Re: RC: The Tennessee Stud

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/15/00 9:23:25 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
fasterhorses@gilanet.com writes:

<< In the general (non-technical) use of language, if a word is used and the 
 meaning is understood, then from the linguist's point of view that use 
 can't be "wrong" - it can only be wrong if the meaning is misunderstood 
 (there's a whole field of linguistics that studies this area, called 
 transformational grammar.  Very fascinating to some weird minds.). >>

While you are correct about this, I'd add that in talking to horsemen 
everywhere, if you use the word "stallion" to describe an intact, adult, male 
horse, NO one will misunderstand you, but if you use the word "stud" you have 
to know if you are talking to the local cowboys or the folks raising horses 
in non-American but English-speaking countries where a "stud" is clearly a 
horse farm.  The use of the word "stud" (or even more so, the word "horse") 
to describe the actual animal is a colloquial useage, and is NOT particularly 
wide-spread throughout the English-speaking world--it is pretty much a phrase 
of western Americana...  With colloquialisms, you have to know your audience 
to be understood....

Heidi