When You "Assume" : Societal Effects on Lexis

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"Assume" : on the face of it, seems an innocent enough word. But say, "I assumed ..." to many Americans, and you had better be prepared to be humiliated. What is the negative connotation for "assume"? Is it only found in the United States? How has American society influenced the English lexicon within its borders to such a degree that some words have become limited in deployability, or even undeployable?
This paper will discuss these and other issues related to how society can limit and/or change lexis. Some examples of how society can effect the meanings of words will be discussed, including the advent of political correctness and the whirl of changes it has caused within the English language. Also looked at are war influences, and even the likeability/dislikeability of one English family name in different countries. Racist language is perhaps, unfortunately, the best example of the power of language ; it will also be discussed. The example of "assume" will be covered in fair detail. Finally, some ramifications to these societal influences will be discussed in the conclusion.