[HPFGU-OTChatter] wifebeaters Re: Closets and Wardrobes

[P. Alexis Nguyen]

Carol:
> It seems to me that Lee's friend, who is your own age and h *has*
> given the term thought, has reached the opposite conclusion. The words
> we use for ordinary objects and occurrences reflect changing values.

Ali:
I have friends who choose to not use slangs at all (regardless of
connotations), so I guess I didn't really pick up that the choice was
one based on connotation.



Carol:
> Just because a term is in common use doesn't make it legitimate.

Ali:
But we're not talking about legitimacy in the world at large.  We're
talking about the context of an average 20-something in a novel and
what he/she would say.  (But I agree about common use not making a
term legitimate and acceptable.  After all, I'm still fairly aghast no
matter how many times I hear the N-word [um...for our non-American
friends who can't guess, that would be the highly offensive racial
slur used against blacks and African-Americans], and that's not the
only term of that kind that I can think of.)



Carol:
> I'm not sure that you understand the role of a copyeditor.

Ali:
I do.  I work as one.  Granted, it's not my job title, but we're a
consulting firm and insists on being obtuse.

What I meant was that, given the suggestion, I would go back to the
editor/copy editor to see why the suggestion was made (i.e. get a
dialogue going).  In that case, I would also try to get him/her to see
that the word choice was purposeful and appropriate because I would
want to see if, even though the choice was purposeful, whether the
choice of authenticity trumps something else of concern (in this case,
offense to the reader).

~Ali, who thinks language is a funny thing sometimes