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What would be the most offensive word in the English language now?

135

Comments

  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    mate crimes
    Googled that. Jesus. The world has never been less offensive, yet we're inventing ever more labels for offence.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Boards.ie policy is literally as I described above - that it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities, but not other minority groups.
    Yeah like Catholics, the religious in general, Muslims, immigrants, social welfare recipients and Travellers are lauded... You'd want to be pretty damned blinkered to not see that.

    "Offence" is very often extremely personally localised. I am/know someone with condition A which has a pejorative word associated with it, therefore it's the most offensive word ever, just as bad as [insert universally acknowledged offensive word here]..

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Posts: 13,712 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    The Black Eyed Peas song "Lets get it started" was originally "lets get Retarded"
    I was listening to an audio recording recently of a 1996 US Supreme Court judgment, where Ruth Bader Ginsberg was referencing "retarded" women.

    Was very surprised to hear that term being used in the late 1990s. I was a kid back then, but I certainly knew not to say it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Wibbs wrote: »
    mate crimes
    Googled that. Jesus. The world has never been less offensive, yet we're inventing ever more labels for offence.
    There is no suggestion that the term 'mate' is offensive.

    It is a category of crime targeted against people with intellectual disabilities, where the attacker pretends to be their friend before taking advantage and abusing the victim.


  • Registered Users Posts: 554 ✭✭✭mark_jmc


    "entitled" as in: i'm entitled to.......


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,180 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    I always thought referring to people as coons was more offensive than calling them ****.

    "Coon ass" is worse, but that's used for Cajuns and they'll just beat the tar outta ya. C'est bon! :cool:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    You might want to do some research on hate crimes and indeed mate crimes that are still happening against people with disabilities today.

    It pains me I have to explain this.

    Things are not black and white.

    Here's a scenario:

    For a hundred years, black people are enslaved and regularly beaten and killed.

    For a hundred years, people with disabilities are sometimes mocked, and in rare instances attacked.

    They are not the same.

    One is worse than the other.

    Here's another scenario:

    A woman is raped.

    A woman's ass is grabbed.

    They are not the same.

    One is worse than the other.

    Using this logic surely you can see the emotion and meaning behind n*gger is far heavier than the emotion and meaning behind retard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    Look at this
    DV7EnuGUMAET7lw.jpg

    The really frightening thing is (yes it's real) she is a planetary scientist for NASA - so you'd imagine some sort of intelligence there.

    How f*cking condescending tho ?

    "Let the little black people enjoy their film" :confused::confused:

    The very definition of an educated fool.

    She also doesn't look like she sucks too much black joy out of anything, ifyouknowarimsaying:D
    Wibbs wrote: »
    This. Varies a lot by culture too. So Americans will be far more OK with saying "retard" rather than "cnut", whereas Aussies will use the latter word and it's about the same level as "fcuk".

    Yanks are mental though - have you ever seen any of the youtube videos warning people to prepare themselves for the offensive language if they visit Ireland "everyone, and I mean everyone, uses cus words all the time"

    True we do - but we don't shoot up schools on the daily so, you know swings and roundabouts!

    My personal take is that words are not in and of themselves offensive, the meaning is in the intent - you can be called a bollox as a term of endearment, or sir as an insult!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Wibbs wrote: »
    Boards.ie policy is literally as I described above - that it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities, but not other minority groups.
    Yeah like Catholics, the religious in general, Muslims, immigrants, social welfare recipients and Travellers are lauded... You'd want to be pretty damned blinkered to not see that.
    Boards.ie chooses to block certain offensive words, and yet allows "retard". You'd want to be pretty blinkered to not see that as enabling swipes on people with intellectual disabilities.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,180 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    The "Huckleberry Finn" had an original character called 'N1gger Joe.'
    But those who are offended by it has now been changed to 'Slave Joe'...

    It's "Nigger Jim" and "Injun Joe".


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,180 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    As I stated, it's not the same because n*gger is defined as an insult...

    No it isn't, it's Southern backwoods dialect for "negro".


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭Paddy Cow


    Wibbs wrote: »
    Googled that. Jesus. The world has never been less offensive, yet we're inventing ever more labels for offence.
    I thought it was a typo and they meant hate crimes :o


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭Paddy Cow


    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    It pains me I have to explain this.

