Taking an unusual amount "offence" as a result of the mention of certain words

[thomasina]

Not really, people who call black people 'n**gers' now are only martyrs to a very small section of...well, idiots. I prefer the word being taboo to a climate where it's okay to say it. There's a reason the word is offensive, and it's not because politically-correct liberals were bored and decide to draw up a pointless list of words to pretend to take offence at.

I do get what you're saying, but I think letting people say it without expressing any opposition would be 'letting racists win'

But that's exactly where context and an understanding of how the word has been used historically means everything and makes all the difference.  When Ving Rhames tells Bruce Willis in Pulp Fiction " You're my n**ger", he means it with all it's implications, as in " i own your ass".   i didn't find that offensive, just telling.  Same when Tarantino's obnoxious inadequate little shit, Jimmy, uses the one opportunity he's ever going to get in his life to say 'n**ger' about 30 times to his cool friend Jules without getting his kneecaps blown off.  It points up the dickishness and pettiness of the guy using it.  No word, on its own is intrinsically offensive, it's entirely dependant on who uses it, to whom, why and when.

[Vermschneid Mehearties]

...whether I found that offensive or not (which I don't. I've already explained that I find no words offensive) , and whatever manner or situation it was used,

hehe - you're really setting yourself for a 'who can offend VM' competition there.

By the way, you're the only person to use the word Vermschneid on the net.

I know. I chose it because I wanted to make a word with as many consecutive consonants as possible. Apologies to anyone offended by that.

No-one can offend me. It's really quite impossible.

[5 Knuckle Shuffle]

Whoa there, just to be clear - I meant that when you (i.e. a non racist/biased person) take ultimate offense

I'm taking offence to that Gaz.Twice.

[gazzyk1ns]

See that's the spelling mistake I was referring to. I originally spelled it as you have there, then went to Dictionary.com and it only listed "offence" as a British variant... when things are listed as such it usually indicates a non-preferred spelling of the word, doesn't it?

Also I remember someone posting a month or so ago about how replacements of "c" with "z" or "s" are traditionally confused with Americanisations, but in fact they're correct (i.e. not actually replacements at all)?

I hate spelling things wrong or using incorrect grammar, if I'm certainly wrong then say and I'll change it. But if there's a dispute then I don't really care in this thread, if ya know wot I mean :winky:

Right, I checked the OED and I'm with you, it seems the "s" version is American.

[Rats]

Exhibit a: http://www.zen26454.zen.co.uk/Jerry.rm

funny or not? Just to further discussion.

[blue jammer]

The use of certain terms of endearment annoy me, things like:

'hun' 'chick' 'chicken' 'pet' 'love' and such like, I just find it all really cringeworthy.

I'd rather a girl said to me "hiya twatty, how has your day been?"

[Almost Yearly]

"Fit" is a very accurate word, unlike many other such potentially irksome words du jour. If not physically "fit" (you might like big mommas or beer belly men) - then fit for consumption. Slurp. Fit as in fitting one's criteria, whatever they are. Worthy. I don't use it though - don't like the sound of it.


It is a good job that words come and go though, isn't it. "Bird" seems to be on the standard 30 year fashion cycle. Yes it's objectifying, if animals are objects, but I couldn't care less meself. Call me what you want and I'll do the same.


I'm largely with Rats: free the words. Of course, when the words are all free none of them will have shock value any more, so none of them will produce a release-laugh, no matter how well timed. Small loss - there's plenty of other ways to get a laugh.

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Exhibit a: http://www.zen26454.zen.co.uk/Jerry.rm

funny or not? Just to further discussion.

Funny. Where is that Sadowitz clip from?

[Timmay]

Exhibit a: http://www.zen26454.zen.co.uk/Jerry.rm

funny or not? Just to further discussion.

Funny. Where is that Sadowitz clip from?

The last 5 seconds we certainly funny.

[mwude]

I hate the saying "bunch of arse" to describe something bad happening. That comes from Liverpool for some bizarre reason.

Really?  That surprises me because I've seldom heard anyone use it.  The first place I heard it was on Fawlty Towers -

Basil to an imaginary chef: "That's a bunch of arse, Terry"

in the Waldorf Salad episode.  It was then later used by Loaded magazine as the heading for their "what's not cool" guide.  Personally I've always loved it.

Ah, don't let words offend you.  Words are part of language and language is great.  We'd have a harder time communicating without them.  Words, good or bad, 'offensive' or not should be treasured.  Be grateful of the fact that if someone uses one of your trigger words you can fairly swiftly tell if they're a twit.

I was made instantly aware the other day that someone was a complete and  utter total dickhead by his sincere use of the following phrase: "God!  I hate having to speak to these call centres in India.  They can barely speak english.  Fucking pakis."

[mitzidog]

Most words which have caused offence fall into two categories

1) swearing - tends to be words concerned with bodily functions or body parts. The reason for these things to cause offence lies largely with the nature of our relationship with our (and other people's) bodies. This could be laid at the door of various creeds whose leaders exercise social control by controlling bodily interactions (usually with prohibitions - as if those ever work).

2) designation of the other. These words start off as a definition of someone different from the strongest group in a society. They may well start off as benign (or at the least neutral), but in objectifying the "other" they reduce their humanity and in extremis can aid the strong group in the repression of the weak, even their elimination.

What these two groups of words seem to have in common is that their taboo nature arises out of the social control exercised by the "elite" in a society. This is why words such as NxxxxR (I'm white and don't feel comfortable even typing the whole word) can be reclaimed by the oppressed group as an indication of their refusal of oppression.

The reaction to the censorship of political correctness seems to be doing the same with swearwords. Ten years ago I would have been shocked to hear the word CxxT (my choice to XX again) in even pub conversations. Now it is everywhere.

As Laurie Anderson says "Language is a Virus" and as such is always mutating, outstripping any artificial restrictions placed upon it. The great beast at present seems to be paedophilia so perhaps the most offensive words will become those which imply such tendencies. In five or ten years another word will have taken the place of CxxT as taboo.

I look forward to it.

"ph'toumch" gets my vote

[glitch]

"ph'toumch" gets my vote

But how often does anyone say "ph'toumch"?



;)