Date:  Thu, 23 Oct 1997 13:51:20 -0400
From:  Ron Butters <RonButters[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Damned if you do, damned if you don't

Allan writes:

>If a linguist doing fieldwork in
>another language were to express
>anger at the ritual greetings used
>in that language, we would be
>shocked at such unprofessional
>behavior.

However, using oneself as an informant--and dispassionately examining one's
own irritation at theritual language of one's own culture--is good scientific
 procedure, n'est-ce pas?