The word itself is neutral to me. The intention of the speaker gives it its "coloration." When I call my brother-in-law a "nigger," it's a term of endearment, and we both know it. But there are people who'd get their heads kicked in if they called him that. a
--- shempmcgurk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > How do you like being referred to as a "Kraut"? > > > > --- In [email protected], Angela > Mailander > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I think it's probably a case of tit for tat. > America > > does not recognize several kinds of degrees from > > foreign universities. And in the case of a Ph.D. > the > > requirements are quite different in the two > countries. > > In the U.S. a doctoral dissertation is required. > In > > Germany, a doctoral dissertation and a second work > of > > bigger proportions are required. The second work > is > > the so-called Habilitationsschrift. T > > --- bob_brigante <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > "The letter that Ian T. Baldwin, director of a > > > prestigious research > > > institute in Jena, Germany, received on January > 9 > > > from the Thuringian > > > state police informed him that he was being > charged > > > with a crime. The > > > letter was straightforward enough, but the crime > was > > > bafflingly obscure. > > > > > > "It said I was being charged with Missbrauchs > von > > > Titeln, or misuse of > > > title, and that I had to appear at the police > > > station," Mr. Baldwin > > > said today by telephone. "I looked up on the Web > > > what Missbrauchs von > > > Titeln meant. It's used for people who > impersonate > > > police officers." If > > > convicted, Mr. Baldwin, who directs the Max > Planck > > > Institute for > > > Chemical Ecology, could face a hefty fine and as > > > much as a year in jail. > > > > > > Mr. Baldwin's crime, under a Nazi-era law > governing > > > the use of academic > > > titles, was to assume that his doctorate from > > > Cornell University > > > entitled him to call himself "Doctor" in > Germany. > > > The honorific, > > > apparently, is reserved for recipients of > doctoral > > > degrees from German > > > universities. > > > (more) > > > http://tinyurl.com/ypxd79 > > > > > http://chronicle.com/news/index.php? > id=4134&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en > > > > > > > > > > > > Send instant messages to your online friends > http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > > > > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
