EFtiquette - What to do when we find words offensive?

[Swissoconnors]

	Quote:	Caviarchips
	But.....would you rather posters here said "hey, in some cultures, these words are offensive" so you would know for the future, or would you rather they stayed silent?

FWIW, if I do use an offensive word or turn of phrase, I'd very much like to be told. I might not necessarily stop using it but it's good to know - in my line of work you never know when a job might depend on it!
(and I had no idea that tw*t was more offensive in Liverpool than Yorkshire - also valuable info)

[Longbyt]

I was brought up in the VERY PC forties and fifties. Most of the words you are discussing I've not only never used, I don't even know what half of them mean - Urban Dictionary not being my friend.

I occasionally ask for a re-phrase if members use OTT (OTT to my mind of course, not theirs) wording in a PM to me and sometimes do the same on the forum. However, if I removed all the words which I dislike as being 'offensive' and also removed all those which I guess probably are to others, the forum 'screen' would look like Lake Zürich on an autumn morning. A white fog.

I don't like swearing, vulgarity, racism or anything even just leaning in that direction. If someone reports a post I might PM the 'author' and ask them to tone it down a bit. But no way can I change the world, much as I would like to.

[Carlos R]

	Quote:	Longbyt
	I was brought up in the VERY PC forties and fifties. Most of the words you are discussing I've not only never used, I don't even know what half of them mean - Urban Dictionary not being my friend.

Current PCism was a 1990s invention

... that says it all really...

Back in "your day" is was just about being polite, well-mannered and well brought up. Now it needs a special term...

[Longbyt]

	Quote:	Carlos R
	Current PCism was a 1990s invention

Yes, I had to learn to use things like 'PC' and 'OTT' on here!

[Ouchboy]

i made my sentiments clear on this thread

[adrianlondon]

Having had my childhood at the end of the 70s and beginning of the 80s, we used to use every negative word we could think of to insult each other in the playground.

There was a documentary about a mentally handicapped person called, I believe, Joey Deacon. So the next day, saying "Joey!!!" really slowly to someone became hilarous and a good insult. Even "Miss, I think Joey Deacon might know the anwer!" while you point at someone you don't like.

It never crossed our minds that this person may well suddenly appear in our class.

A few months ago I used a (imo very funny) one-liner which had the word spastic in it. That *was* an acceptable word, there was even a society for them to belong to. However, after the word was taken, twisted, and used as an insult, they changed the name of the spastics society to something else.

I got a PM saying that some random lurker was offended by my use of the word, so I changed it to "idiot". The sting went from my one liner (in hindsight I should have used "moron" - it's a much more fun word to use) but I changed it anyway, as I was just having a laugh and if someone was offended enough to PM me, then why not give them the benefit of the doubt. It did make my post a bit gay though.

[Caviarchips]

	Quote:	lost_inbroad
	Wait a minute..are you talking about my post? (I did mention retarded yesterday pertaining to restictive opening hours.)

No, not yours. On the thread where I got offended, I commented

	Quote:	adrianlondon
	Having had my childhood at the end of the 70s and beginning of the 80s, we used to use every negative word we could think of to insult each other in the playground. There was a documentary about a mentally handicapped person called, I believe, Joey Deacon. So the next day, saying "Joey!!!" really slowly to someone became hilarous and a good insult. Even "Miss, I think Joey Deacon might know the anwer!" while you point at someone you don't like. It never crossed our minds that this person may well suddenly appear in our class. A few months ago I used a (imo very funny) one-liner which had the word spastic in it. That *was* an acceptable word, there was even a society for them to belong to. However, after the word was taken, twisted, and used as an insult, they changed the name of the spastics society to something else. I got a PM saying that some random lurker was offended by my use of the word, so I changed it to "idiot". The sting went from my one liner (in hindsight I should have used "moron" - it's a much more fun word to use) but I changed it anyway, as I was just having a laugh and if someone was offended enough to PM me, then why not give them the benefit of the doubt. It did make my post a bit gay though.

Joey was on Blue Peter which is how the impersonations came to the school playground:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_de...ultural_impact

Kids are cruel as ever.

