I was at a loss for words, when a particularly cynical friend of mine, in the context of after-lunch speculations on social economics, asked, "how much is a reasonable salary for an English literature professor in a random liberal art college?" I don't have a legitimate counter argument to the underlying accusation that in an ideal society of ruthless economic efficiency, we shouldn't be dragging the dead weight of redundant words. Nor can I come up with a number for the fair market value of wha