Must sensitive people suffer the mutilation of their language until they die and are ready to become cremees?

Sensitive people should learn some historical linguistics which ought to prepare them for the real world of language. The A-H dictionary does not even have a usage note where such peeves go; M-W collegiate cites 1918 as its entry into the language. (Looking at its timeline in Google's NGram, shows that 1939, that annus mirabilis) was indeed when it took off. Wonder what FHJ Newton was doing then? Being demobbed and getting ready to bash heads in the General Strike.

My personal favorite of the -ee words is alienee 'one to whom ownership of property has been transferred'.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.