A poster boy for Amnesty

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Is CARL aware that natural-born United States citizens do, in fact, from time to time, commit crimes?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Language is a fascinating indicator of one's personal biases - for example, aliens are creatures that come off of UFOs.

Hmm.

United States Code, Title 8, Chapter 12, Subchapter 1, Section 1101 Definitions. (a)(3) “The term “alien” means any person not a citizen or national of the United States.”

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/usc_sec_08_00001101----000-.html

Don't see any mention of UFOs or "creatures."

But you are correct that "(L)anguage is a fascinating indicator of one's personal biases."

Yours is showing.

Choosing to use this particular legal term instead of any of a number of equally serviceable and less dehumanizing-sounding quotidian terms is telling.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Language is a fascinating indicator of one's personal biases - for example, aliens are creatures that come off of UFOs.

Hmm.

United States Code, Title 8, Chapter 12, Subchapter 1, Section 1101 Definitions. (a)(3) “The term “alien” means any person not a citizen or national of the United States.”

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/usc_sec_08_00001101----000-.html

Don't see any mention of UFOs or "creatures."

But you are correct that "(L)anguage is a fascinating indicator of one's personal biases."

Yours is showing.

Choosing to use this particular legal term instead of any of a number of equally serviceable and less dehumanizing-sounding quotidian terms is telling.

Nathan,

This is getting to be hysterically funny.

Your bizarrely reactionary and utterly sophomoric opinions on lexicography and linguistics are, you mean? Yes. Yes they are, increasingly.

I repeat, 'immigrant' as used is more accurate than 'alien' as used, and, for that matter, 'undocumented' is a more neutral and I would think broadly acceptable term than 'illegal'. Can we call them undocumented immigrants like people with human-baseline levels of compassion and move on?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I might point out that 'migrant' is another serviceable word that seems to lack that particular prescriptivist connotation without being dehumanizing and/or excessively clinical. We okay with 'undocumented migrant'?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

They are here illegally, and could not have gotten jobs here legally under current law.

And whose fault is that? 'Illegal' carries connotations of malice, although that's not part of the technical definition. Many of them did, in fact, forget or lack the resources to get paperwork done.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

It's interesting that you're using the language of 'choice' while in your parenthetical remark referencing people 'trapped in unfortunate circumstances', but I presume you take the view that there are for most such people other, preferable options? If so, may I ask you to expound on this?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I might point out that 'migrant' is another serviceable word that seems to lack that particular prescriptivist connotation without being dehumanizing and/or excessively clinical. We okay with 'undocumented migrant'?

mi•grant

noun \ˈmī-grənt\

Definition of MIGRANT

: one that migrates: as a : a person who moves regularly in order to find work especially in harvesting crops

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/migrant

So, are you trying to tell us that all aliens illegally present in this country move regularly to find work?

Oh, as as to "undocumented," that is simply a politically correct euphemism for "illegal."

Would you call a person operating a motor vehicle on the public roadways without ever having obtained a drivers license, an "undocumented driver"?

Yeah, the term is 'driving without a license'. I've never heard 'illegal driver' in my life.

Your linguistic prescriptivism in the interests of furthering the dehumanization of a group that you're afraid of is unintentionally hilarious. Keep it up!

Ernest: I agree with your prescription for the problem but I disagree that the economic straits that a lot of these people are coming from don't constitute 'unfortunate circumstances' in the sense that would justify breaking immigration laws. I think the immigration laws are unjust enough, and conditions in many parts of South America are bad enough, that we can afford to be forgiving of these circumstances. I understand that you disagree, and that's fine.

I of course entirely agree with you on the subject of sex slavery.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

They are here illegally, and could not have gotten jobs here legally under current law.

And whose fault is that? 'Illegal' carries connotations of malice, although that's not part of the technical definition. Many of them did, in fact, forget or lack the resources to get paperwork done.

Nathan,

You get funnier and funnier.

"Malice" is a term which has very specific meanings.  While most serious crimes require general criminal intent, few require malice.

What's funny is how myopic you are about what I'm saying here. Here's a hint: It's about parole, not langue.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

They are here illegally, and could not have gotten jobs here legally under current law.

And whose fault is that? 'Illegal' carries connotations of malice, although that's not part of the technical definition. Many of them did, in fact, forget or lack the resources to get paperwork done.

Nathan,

You get funnier and funnier.

"Malice" is a term which has very specific meanings.  While most serious crimes require general criminal intent, few require malice.

What's funny is how myopic you are about what I'm saying here. Here's a hint: It's about parole, not langue.

What you are posting makes absolutely no sense.

Have you actually read Saussure, and if not, will you make an effort to read up on the subject so that what I am posting will make no sense, or will you content yourself with the belief that it is my responsibility, not yours, that you cannot be bothered to Google two French words?