    Things are not black and white.

    Here's a scenario:

    For a hundred years, black people are enslaved and regularly beaten and killed.

    For a hundred years, people with disabilities are sometimes mocked, and in rare instances attacked.

    They are not the same.

    One is worse than the other.

    Here's another scenario:

    A woman is raped.

    A woman's ass is grabbed.

    They are not the same.

    One is worse than the other.

    Using this logic surely you can see the emotion and meaning behind n*gger is far heavier than the emotion and meaning behind retard.
    Will ya stop. We don't need a history lesson. We all know about slavery. That poster was talking about a specific incident and in that incident, I agree with them. People use the term "retarded" to refer to stupid stuff, much like we now use idiot etc. It's not a term I use myself but I don't really care if others use it in that context. However, using it in a derogatory way to describe kids with disabilities is disgusting and that guy should've known better. He was never a slave yet hates the n word so he should have been able to empathise with that parent about how his use of retard was completely unacceptable in that instance.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    You might want to do some research on hate crimes and indeed mate crimes that are still happening against people with disabilities today.

    It pains me I have to explain this.

    Things are not black and white.

    Here's a scenario:

    For a hundred years, black people are enslaved and regularly beaten and killed.

    For a hundred years, people with disabilities are sometimes mocked, and in rare instances attacked.
    Again, you might want to go do some research before you make an even bigger fool of yourself. Have a look at how people with intellectual disabilities were locked up, enslaved, raped, and worse over the years. Have a look at how they are still being treated today, even in Ireland - where basic rights to property, a sex life and to simply live a life of their own choosing are non-existent.

    Your own personal lack of knowledge of this sector does not negate the offensive nature of the term 'retard'.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,492 ✭✭✭pleas advice


    Feisar wrote: »
    I find the abbreviated word "hubby" to be really annoying. I'd look down of the user far more than if the same person said c*** or n*****.

    DH


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    There is no suggestion that the term 'mate' is offensive.
    Where did I say it was?
    Boards.ie chooses to block certain offensive words, and yet allows "retard". You'd want to be pretty blinkered to not see that as enabling swipes on people with intellectual disabilities.
    According to you Boards.ie policy is literally as I described above - that it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities, but not other minority groups. We'll gloss over the literally bit... However your statement is inaccurate and I pointed out where. Take any average day on this forum and you'll find plenty of "minority groups" being swiped at, but it depends on one's own often solipsistic viewpoint as to what should be taken as offensive.

    BTW is "idiot" OK? "Imbecile"? "Feebleminded"? "Moron"? All words that are both old medical terms and used to "enable swipes". "Dumb"? That could be aimed at the intellectually disabled and hearing impaired. How about "thick"? How much of the language do you want to remove or clutch your pearls over?

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    Again, you might want to go do some research before you make an even bigger fool of yourself. Have a look at how people with intellectual disabilities were locked up, enslaved, raped, and worse over the years. Have a look at how they are still being treated today, even in Ireland - where basic rights to property, a sex life and to simply live a life of their own choosing are non-existent.

    Your own personal lack of knowledge of this sector does not negate the offensive nature of the term 'retard'.

    This is too painful, so it's going to be my last comment.

    No one is denying the disabled have faced issues.

    No one is denying calling a disabled person "retard" to their face is offensive and terrible.

    Let's do a comparison with black people.

    From the mid 1700s to the mid 1800s, black folk in the US had almost no rights. You could buy and sell them. You could kill them. You could call them n*igger and look down on them.

    The disabled did not face the same issues. Obviously it was terrible to be disabled back then, but you were at least, relatively free, and weren't bought and sold.

    The word retard was used until very recently (roughly 10 years ago) to describe people who are mentally disabled. It has only very recently become a slang insult word.

    Many people in society regularly use the word retard, as they do not consider it particularly offensive. This include on boards.ie.

    Almost no one says n*gger. This is because it is universally accepted to be highly offensive due to it's long history of being a horrible word.

    So we have a few hundred years of n*gger being a horrible word, and roughly 10 years of retard being a somewhat horrible word.

    If you try to think this through for a second, and drop the emotion, you will see that clearly n*gger is considered a worse word.

    Seriously, why do I need to explain this. This sort of basic logic should be simple for everyone.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Paddy Cow wrote: »
    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    It pains me I have to explain this.

