I’ve long used opportunities to point to the diminuation of language by too much “bad language” and have quoted before the following true tale which makes the point:
I overheard several teenagers talking. One was upset at what had happened at a party in the previous day or so. Apparently his girlfriend had been at the party and his report on how she had got friendly with someone else included the f***ing word multiple times in every phrase.
Until he reached the point where he had opened the door of a bedroom and there was his friend and someone else. He needed to say what they were doing, but he was lost for words: “They were… er….. er…. er…. … having intercourse”.
Somehow he’d lost the real word because it no longer had the meaning he wanted.
July 7, 2009 at 12:11 pm |
Puritanism, purism and linguistic tosh.
But if you really want to be a purist, then you must have meant: “Which words are bad?”
July 7, 2009 at 12:12 pm |
Oh, I forgot: diminuation?
July 7, 2009 at 9:57 pm |
Yes, my apologies: Diminution was what I meant.
And there’s nothing puritantical about my comments. I’m all for creative swearing. For example: May your chooks turn into emus and kick your dunny down. I suggest:
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-swear-creatively
Unfortunately the impact of a good four letter word is easily lost.