[Assassin]

I'd say that everyone here is somehow "occupationally challenged" and missing key sources of stimulation if they keep on posting.

On second thoughts, why was I distracted this time.....?

Snassin, frassin, rassin....

[summerrain]

maaaan...what have I missed?

From the previous posts, I am assuming that the word "retard" was the one in contention here.

If there's anything I've learnt being on forums, is simply not to take things too seriously. People take offence at various things - not all of us are born with skin as thick as the behind of a rhino or went to charm school.

Of course I draw the line at certain universally offensive words like the N and C word as well as racial slurs. But with regards to other words, its totally subjective and we need to bear in mind that everyone's life experiences arent the same to take offense like you would. In fact, I laughed when my 11 year old student commented recently that "Bach is retarded for writing this piece" as personally, that word in my world is used by kids. I would have reported him to his mum for the appropriate punishment if he said "Bach is a p***k for writing this piece" though.

So click the report post button if you must, I personally will just ignore and move on.

I think certain words are offensive to many if not most people and the discussion thus far has centred around whether they should be, i.e what the personal definitions are. But if it's a given that word X is offensive, so what? Should all offensive words be banned? What about offensive actions? There was a bully in my school who was expelled for running up to a kid in the playground with a shocked expression and said "your mother's just been run over and killed". Not an offensive word in sight. Its our duty to tolerate a whole load of offense every day so we can stamp out the real crap, like that, when we need to without overtly restricting free speech. Put another way, if we censor everything, we censor nothing.

[Swiss Cheddar]

	Quote:	Assassin
	I'd say that everyone here is somehow "occupationally challenged" and missing key sources of stimulation if they keep on posting.

This thread was keeping me amused while i was watching the Rugby.

Gonna have an early lunch, then maybe will do some work.......i said maybe

cheers
SC

[Swiss Cheddar]

I see these images used often across the interweb:

image 1

image 2


Feel free to discuss them while i make a fry-up.


cheers
SC

[cricketer]

Just why is the `C` word so offensive to people? I can understand why the `N`word is.
Personally if someone called me a twat I would find that rather endearing. Then again I don´t get too excited about anything these days. I have seen a lot of people drown by the weight of their principles millstone around their necks.

[Caviarchips]

	Quote:	cricketer
	Just why is the `C` word so offensive to people? I can understand why the `N`word is.

As an aside, my VERY prim deeply Catholic parents were at our house 5 years ago and during dinner were raving about a show on BBC hosted by Victoria Coren about the origin of certain words, its great, very entertaining etc etc. Then Dad said "Hey, its on tonight, it starts in five minutes, we should watch it"

We decamped to the TV and turned it on to see Germaine Greer holding a big placard saying "C***" in HUGE letters and saying...."Tonight we will be examining the origins of the most offensive word in the English language"

The look on their faces, and that of my ex-wife as I excused myself to the kitchen to do the dishes was priceless

(I learned that it was offensive at the age of 5 when I used the cool new word that I'd learned to describe my best friends sister.....that was in the days when other people's parents felt it OK to dish out summary corporal punishment. And did!)

[MacGregor's Daughter]

	Quote:	cricketer
	Just why is the `C` word so offensive to people? I can understand why the `N`word is.

What is the C word?

Yes, I know, I'm the dumbest person around

[Swiss Cheddar]

	Quote:	MacGregor's Daughter
	What is the C word? Yes, I know, I'm the dumbest person around

C U Next Tuesday

cheers
SC

	Quote:	Swissoconnors
	FWIW, if I do use an offensive word or turn of phrase, I'd very much like to be told. I might not necessarily stop using it but it's good to know - in my line of work you never know when a job might depend on it! (and I had no idea that tw*t was more offensive in Liverpool than Yorkshire - also valuable info)

That reminds me of a friend of mine who constantly used this word, thinking it was similar in meaning to "dunce" or "nincompoop" (she is really prim and proper and well brought up).

After a while her boyfriend put her straight on the meaning and she was mortified.

	Quote:	Caviarchips
	As an aside, my VERY prim deeply Catholic parents were at our house 5 years ago ...)

Bloody Australians ...

[Caviarchips]

	Quote:
	bloody australians ...

??????? .