    Things are not black and white.

    Here's a scenario:

    For a hundred years, black people are enslaved and regularly beaten and killed.

    For a hundred years, people with disabilities are sometimes mocked, and in rare instances attacked.

    They are not the same.

    One is worse than the other.

    Here's another scenario:

    A woman is raped.

    A woman's ass is grabbed.

    They are not the same.

    One is worse than the other.

    Using this logic surely you can see the emotion and meaning behind n*gger is far heavier than the emotion and meaning behind retard.
    People use the term "retarded" to refer to stupid stuff, much like we now use idiot etc. It's not a term I use myself but I don't really care if others use it in that context.
    You may not care about the word being used in that context, but many of those who have family and friends with intellectual disabilities are concerned about how the casual derogatory use of the word perpetuates negative stigma for them.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭Simple_Simone


    "“Mentally retarded,” once the respectful phrase that replaced the insults, is now the new term to hate among people with intellectual disabilities (the preferred term today) and their families and supporters. Many of these people are old enough to have lived when they themselves used the term in its proper, official manner, and thought little of it. Now uttering it, whether as an insult or just a label, will get you accused of hate speech, or at least earn you an angry tongue-thrashing or a shower of angry tweets. Like the “n-word,” to even speak or write it for its own sake may be a transgression — it’s often rendered as the “r-word.” Advocacy groups have launched “r-word” campaigns urging people not to use it.

    From: https://medium.com/s/story/the-rise-and-fall-of-mentally-retarded-e3b9eea23018 All about morons, imbeciles, mentally retarded folk, mongols and the like. Fascinating stuff.

    1*48O60NFIBXIj937GCQdyig.jpeg

    As an aside, I wonder whether, some day, the fine word "Renko" will be used to describe people who wander aimlessly through internet fora frantically seeking things to get offended about.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,180 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Be cool if we just, like, didn't call anyone horrible names? Mmm-kay luv ya buh-bye! :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,736 ✭✭✭Irish Guitarist


    I remember an early episode of Eastenders where Dot Cotton went to a market stall and asked if they had any nigger brown wool. The woman running the market said "you can't say that nowadays".

    That wouldn't even be allowed in Eastenders nowadays. Nor would you hear one of the characters say they're going to the paki shop. You wouldn't hear a white woman repeatedly calling her Turkish husband a 'stupid turk' either.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Wibbs wrote: »
    According to you Boards.ie policy is literally as I described above - that it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities, but not other minority groups. We'll gloss over the literally bit... However your statement is inaccurate and I pointed out where. Take any average day on this forum and you'll find plenty of "minority groups" being swiped at, but it depends on one's own often solipsistic viewpoint as to what should be taken as offensive.
    I'm not sure why you seem determined to ignore the facts. I'll give it one more try in case you missed out the last times.



    Boards.ie blocks certain words to protect insults targeted at minority groups. It chooses not to block 'retard', enabling people to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities. Them's the facts - it's fairly simple really.

    Wibbs wrote: »
    BTW is "idiot" OK? "Imbecile"? "Feebleminded"? "Moron"? All words that are both old medical terms and used to "enable swipes". "Dumb"? That could be aimed at the intellectually disabled and hearing impaired. How about "thick"? How much of the language do you want to remove or clutch your pearls over?
    A tad dramatic, no? No-one is 'removing language'. The word retard remains, and may well be appropriate in some technical situations. All you have to do is to not use it in a way that insults people. Is that really beyond you?
    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    This is too painful, so it's going to be my last comment.

    No one is denying the disabled have faced issues.

    No one is denying calling a disabled person "retard" to their face is offensive and terrible.

    Let's do a comparison with black people.

    From the mid 1700s to the mid 1800s, black folk in the US had almost no rights. You could buy and sell them. You could kill them. You could call them n*igger and look down on them.

    The disabled did not face the same issues. Obviously it was terrible to be disabled back then, but you were at least, relatively free, and weren't bought and sold.

    The word retard was used until very recently (roughly 10 years ago) to describe people who are mentally disabled. It has only very recently become a slang insult word.

    Many people in society regularly use the word retard, as they do not consider it particularly offensive. This include on boards.ie.

    Almost no one says n*gger. This is because it is universally accepted to be highly offensive due to it's long history of being a horrible word.

