apparently getting into the UGA database from some outside source.
The periods Natalie reported where the problem 'goes away' coincide
with times when the UGA nameserver is reloaded and is using correct
data for a time.  Then the data gets corrupted and it starts having
problems again.  Some queries go to the bad servers and some go to
the correct servers...which is why UGA has no problems talking to
some sites.

--Fwp, boring technogeek.
--
Frank Peters  -  UNIX Systems Programmer  -  Mississippi State University
Internet: fwp@CC.MsState.Edu  -  Phone: (601)325-7030  -  FAX: (601)325-8921
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Fri, 10 Apr 1992 12:49:02 -0400
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         Rita <rita%EFF.ORG@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Pre-Clam Slam
Comments: To: English Language Discussion Group <WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>

>saw her for the first time. Poor Rita was so shocked that she did breathe, I
>thought we were going to loose her.  Anne was shocked too.  Rita was a lot of

        Yeah, I really do need to remember to breathe!  (I've always had
trouble remembering -- since I was a baby).  :-).

>fun but don't ever ask her to handle the money when it's time to pay the check!
>Actually, I made out on the deal because I'm a poor college student, thanks!

        Hey, it was creative!  And besides, I'm one of the English geeks,
not a words-l economist!

Czarina

PS.  I gotta mail both Joan and Rod $3 a piece -- everybody gave me too
much money, so I had to figure out how to give rebates...
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Wed, 15 Apr 1992 16:49:38 EDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         CGOODSON%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU
Subject:      Re: sad thought

On Wed, 15 Apr 1992 13:53:00 MDT The Ronin said:
>Claimeth      ktw@HLWPK.ATT.COM
It strips away the opportunities for kids to subtly (or
>> not so subtly) compare degrees of parental wealth as reflected in
>> clothing.
>
>     You mean how faded the uniform is (from constant wear) and how
>well it fits (because the child is still growing) won't be a way to
>determine relative parental wealth?
 subtle signs will continue to shine
>through.  If one wants to differentiate, the means will be found.

***Unfortunately this is absolutely true...the shoes were ALWAYS a dead
giveaway...frayed collars...pants too short (i.e., purchased used or
hand-me-downs, etc.  too bad...
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Date:         Fri, 10 Apr 1992 15:48:00 EDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         "Aaron Dickey, The Happy Spore"
 <AXD7104%NYUACF.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Pencils (was Re: TV)

Actually, I ought to learn Arabic, since it reads right-to-left.

BTW, slow-drying felt-tip pens are even worse than pencils.  It's a
curse.  No wonder we die earlier.

--Aaron
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Sat, 11 Apr 1992 19:56:18 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         "Natalie Maynor" <maynor%RA.MSSTATE.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Penmanship
Comments: To: WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu

I've noticed something odd about writing with a pen lately.  I find
myself making "typos" (? -- I'm not sure what you call that kind of
error when it's with a pen).  I don't remember having had that problem
in the past.  My computer addiction seems to be making my hand do
weird things with a pen.  Or has somebody already said all this?  I've
been half-reading lots of mail during the past several days.
   --Natalie (maynor@ra.msstate.edu)
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Tue, 14 Apr 1992 21:34:48 -0500
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         Nancy Harwood <harwood%TENET.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: sad thought
Comments: To: English Language Discussion Group <WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Comments: cc: Multiple recipients of list WORDS-L <WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>

>  One of the purposes of public education is to transmit the
> public culture, including the passwords.  I think the slippage began
> when the public schools did away with dress codes.
>
> Steve Karlson
>
Not all of them have...dress code is alive and well (and bitterly
complained about) in our high school!
ndh
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Date:         Thu, 9 Apr 1992 13:32:25 CDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         Anne Harwell <aharwell%PANAM1.PANAM.EDU@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      RE: Lenny is Back
Comments: To: WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu

>I am back.
>
>What's happening?

Not much :-).

Where the Sam Hill have you been? I sent you private mail, Bitnet relay
messages, even fingered your account. Oh, well, welcome back anyway.

