Would you consider bastardise to be a swear?

Hitler_is_gas · 15-04-2012 2:05pm #1

I mentioned it in secondary school, back in 2006, and was sent to the principal. :mad:

P. Breathnach · 15-04-2012 3:09pm

And you're still sore about it!

No, I wouldn't consider it a swear-word or in any way inappropriate to use in polite company.

Ditto for niggardly, but see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_about_the_word_%22niggardly%22

slowburner · 18-04-2012 10:27am

It's a perfectly acceptable word, without any offensive connotations in itself. It is a very powerful word, though, and it is certainly not positive. If you heard someone describe your work as 'bastardised', it would be most upsetting, and you would surely feel insulted.

DoctorEdgeWild · 18-04-2012 11:47am

Thanks for the link above regarding the word 'niggardly'. Really interesting to read about the incidents involving people being offended by it. I find it a really fascinating aspect of language.

pickarooney · 18-04-2012 12:52pm

I wouldn't consider bastardised as specifically negative. I would use it in the sense of 'adapted', 'impromptu', 'hacked' or simplified.

P. Breathnach · 18-04-2012 2:34pm

pickarooney wrote: »

I wouldn't consider bastardised as specifically negative. I would use it in the sense of 'adapted', 'impromptu', 'hacked' or simplified.

I'd agree with slowburner that it is not positive; it is a little on the negative side of the scale. To me it connotes reduced in quality.

pickarooney · 18-04-2012 3:39pm

I suppose it's like 'mongrel' and depends on your view of mixed up things although looking at a few dictionary definitions it's definitely supposed to be pejorative (and has a couple of meanings I was not aware of).