"The Language War" by Robin Tolmach Lakoff LO25072

From: nkelly@bigpond.net.au
Date: 07/17/00


Replying to LO25067 --

> Something timely for the group to look at. Lakoff's a good linguist
> who's done a lot of work in the sociology of language.

I follow this list, mostly lurking and have done so for a couple of years.
On reading the review of Lakoff's book I felt it worthwhile to make the
effort to respond. For those who wonder - I don't "actively" participate
simply because I'm lazy, and I am not offended/hurt/distressed/discouraged
by robust debate, I find the "technologue" of LO some of the most orderly
in the medium, sometimes rambling often wonderful stuff.

Then I wondered - if the power is in the silences then what agenda is not
being voiced by this fellow poster or is it postess? :-) The uses and
abuses of language are both subtle and profound no doubt - what for
instance makes Lakoff a "good" linguist and does a "lot of work" in one
field or another make the book necessarily either good or "timely" for me
or the group to consider? so I surrendered some of my time, obediently
followed the link you gave and read the review. Interesting. But still ...
what changes do you want I/the group to make after reading it? The
implications are not self-evident, if it ain't broke, what are we trying
to fix?

are you having your voice and eating it too?

from your friend Neil Kelly

-- 

nkelly@bigpond.net.au

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