Azed Query

[Marsh]

In his slip recently, Azed asked for comments from solvers on "whether it is necessary/desirable to indicate foreign, archaic usage or register (slang etc.)"  for words so indicated in Chambers (eg Stateside sensation, Scottish expert and poet's waited for esthesia, used and abid)  So far, opinion from his readers appears to be that such indication is unnecessary.

However not all Azed solvers subscribe to the slip so not everyone has been consulted.  If you do Azed , what are your feelings?

[JulieEve]

Loves AZED.  I think it is totally unnecessary - takes away half the fun of solving.

[Quizmonster]

I've done the Azed - or its predecessors - for decades, though I've never subscribed to the slip. I think any such 'assistance' as has apparently been suggested would be totally against the grain.

[Marsh]

Hi QM.!  The assistance referred to is Azed's current practice � my examples were from recent puzzles.  The question arose because the latest Chambers Words has many multi-word phrases in foreign languages.  He wondered whether these should be signalled in the way that he tends to signal Scottish words.  The topic appears to have broadened to include other similar signals.  Should they all be dropped?

[Quizmonster]

When he signals Scottish dialect words, he usually says something along the lines of "...in Edinburgh..." or "...Jock claims"... or somesuch. I consider these to be the mildest of hints and - particularly being a Scotsman myself! - I couldn't really object if he used the same approach by saying "...in Rome..." or "...according to Giuseppe..."
Many English people - the vast majority of solvers, I imagine - are possibly more familiar with Italian phrases than Scots ones! On the other hand, Lallans and Doric are just dialects of English and as acceptable, surely, as Geordie, Brummie or Cornish words. 

[Marsh]

And would you be pleased or saddened if letter from Israel, old-style stew etc. turned into letter, stew and so on?

[Quizmonster]

As I said, M, I don't really mind if a clue is somehow signalled as being from a particular location/language. Even if it is area-specific in this way, the clue is there to be deciphered and the word is in Chambers, whether the hint is given or not.
There was a classic a week or two back - I no longer have it to hand - where 1 across was the 12-letter name of an Arabic dish similar to hommus. Even though I lived in the Middle East for years, I'd never heard of it, but I still got it right. Now that had the language-hint, if I remember correctly.
Basically, I'm easy...if you see what I mean.

[Marsh]

Many thanks, QM.  And many thanks also, JulieEve.

[offramp_t]

I think it is unnecessary too. There are all these clues where he has to use Jock's or Highlander's or north of the border or Mac's to indicate a scottish word. But if it is in Chambers it must be an English word too. It's an English Dictionary! So he should leave it out.