Klarinet Archive - Posting 000187.txt from 2005/11

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] The Use of English
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 2005 23:32:46 -0500

At 08:41 AM 11/9/2005 +0000, Matthew Lloyd wrote:
>...For myself, I find tiptoeing around the issue of language by using
>phrases such as "that word" to be more offensive than any use of the
>word itself. English is a language that can be used in so many ways,
>with so many shades of meaning. Sometimes it is appropriate to use
>brutal language for effect, or at least I hope this is the case.
>Dogmatic assertions such as your "the idea of "shock-value" is a
>denigration of
>language, as it seeks to intimidate some and arouse others; to appeal to
>people's fears and to their aggressiveness, not the their intellects,
>and
>as such [ought]* not to be considered a healthy or legitimate use of
>language" serve, as I see it, to limit the language in a way that I
>would suggest is unhealthy. You know the idea, if the words aren't
>available, you can't think the offensive thought? Shades of Newspeak?

Certain words are simply more appropriate to some situations than others,
and the reason is common courtesy. I spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force,
and became quite familiar with and fluent in obscene language. Among my
fellow all-male crewmembers I would swear with the best of them. But in
mixed company I would never consider it. I would say things among of my
peers that I would not say in the presence of my superiors. Such
self-censorship is far from unhealthy. It is simply being civilized. I
have no desire to ban the words, but their indiscriminate use on bumper
stickers and in other uncontrolled environments is offensive. This forum
has a broad mix of male and female, old and quite young, American, British,
and many other nationalities. Such an audience is ill-suited for the use
of profanity. I think the wise and courteous thing would be to make it a
point to use language that is unlikely to offend ANY member of the
group. If you chose to deliberately broadcast inflammatory language, you
risk unwittingly reducing other peoples' respect for you.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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