David said:-
> I have no doubt, though, that "bimbo,"
> when used to describe or address an adult female, is abusive. Can anyone
> imagine using it affectionately to address a woman or describe her when she's
> actually present? I can't.
I can.
It has a lot to do with the usage of the word in this country, and perhaps
in my generation also. I can think of three or four women I could call a
bimbo affectionately and not cause any offense at all.
Similarly terms like "tart", "floosie", "hussy", "whore, "slag", "slut" and
so on.
Does this make me a bad person?
These are all people I have a very strong friendship with. However, all
of these terms get thrown about between gay people who don't know each other
well, with no offence at all, and a great deal of good humour. At least in
the world I inhabit. I don't *think* that my world is insular or unusual.
I do suspect strongly that geographic region affects the "perciveed" meaning
of these terms, as do the ages of the participants in the conversation, as
does the culture in which they're used.
We are a multicultural, multi-age list. Sure, causing offense by being nasty
cannot be condoned, but nor should people be hounded for using a term that,
to them, does not appear to be offensive, and where they don't realise it
will cause others offense.
I also am sceptical of a dictionary's ability to keep up with the context
in which words are used, and the meaning they have. How can a dictionary
possibly hope to encompass all the contexts in which words are used in this
fast changing and multi-cultural world?
The words may be english, but the meaning...?
Cheers,
--Chris
