Bad Language in English Essay?

Bazinga_N

Just wondering for other's opinions on this. My teacher said she was unsure about doing it for the Junior Cert so I said I'd post here.

Just wondering if it would be okay, to use bad language in my English essay. I know there's no point in throwing it in for the sake of it but what about to put more emphasis on a statement or to build up a character?

Thanks for any opinions.

Brian

It might seem OK to you or I, but you can't guarantee your examiner's moral sensibilities and it seems like an unwise risk to take.

looksee

Its down, at the end, to the humour, ideas and preferences of the person marking. If you want to chance your mark for the sake of indulging in some doubtful language, well, no-one is stopping you. I think its more likely though that no-one is going to say 'wow, that's original, and really in character, I'll give him extra marks!'

Bazinga_N

Brian wrote: »

It might seem OK to you or I, but you can't guarantee your examiner's moral sensibilities and it seems like an unwise risk to take.

looksee wrote: »

Its down, at the end, to the humour, ideas and preferences of the person marking. If you want to chance your mark for the sake of indulging in some doubtful language, well, no-one is stopping you. I think its more likely though that no-one is going to say 'wow, that's original, and really in character, I'll give him extra marks!'

Well my teacher who has corrected for the LC and JC before said she often saw it in the LC and used correctly it's grand. I was just wondering about the JC. Obviously I wouldn't want to piss of my examiners! Thanks Guys!

Pidge96

In my opinion, you should only use them extremely rarely, and avoid them if at all possible. They're only to be used during a dialogue, and if used improperly, create the impression you have a lack of vocab to express yourself :pac:
I'd steer clear

0000879k

My teacher said if we use bad language in the JC we get no marks at all for that quesion.

Slow Show

Don't do it. Every corrector is different but tbh, whether your examiner finds it out of place or not, it's not going to do you any favours anyway. No one's going to be like 'oh wow, he just said a bad word, he has such a good grasp of human expression, let's give him extra marks!'...if you're lucky, they won't mark you down for it, if you're not, they may, as the above poster said, question your vocabulary.

To be honest, every book I've read that uses bad language frequently has never had me coming away thinking that it was an excellently written piece of fiction. I'll use the Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson as an example - plenty of profanity, but definitely not high literature (grand books if it's a good story you're after though). There are probably many exceptions to that slightly fabricated rule but I can't think of any at the moment. In summary, don't do it. :pac:

Bazinga_N

Slow Show wrote: »

Don't do it. Every corrector is different but tbh, whether your examiner finds it out of place or not, it's not going to do you any favours anyway. No one's going to be like 'oh wow, he just said a bad word, he has such a good grasp of human expression, let's give him extra marks!'...if you're lucky, they won't mark you down for it, if you're not, they may, as the above poster said, question your vocabulary.

To be honest, every book I've read that uses bad language frequently has never had me coming away thinking that it was an excellently written piece of fiction. I'll use the Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson as an example - plenty of profanity, but definitely not high literature (grand books if it's a good story you're after though). There are probably many exceptions to that slightly fabricated rule but I can't think of any at the moment. In summary, don't do it. :pac:

Ya, your probably right. I'll probably stay away. Just wondering! Thanks Everyone!

Just in hindsight to what you said, If you take the Help by Kathryn Stockett, many would say it's a great piece of literature. It also has quite a bit of bad language. Anyways Thanks for your opinion!

ohsurelook

I was writing an essay in class once. It was supposed to be a funny one,like. And there was a whole long paragraph about something and at the end,the main character was supposed to go "What a c*nt".

NOW OBVIOUSLY that's a bit too strong a word to use in a Junior Cert essay,and I wasn't allowed to by the teacher,but it just seemed so much more effective than "What an idiot"

Slow Show

ohsurelook wrote: »

NOW OBVIOUSLY that's a bit too strong a word to use in a Junior Cert essay,and I wasn't allowed to by the teacher,but it just seemed so much more effective than "What an idiot"

NOT in the eyes of the English language. Do not use the c word in an English exam, ever. It's probably the worst word you could ever use...I know of course that you know this but I'm shocked at the very idea of using that.../seventy-year-old prude.