    So we have a few hundred years of n*gger being a horrible word, and roughly 10 years of retard being a somewhat horrible word.

    If you try to think this through for a second, and drop the emotion, you will see that clearly n*gger is considered a worse word.

    Seriously, why do I need to explain this. This sort of basic logic should be simple for everyone.


    So what, we have to wait for a few hundred years to wait to stop insulting people?


    Let's stop dressing it up in the history lesson. It's clear what this is about.


    You use 'retard' yourself, right? And you don't like being told what to do. So it's OK to tell others not to use N-I-G-G-E-R but it's not OK to tell you not to use retard.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 632 ✭✭✭Sorry about that


    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    As I stated, it's not the same because n*gger is defined as an insult. It was used when white people used to lynch black people.

    Retard was literally the word for people with physical/mental disabilities until recently.

    You're too close to this issue (son with special needs) to have a neutral opinion.

    I'm not saying retard isn't an insult. It's just not as insulting as n*gger.

    In fact, our society tells us this. People use retard all the time, but almost no one uses n*gger.

    You’re too far from the issue to have an informed or compassionate opinion.

    And yes, you’re right, some people use that word all the time. But not carers, not family, not friends , and not people who understand that unlike other minorities, people with intellectual disabilities are mostly unable to object to this word. They can’t object. So if you were unaware of what a cruel term it is, be assured, it’s very cruel. Spread the word.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    I'm not sure why you seem determined to ignore the facts.
    The confusion is mutual I assure you.
    Boards.ie blocks certain words to protect insults targeted at minority groups. It chooses not to block 'retard', enabling people to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities. Them's the facts - it's fairly simple really.
    So your argument begins and ends with the Boards swear filter? Which you then extrapolate to mean Boards is gung ho for it being OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities, but not other minority groups And like I pointed out other "minority groups" get far more negative attention than those with intellectual disabilities. "Them's the facts" Ted.
    A tad dramatic, no? No-one is 'removing language'. The word retard remains, and may well be appropriate in some technical situations. All you have to do is to not use it in a way that insults people. Is that really beyond you?
    It's so far within my ken I'm thinking of charging rent. That's not the issue, the issue is you are wanting to specifically target some language you personally find offensive, yet other language that is exactly the same language you ignore.
    You’re too far from the issue to have an informed or compassionate opinion.
    and maybe you're too close to the issue to be able to form a more objective approach? As I said earlier: It [often] depends on one's own often solipsistic viewpoint as to what should be taken as offensive. Lord knows we're all guilty of that.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 632 ✭✭✭Sorry about that


    “and maybe you're too close to the issue to be able to form a more objective approach? As I said earlier: It [often] depends on one's own often solipsistic viewpoint as to what should be taken as offensive. Lord knows we're all guilty of that.”

    An assumption of my proximity to the issue, and really, how solipsistic can one be to be unaware of the weight of this term. Unevolved more like.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 748 ✭✭✭Johnnyhpipe


    Everyone seems to go mental when you say ****** these days. That was a classic years ago!


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    “and maybe you're too close to the issue to be able to form a more objective approach? As I said earlier: It [often] depends on one's own often solipsistic viewpoint as to what should be taken as offensive. Lord knows we're all guilty of that.”

    An assumption of my proximity to the issue, and really, how solipsistic can one be to be unaware of the weight of this term. Unevolved more like.
    So, beyond "Unevolved", which is a tad low rent and trite a comeback, you're kinda struggling for a half decent riposte then?

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,099 ✭✭✭joeguevara


    Tim Minchin wrote a song about prejudice and the biggest taboo word. The most poignant line is ‘sticks and stones may break bones but words can break hearts’.

    I don’t think any word is inherently offensive. I think the most offensive word is when someone wants to really hurt someone.

    Have a listen to this though.

    https://youtu.be/KVN_0qvuhhw


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,099 ✭✭✭joeguevara


    I don’t mean to drag the thread off topic but one of the list above reminds me of one of the most funny and awkward stories in our family.

    I owned a bar in the mid 2000s and let’s just say it was very rough and ready. One particular night there was a huge fight amongst travelers and they were all thrown out.

