On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 11:08 AM, John Reimer <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello Nick, > >> "John Reimer" <[email protected]> wrote in message >> news:[email protected]... >> >>> So what we have here is a society where people are becoming so used >>> to hearing and saying expletives and profanity that they no longer >>> think of their meaning, even though these words retain their meaning >>> still. >>> >> Oh, I very much disagree with this. If I say, for example, "Why isn't >> this fucking line of code working?" it's blatantly obvious that I'm >> not remotely talking about sex. Or if someone tells me "Fuck you, you >> piece of shit!", I'm well aware that the connotation is nothing more >> than a very strong form of "I'm very angry at you", and that they're >> not actually talking about sex or excrement. Granted, sometimes such >> words are used for their original meaning, but in the examples above, >> the connection between "fuck" and "sex", and the connection between >> "shit" and "excrement", become nothing more than matters of etymology. >> > > > You are talking about intent... I'm saying the word still means what it > originally did even if you use it in the context you do. I wasn't talking > about what it connotes when you use it. Nor did I say that people think of > this meaning when you say it (you can read that in the above portion). I > merely pointed out that this etymology is important part of the definiton of > how the word became recognized as bad whether or not people recognize that > or not. It wasn't just any word that became "bad". > > > I think there are some very good arguments against swearing. On the jobs > that I've worked, people notice that I don't swear even though I typically > make no issue of it. There is a reason that swearing is bad taste, and I've > listed them in previous posts and so have others. > > > Anyway, I am getting weary of this conversation, so I'd better leave this > before I get myself in more trouble here. If cussing makes you happy, fly > at it. But I'd rather not be part in that conversation... or be here > anymore, for that matter.
Yep, I think all participants have spoken their piece on this topic. I found it a very interesting discussion. Thanks! --bb
