"...the usual American taboos surrounding language would be plenty strong
enough to generate euphemisms. They've already led to such usages as 'mere
semantics', for instance. And the fact that knowledge about either
langage or langues has been effectively excluded from the American educational
system for almost a century certainly suggests that it's too hot for us to
handle." - quoted from your link.
What are they talking about? I never learned about langages or langues, for
sure, but then I only have a liberal arts B.A. -- is that the educational
system in question, or are they talking about grade school, or graduate school?
There are a lot of things missing from the American educational system, when
seen from both outside the system and outside the country, and I'm not sure of
the writer's perspective.
I'd also like to be enlightened as to what taboos, as a typical American, I
surround my understanding of language with.
Thanks, Curious, for digging this stuff up. I always seek enlightenment about
subjects I'm utterly ignorant about, and I so rarely have the time to educate
myself ab
initio.
Join us in the Reading Room.
'Thinking hard'.
squire online:
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The Valaquenta discussion
