Peter T. Daniels wrote:

>
>
> I answered the questions you asked.

Since you say below you don't save messages, you don't really know if
you answered the questions or not do you? You may have typed some words,
but you didn't necessarily answer the questions.

I don't have any issues with the answer to my question regarding
modalitiy today. It is your overall snide tone that I am more concerned
about.

Thsi si not a list for your colleague PhDs in academia. You should not
assume anything about anyone's background here. If you can't be patient
with people, then don't answer at all as you are not being much help at
all. Fine if youwant to lurk or even grouse on peer lists, but this is
not one of them.

> The questions you asked suggested
> that you have never been exposed to linguistics, so I asked whether you
> had been.

In the sense that someone asks "when did you stop beating your wife". I
won't stand for that. I already pointed out your inappropriateness in
rhetoric earlier in this thread, before today.

> As Patrick points out, anyone who's had a year of linguistics
> will have been exposed to the fact of the existence of signed languages
> that differ from spoken languages only in modality.

I believe what he pointed out is that the assumptioins you wrote were
way off base and that perhaps you are no longer as gamiliar with the
introductory level teachings of your field as you may believe to be. You
can (and will I am sure) interpret his message differently.

But the point is, I asked some questions, you actually answed them
reasonably well, but still saw fit to attack the questioner, and
continue to do so. Why don't you just let the answers stand for themselves?

>
> I don't save messages, so I don't know what questions you may have asked
> that you think I haven't answered.

They are surrounding your use of hateful and spiteful rhetoric since
about the time suzmccarth joined the list. I suggested that you look
deep into yourself and the circumstances of your life to see why you may
be behaving differnetly enough that people on this list who have been
here for years are noticing it....not a question that requires an answer
here on the list beyond a well wished and sincere for return to behavior
closer to the norm.

>
> It is also quite odd for a person to post to an academic list under a
> pseudonym "i18n" or sign messages as nothing other than "Barry," and
> that is not a little off-putting.

Sorry you feel that way. Many on this list know me personally or have
met me in person. I don;t recall this being an "academic" list, and even
if it is somehow that, your recent judgmental tone in terms of
escalating name calling to the point of calling people sadists because
their beliefs or experience do not coincide with yours indicates to me
that you are a little off center (or more then a little) and that you
are only going to rely on this being an "academic" list when it suits
you rhetorically to have it as a crutch.

Me, although in the past I would have been glad to meet you in person
because you are a font of knowledge, now, I'd just as soon not be too
easy for you to contact because I think you are this close to turning
into qalam's represntative entry for the "net.kooks" list.

Sorry if that is off putting to you - maybe someday the old Peter will
be back and we will be friends.

>
> > I am not ashamed of anything except that I have actually gotten sucked
> > into this pissing match with you. But you will only have my attention
> > for one more round of messages so make sure your next one covers the
> > issues in the previous paragraph or there will be no more responses for
> > me. We can agree to disagree that your snide remarks are either trolling
> > or rhetorical, whatever you want, but seriously dude, something is up
> > with you lately...
> >
> > Peter, I'd have to go back in my archives sometime to dig it up but my
> > gut feeling is that it dates to about the time suzmccarth started
> > posting. Whether she is the cause, or if it is coincidental, or if there
> > is some other reason, for those of us out here in listland, the change
> > in your overall tone and helpfulness has been dramatic. I am sorry to
> > point it out to you, but maybe someday you will look inside instead of
> > lashing out and come back to this message. No response needed or
> > necessary as that was not an invitation for discussion or debate, just a
> > personal observation and a well-being wish for you....
>
> Of _course_ she's the cause. She came to the list far less prepared than
> you, with a chip on her shoulder. For instance, she used the term
> "morphophonemic" for weeks or months, thoroughly confusing everyone,
> before revealing that it was a word she made up to cover something that
> had nothing to do with its meaning in linguistics.
>
> And I could only sit by in wonder as she messed with the heads of all
> the computer jocks with her insistence on inputs and processors and
> keyboards or whatever it was that so confounded them.

I think we went through the same kind of stuff with Nicholas from the
time he joined. But he usually shows deference and humility in his tone,
while not being attacked by you. Frankly, I am struck by the difference.
Since I don't know with NB or SM, the only other observation point I
have is that one is male and you let ride, and one is female and you
don't let ride.

I hope that is not really a factor but it is an observation.

We all have people who get our goat...maybe SM is just one of them for
you... if so, may I suggest you just ignore her threads and let other
people answer her questions? Then you will have lower blood pressure and
she will hopefully find a more fruitful discussion on the list.

And as one of the "computer jocks", I didn't find any issue at all with
the computer input thread with which (IIRC) she made an appearance. I
don't mind being exposed to out of the box thinking form left field and
the discussion it engenders. Even if an engineering discussion bears no
immediate fruit, often there are seeds of the next useful idea therein.

OK, I must be hungry as I used a fruit metaphor in 2 paragraphs in a row
so that will be all from me.

Please let's tone it down, and if we have to agree to disagree on a few
things, I am willing to do that if you are for the sake of the whole
list ok?

Best,

Barry