Discussion Groups / English Usage / March 2006

} R J Valentine wrote:
}> On Mon, 27 Mar 2006 00:25:13 -0800 "Reinhold (Rey) Aman" <aman@sonic.net> wrote:
}>
}> } Stuart Chapman wrote:
}> }
}> }> Dear Rey,
}> }>
}> }> Please tell me what the most offensive word in the world is.
}> }>
}> }> Thankyou.
}> }>
}> }> Stupot
}> }
}> } Sorry, there isn't such an animal.  Every language, society, and culture
}> } has specific taboos and "offensive" words that violate such taboos.
}> } Worldwide, the three big groups of taboos deal with Family, Religion,
}> } and Sex & Excretion (and combinations thereof).
}>
}> Please.
}
} You've mentioned that before, but I don't know your objection.  If you
} don't mind, kindly explain it, will you?  TIA.
}
} "For me" annoys me a lot more.  "Could you put your tray table up for
} me, sir?"  Anything for you, of course, but in this case I'll do it
} just because you reminded me of the announcement.

That's the idea.  How about when someone says, "I said, 'Please,'" in that
whiney tone they get?  First of all, English usage is saddled with a
"please" word that is a quasi-imperative verb in form, where other
languages have more of an "if you please" or "I beg you" sort of form.  
Then children are taught that it is a magic word that they can expect
results from (so you'll observe a child standing in front of someone
impatiently saying, "Excuse me, please!").  When someone says to you,
"Sir, step out of the car, please," you're not being asked politely;
you're being given the opportunity to make peace with your god.

So, when the Schimpfmeister calls me an a.shole or some sort of Nazi or a
coward or paranoid or when he reminds us again of a physical affliction I
happen to have to deal with, we know it's all good, clean fun.  But let
him throw a "please" at me, and I'll know he has lost all respect for me.

Even a flight attendant knows to use helping verbs and couch it as a
personal favor that's being asked.  Contrast that with the snow-storm
episode of _Third Rock from the Sun_ when Barbara the flight attendant
says to Dick, "Please sit down."

I posted in 2003 trying to explain to Mike Oliver what the whole Mimi
thing was, and Rey responded by flaming Tony Cooper and Padraig
Breathnach. He was gentle with me, though. Go figure!

http://google.com/group/alt.usage.english/msg/fffd33db44bb9f7a