Re: Láadan

On Wednesday 27 November 2002 07:12 pm, Doug Dee wrote:
> Which features of Laadan gave you the impression of mean-spiritedness?
        I'm not answering for Ian, but perhaps he found the "despised" pronouns
disturbing. In reality, these would rarely be used to someone's face, but
more probably behind someone's back. See, for instance, Russian diminutives
for names--if a woman's name is Anna, don't call her Anka if you want to stay
friends. Elgin, in one of the short stories she wrote in Láadan, had the main
character use the "despised thou" to her mother's face--something that, while
expressive of one's opinions, is best left unsaid. Sometimes it is a Good
Thing (TM) to not be as expressive in language as one might wish, feminist
theory aside. ;>
        :Peter