-abh
Organization: Youngstown State University
Date: Wednesday, 8 Apr 1992 12:33:45 EDT
From: <AMPHYS01@ysub.ysu.edu>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Subject: Re: Fitting in

I knew it. That's why there so many BWPs and other glip-fingered folks
on this list.  I think anyone with a background in editing/journalism/
reporting becomes an extension of their keyboard and terminal.  I know I
communicate easier through my computer than I can face to face or on the
telephone.  I guess that's why I'll never be a teacher -- I simply can't talk
easily.  But I can write -- thorugh the keyboard.  I can't write anything
longer than a phone message with a pen, but I can write volumes with the
keyboard.  My writing ability translated itself to green on black years
ago -- I simply cannot complete a thought or write a decent thesis unless
I'm writing it on the computer.  That's what 7 years in the field did to
me (three as beat reporter and four as editor) -- it ruined my handwriting
for life, rearranged my thought processes and made me a compulsive copy
editor.  I'm not salvageable.

Sharon, 1/2 MA, never a PhD
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Thu, 9 Apr 1992 12:52:00 PST
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         Lobstrosities Unite <CHRISS%CWU.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: CALLING ALL STUDENTS OF RUSSIAN

>The "r" is a plural marker, and the "en" is another plural marker.

Fine. Without looking into this, I'll give you children and even kindred as Les
pointed out (though its usage these days is mostly as an adjective).  What
makes these standout is that they are exceptions. You would be hardpressed to
find too many other words that have survived in this form.  Why?  Because
English, like anything, strives for economy and "ruliness". However, one of the
things that can battle on fairly even terms with economy is status quo or
"conservatism" or actually, plain old tradition.  Not in our lifetime will we
see *childs* and *kins* become common usage because they've survived so long as
"children" and "kindred". But they both are rare redundancies and would not
ever apply to words incorporated into English today.

Chris
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Date:         Tue, 14 Apr 1992 17:23:00 GMT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         WERTSJ <WERTSJ%DIALOG%MCIMAIL.COM@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      re: Bitnet or Internet Words-l
Comments: To: mbx <words-l@uga.cc.uga.edu>

>You're subscribed from your internet address.  I just checked.  Your

>> I'd rather switch than fight, so should I? ...or have I misunderstood?

>This is not a good time to be making comparisons of the two methods.
>The UGA nameserver problem hasn't been solved yet.  My internet mail
>from there is running two hours behind again.
>   --Natalie (maynor@ra.msstate.edu)

   Thanks, Natalie!

Jill

______________________________________________________

Jill Werts                 (wertsj%dialog@mcimail.com)
Dialog Information Services
______________________________________________________
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Original_cc:  WHITERJ
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Wed, 15 Apr 1992 14:20:00 MDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         The Ronin <WHITERJ%MSCD.BITNET@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Reflections on the matter of language change

Sayeth        Fredric <FDOLEZAL@UGA.BITNET>

> Try this on for size:  Imagine a society that started using the word JEW
> as a synonym for "evil, dirty rotten, no-good corrupter of our values"
> Are you saying you can separate the 'linguistic change' from the application
> or
> usage?

     From the standpoint of linguistic structure and interpretation,
there is nothing wrong with this change.  From the standpoint of
cultural values I would find a great deal wrong with it.  With regards
to semantics, the compiling of meanings would say that this is
acceptable (since it is being used), but the attempt to discern
meaning might have trouble if the new definition was not generally
found to be synonymous and the different meanings were not
sufficiently differentiable through context.

> > [from Natalie]
> >Intentionality behind language change?  Not usually,
> >although it's not unheard of.
> Evidence???

     Try ghetto slang of the late 60's and early 70's.  Meanings
changed as rapidly as the words were deciphered by the middle-class
socializers.  How do you think the word 'bad' came to mean
'top-notch'?

The Ronin, a large (semi-)linguist

p.s. Natalie, I believe I also understood you, I just thought you were
     doing fine on your own.  If it looked like you were about to go
     under when you shouldn't have, I would have helped.  Jumped in
     here just because I got tired of being on the sidelines.
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Original_cc:  WHITERJ
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Fri, 17 Apr 1992 13:19:00 MDT
 <WORDS-L%UGA.bitnet@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From:         The Ronin <WHITERJ%MSCD.BITNET@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: The National Academy (again)

Pineth        "Natalie Maynor" <maynor@RA.MSSTATE.EDU>

> Sigh....  Carol gets me mixed up with Karen; Fred gets me mixed up with
> The Ronin.  Do I have no identity of my own?  Oh well.  At least I'm

     But Natalie, if you weren't so omniscient and didn't show off
your broad spectrum of knowledge,  we wouldn't have so much touble
keeping straight which expert we had been listening to.  This trouble
is of your making, girl.

The Ronin
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU