Date:  Thu, 3 Nov 1994 23:09:10 -0800

From:  Birrell Walsh <birrell[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]WELL.SF.CA.US>

Subject: Re: offending idioms



On Thu, 3 Nov 1994, Judith Rascoe wrote:



> re use of mangled euphemisms: I notice "homeless" used as a singular noun

> "We had a homeless sleeping behind the store" and as a collective without a

> preceding 'the': "that estimate includes commuters and shoppers but doesn't

> include homeless".

>



This means it has the same pseudo-partitive usage that is accorded the

word "staff" in social service agencies.