--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > the idea that one sort of wording is "correct" is > exactly the kind of > prescriptive way of looking at language that tells > us english sentences > oughtn't end in prepositions because latin sentences > can't. > > --vicka >
Actually I don't think I have heard one person say that Icelanders should stop using the word "hestur". I could really care less about what they call things in their country or what names they give things. If you look at this logically, we are actually the ones fighting prescritivism by saying that we are correct in calling Icelandics "ponies" in American English. The Icelanders come over and insist that we in the US use the word "horse" for Icelandics, they keep telling people that over and over. Then there are certain people who go ahead and give in and start doing it, not only that, they start correcting other people. In the US we would naturally, and do naturally call Icelandics "ponies". They are the ones doing the prescribing, actually. I think we are just tired of all the prescribing:) Kim
