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Re: Billy's grammar confusion re: "pimping"

seems like we could do without all this "droppings" stuff as well.  if 
you repeat the argument and the warrant the judge notices that it wasn't 
answered.

dbr

Swm36ut@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 97-04-30 21:24:50 EDT, West writes:
> 
> >Billy, I think your hasty stroll through Webster's Ninth was in error.
> >The word you define -- "pimping" -- is an adjective.  As in, "His swings
> >of the ax were pimping, insufficient to cut the firewood."
> >
> >The VERB pimp -- as in "I now will pimp case-side", or "she's pimping our
> >underview" -- is defined as "to work for a prostitute."
> >
> >Turn to page 13 (Explanatory Notes) of the text you cite (1985 ed.) in
> >order to understand the difference between "vi" and "adj".
> >
> >
> Gee, Mr. West, with your extensive knowledge of grammar and virtually
> unlimited knowledge of debate history, I'm sure you are aware that many
> adjectives are turned into verbs as debaters commit the sin of
> jargon-creation. If someone says "dropping" in debate, they're not referring
> to the actual act of gravity-induced descent, just as they are not referring
> to "dropping" a hit of acid or making reference to mouse leavings. There is a
> context that helps us interpret proper meaning.
> 
> Since you obviously have the same dictionary, I'm sure that you also saw that
> there were separate etymologies for the verb, "to pimp," and the adjective,
> "pimping." Perhaps you think of prostitution (and all those poor girls in
> Nepal) every time you hear the term "case pimp," but I'm sure most of us are
> thinking of weak non-evidenced presses. Until you can do a better job of
> explaining why use of this term reifies Nepalese prostitution, I urge you to
> pick your moral causes with greater care. Remember, even if the same-sounding
> verb does relate to prostitution, it was, and is, a derogatory term. So, are
> we to prohibit any word that sounds like something that disturbs your own
> personal moral climate? I don't really believe you are advocating this, so
> please be specific in letting us know what you exact purpose is.
> 
> For the rest of you, I know you will support your friend. But be honest, this
> term is used in debate as a synonym for weak presses, not prostitution. Maybe
> the ad homs were unjustified, maybe not. I still think that we'd all be
> better off acting on our causes instead of endlessly re-living the thrill of
> meaningless disputation. This is little more than political correctness. I
> hope you all feel better.
> 
> Billy
References:
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