Bazinga, fair point about The Help but it's not really the same kinda profanity (well I don't think we've outlined what profanity we're talking about at all really but meh, let's pretend it's typical on da streetz thug lyf language), but yeah if you were writing an essay in a similar setting, don't think there'd really be any problem using the n word there, as long as it's used in dialogue only.

Bazinga_N

Slow Show wrote: »

NOT in the eyes of the English language. Do not use the c word in an English exam, ever. It's probably the worst word you could ever use...I know of course that you know this but I'm shocked at the very idea of using that.../seventy-year-old prude.

Bazinga, fair point about The Help but it's not really the same kinda profanity (well I don't think we've outlined what profanity we're talking about at all really but meh, let's pretend it's typical on da streetz thug lyf language), but yeah if you were writing an essay in a similar setting, don't think there'd really be any problem using the n word there, as long as it's used in dialogue only.

Ya it would be strictly in dialogue and it's more of a bullying essay, in terms of abusive being shouted at the main character.. Just thought it would put more effect into the essay.

finality

Slow Show wrote: »

Don't do it. Every corrector is different but tbh, whether your examiner finds it out of place or not, it's not going to do you any favours anyway. No one's going to be like 'oh wow, he just said a bad word, he has such a good grasp of human expression, let's give him extra marks!'...if you're lucky, they won't mark you down for it, if you're not, they may, as the above poster said, question your vocabulary.

To be honest, every book I've read that uses bad language frequently has never had me coming away thinking that it was an excellently written piece of fiction. I'll use the Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson as an example - plenty of profanity, but definitely not high literature (grand books if it's a good story you're after though). There are probably many exceptions to that slightly fabricated rule but I can't think of any at the moment. In summary, don't do it. :pac:

" must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words" - Shakespeare


Just kidding, avoid the profanity OP. Not going to impress anyone.

suitcasepink

Just to add a different side to things, my English teacher (For LC mind) has no problem with bad words, if the situation is calling for it, ie their tasteful..
She thinks in personal essays and dialogues curse words are a lot more realistic and heartfelt, obviously this doesnt mean you go on a "Effing and blinding" rage though. And she has always made us aware that not every examiner will be so easy going about it, some would probably be very against it(As seems to be the case here)
Our JC teacher was slightly against it, she said for LC you'd get away with it more but for JC you wouldnt be looked on favourably. I cant see how they'd mark you down though, unless you cursed an excessive amount of times, just substituting lovely adjectives for "eff this" etc.

Having said all that, I have never used curse words in any English thing! Cursing doesnt really come naturally to me, so I dont think it'd ever add anything to my writing. But I defo know people who have cursed a few times in dialogues, or even in trying to get their message across and there was no bothers at all.


On hindsight, this is a bit pointless as it's all about LC not JC.. But you can judge for yourself I guess. Interesting to see different teachers views on it all.

Bazinga_N

deise_girl wrote: »

Just to add a different side to things, my English teacher (For LC mind) has no problem with bad words, if the situation is calling for it, ie their tasteful..
She thinks in personal essays and dialogues curse words are a lot more realistic and heartfelt, obviously this doesnt mean you go on a "Effing and blinding" rage though. And she has always made us aware that not every examiner will be so easy going about it, some would probably be very against it(As seems to be the case here)
Our JC teacher was slightly against it, she said for LC you'd get away with it more but for JC you wouldnt be looked on favourably. I cant see how they'd mark you down though, unless you cursed an excessive amount of times, just substituting lovely adjectives for "eff this" etc.

Having said all that, I have never used curse words in any English thing! Cursing doesnt really come naturally to me, so I dont think it'd ever add anything to my writing. But I defo know people who have cursed a few times in dialogues, or even in trying to get their message across and there was no bothers at all.


On hindsight, this is a bit pointless as it's all about LC not JC.. But you can judge for yourself I guess. Interesting to see different teachers views on it all.

Ya, that was what I was planning to do, use it tastefully for more effect. I just don't want to go annoying examiners during it though. I was thinking of typing up an essay and posting it here. Maybe ye could give better thoughts then?