Date:  Tue, 21 Nov 1995 08:42:22 -0500

From:  Wayne Glowka <wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MAIL.GAC.PEACHNET.EDU>

Subject: Re: PC Language



>WayneG wrote: "If we slip up and say "dorms," we get corrected."

>

>By whom, Wayne???

>

>Bethany



By people who work in student affairs--and by their student agents. During

orientation, the students are told that they live in residence halls, not

dorms. Dorms are places that don't matter to the people. Residence halls

are places the students can call home. The students also eat in a dining

hall, not a cafeteria.



You have to remember that at a small college, faculty are in constant touch

with faculty from other disciplines and with people from all kinds of

administrative offices. Half the time when one goes to a party--say with a

keg or a chest of beer--even the lowliest can sit and chat with the

president and his wife.



Speaking of self-elevating terms, when I worked at a department store in

Pennsylvania, my manager hated being called a "clerk" by customers. He

would correct them and tell them that he was a manager. We all wore name

tags announcing that we were "sales associates." All of the people in

management and personnel called us "sales associates." I figured that the

name was supposed to dull the sting of minimum wage. It was always

embarrassing to go to the bank on payday.



Wayne Glowka

Professor of English

Director of Research and Graduate Student Services

Georgia College

Milledgeville, GA 31061

912-453-4222

wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]mail.gac.peachnet.edu