    A few days later Patrick Bergin was playing a gig and my mother who never was at the bar happened to come visit. Someone pointed over to Patrick Bergin and told my mother ‘that’s him, that’s the Knacker.’ My mother didn’t know about the song and thought he was the ring leader of the fight a few days previously walked up to him and said ‘i don’t care who you are or where you come from, you have to leave immediately’. Everyone in the pub was dumbfounded and it took a while for someone to convince her of his true identity. Still cringes about it now.

    https://youtu.be/hzbi1v14ciQ


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 632 ✭✭✭Sorry about that


    Wibbs wrote: »
    So, beyond "Unevolved", which is a tad low rent and trite a comeback, you're kinda struggling for a half decent riposte then?

    Society is said to evolve, in that it becomes kinder to it's most vulnerable, among other improvements. You choose to criticise my "low rent" wording, rather than address the issue. And yes, you are a skilled wordsmith. Well done.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Wibbs wrote: »
    The confusion is mutual I assure you.

    So your argument begins and ends with the Boards swear filter? Which you then extrapolate to mean Boards is gung ho for it being OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities, but not other minority groups And like I pointed out other "minority groups" get far more negative attention than those with intellectual disabilities. "Them's the facts" Ted.

    Yes, this issue begins and ends with the swear filter. It is in the direct control of boards.ie. It works to protect some minority groups from certain attacks, but leaves other groups exposed.

    That is a policy decision to enable attacks on people with intellectual disabilities.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Wibbs wrote: »

    It's so far within my ken I'm thinking of charging rent. That's not the issue, the issue is you are wanting to specifically target some language you personally find offensive, yet other language that is exactly the same language you ignore.
    No, I'm targeting language that many people with intellectual disabilities and their families find offensive. In general, they get a poor deal, so if we can address one issue that gives them a slightly better deal fairly painlessly, why would we not do it.

    The word retard has a particular meaning and context today. I blame Jackass for importing the word to our culture. The other words you mention do not have the same derogatory context today.


  • Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yes, this issue begins and ends with the swear filter. It is in the direct control of boards.ie. It works to protect some minority groups from certain attacks, but leaves other groups exposed.

    That is a policy decision to enable attacks on people with intellectual disabilities.

    Stupidest line of logic this year? Perhaps.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    So what, we have to wait for a few hundred years to wait to stop insulting people?

    Let's stop dressing it up in the history lesson. It's clear what this is about.

    You use 'retard' yourself, right? And you don't like being told what to do. So it's OK to tell others not to use N-I-G-G-E-R but it's not OK to tell you not to use retard.

    You are making assumptions about me to back up your false narrative that people who disagree with you must be bigots.

    My only point, which you are unable to understand, is n*gger has a long history of being an abusive word, whereas retard has perhaps 10 years of this. So, when you're able to view the world in a non black and white way, that means you're able to understand n*gger has a darker and deeper history and meaning. Therefore it's a "worse" curse word.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    sticks and stones.

    no words offend me.

    what a silly way to expend energy.

    retard your outrage, people.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 632 ✭✭✭Sorry about that


    In 2009 The Special Olympics launched a campaign to "spread the word to end the word".
    10 years later, here we are. Easy targets for edgy insults.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    In 2009 The Special Olympics launched a campaign to "spread the word to end the word".
    10 years later, here we are. Easy targets for edgy insults.

    sorry about that


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭handlemaster


    black


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 632 ✭✭✭Sorry about that


    sorry about that

    Excellent, you read my post. Chance that you'll think twice.


  • Registered Users Posts: 173 ✭✭Olivia Pope


    The c word, living in Munster. If someone uses it in my company (which is very rare) I say could you please refrain from using that word in my company. At that point said c word offender usually leaves my company.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    Which is exactly what I'd do. I'll be fúcked if i'll spend my time with any cúnt c word who presumes they can choose my words for me.:mad:

    It's for the best - we'd both be happier apart:D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,180 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Don't even try to tell me what you think is right
    When to you blacks are ****, and jews are kikes
    And you expect to be taken seriously
    But your actions, they're more than curiously
    Juvenile. You emulate what you hate,
    And you don't even know why you feel this way
    'cause daddy hated this, and mommy hated that
    And your own ability to reason's like a tire gone flat


    -- Anthrax


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    you can be called a bollox as a term of endearment, or sir as an insult!

    Ah the genius at work....
    Cina wrote: »
    Context?

    There are very few contexts where it's not an offensive word.

