Comments on: Unclean Lips Redux

By: Joining St. Blog's Parish @ Ales Rarus

Joining St. Blog's Parish @ Ales Rarus — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:04:20 +0000

[...] Unclean Lips Redux [...]

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

In German, Category 3 generally isn't considered obscene. Impolite is more like it.

German really seems to put an emphasis on the religious profanity...far more than English.

All those words we translated directly from the Englisch were just annoying.

In ASL, many "nose" words (signs that involved the nose) seem to be far more offensive than your list would credit them.

"Urinate" used to be obscene, while the word we now consider obscene was the proper medical term. Usage changed.

The intransitive form of the verb "to suck" has a totally different meaning from the transitive form. The funny thing is, most high school students know the difference between transitive and intransitive as a result.

The "n" word seems to be obscene, based on who's saying it. I suspect that, despite being African-American, I can't use that one safely.

I wonder if there are some of the sexual words that are only obscene out of context. In the bedroom (or possibly the bathroom, or the kitchen, or the living room, or the laundry or the computer room, or the steps, or the car, or the back yard late at night, or certain parks) some words are quite acceptable, although others are not.

I suspect your list is far too culturally and situationally specific. I'm not sure how well it really reflects the human experience.

By: Steve Nicoloso

Steve Nicoloso — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Rob,

I'd intended category 3 to come somewhat near the category of "filthy" or "obscene" (which in English connotes prurience not merely vulgarity or rudeness) talk condemned by the Apostle Paul. Surely the category is culturally dependent to some extent, but the basic jist is you don't go 'round discussing (or bragging about) sexual organs, exploits, or positions in (yes) polite company… in any civilized culture at any rate. Whether the Germans consider this "obscene" is beside the point, for it is merely by definition (in English). Such talk is generally proscribed by the Apostle, and therefore must be accounted for in a Christian view of "colorful metaphor".

The N-word is not obscene by definition (at least by the definition I'm relying upon for this spectrum argument) but usually terribly offensive. It therefore falls under the typically less serious Category 4. It is thus far from objectively grave, but as intended us as a racial slur, an expression of hatred, it can be very grave indeed (as I attempted to convey… maybe not well). In short it (like the C-word and the F-word), not being objectively profane (categories 1 and 2), are only seriously evil words when used in an evil way.

Leave it to Eric to turn an unedited comment of mine into a blog article. Trying to make me look bad?!

Cheers!