Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997 16:09:15 -0600

From: Greg Pulliam gpulliam[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CHARLIE.IIT.EDU

Subject: Re: PC Dictionaries?



why is Merriam getting singled out?



Jesse Sheidlower

Random House Reference

jester[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]panix.com



Because bullying tactics work better against single victims. If NAACP

attacked all dictionary publishers at the same time, there'd be a chorus of

protests, instead of a single "little" voice of a single publisher. The

tactic presumes that all other publishers will keep quiet in hopes that

their names won't come up. But if NAACP is successful with M-W, RH, AHD,

and NW will be next in line.



What's striking, but unsurprising, is how the NAACP press release assumes

that dictionaries define usage. We need a CHORUS of dictionary editors to

go on Larry King Live and talk about descriptive lexicography.



Gregory J. Pulliam

Illinois Institute of Technology

Lewis Department of Humanities

Chicago, IL 60616

gpulliam[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]charlie.cns.iit.edu