    There is a massive difference in context between discussion of a word and _use_ of that word. Alas that is a difference in context the permanently offended/outraged appear to be intent on ignoring.

    Tipping toeing around the word in the former context - or having university professors chased for their jobs for using it in that context - just shows how delicate our sensibilities are becoming. It is ridiculous. Not least because it gives a word more power than it should have. But also because it ignores context entirely.

    I do love however when peoples delicate nature has them fly off the handle erroneously. The "controversy" over an American politician using the word "Niggardly" had me in stitches. That was seriously hilarious. Especially as it was a Black Guy who was triggered by the word.

    But that is a context where I can use the word without it being offensive. I can talk about the phonetic similarities between niggardly and ******. I can talk about their pretty much entirely separate etymology. I can tell you where the word ****** came from. I can tell you where the word niggardly came from. And none of that is _actually_ offensive. Which of course is no reliable measure that someone will not fall over themselves to be offended anyway.

    And I will not even bother to misspell it to intentionally bypass the pointless boards.ie curse-bot censor. We are all adults here. We know what word I am typing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Yes, this issue begins and ends with the swear filter. It is in the direct control of boards.ie. It works to protect some minority groups from certain attacks, but leaves other groups exposed.

    That is a policy decision to enable attacks on people with intellectual disabilities.

    Stupidest line of logic this year? Perhaps.
    Minor change perhaps

    That is a policy decision that enable attacks on people with intellectual disabilities.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,439 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    So what, we have to wait for a few hundred years to wait to stop insulting people?

    Let's stop dressing it up in the history lesson. It's clear what this is about.

    You use 'retard' yourself, right? And you don't like being told what to do. So it's OK to tell others not to use N-I-G-G-E-R but it's not OK to tell you not to use retard.

    You are making assumptions about me to back up your false narrative that people who disagree with you must be bigots.

    My only point, which you are unable to understand, is n*gger has a long history of being an abusive word, whereas retard has perhaps 10 years of this. So, when you're able to view the world in a non black and white way, that means you're able to understand n*gger has a darker and deeper history and meaning. Therefore it's a "worse" curse word.
    What has the number of years got to do with anything? Why would we want to wait for a certain number of years to take action?

    If you're going to ban some words, why would you not add retard to that list?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,180 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Minor change perhaps

    That is a policy decision that enable attacks on people with intellectual disabilities.

    To be perfectly honest with you Chief and with the best will in the world, I think you're stretching it a fair bit there. The word "gowl" isn't filtered either - that's a policy decision that enable attacks on people who exhibit vegan tendencies. :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    What has the number of years got to do with anything? Why would we want to wait for a certain number of years to take action?

    If you're going to ban some words, why would you not add retard to that list?

    And gammon. Which you’ve used.

    Why are on this topic anyway except for you to display more of your woker than thou philosophy.


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,500 ✭✭✭✭DEFTLEFTHAND


    Where does kike come out of lads? I understand Yid and Heeb but can't grasp the origins of kike.

    Some of the Irish ones are terrible too, white n1gger was a term I heard in New York.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Where does kike come out of lads? I understand Yid and Heeb but can't grasp the origins of kike.
    From what I recall - and this could be way off to be fair - it comes from America of the 19th century when illiterate peasants showed up as immigrants they'd sign an X on any documents by way of a signature, but Jews(and Muslims) wouldn't because it was as they saw it the sign of the Cross, so they signed with a circle and again IIRC in either Yiddish, Hebrew or an Eastern European language(can't recall which) "circle" sounds something like "Kaickle" which became shortened to "Kike".

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 16,500 ✭✭✭✭DEFTLEFTHAND


    Wibbs wrote: »
    From what I recall - and this could be way off to be fair - it comes from America of the 19th century when illiterate peasants showed up as immigrants they'd sign an X on any documents by way of a signature, but Jews(and Muslims) wouldn't because it was as they saw it the sign of the Cross, so they signed with a circle and again IIRC in either Yiddish, Hebrew or an Eastern European language(can't recall which) "circle" sounds something like "Kaickle" which became shortened to "Kike".

    Cheers Wibbs, very interesting.

    Another good one is WOP, an abbreviation of 'Without Papers.' Was initially used for both Irish and Italian immigrants but became more commonly associated with just the Italians as time moved on.


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