Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4
#20612 02/28/01 02:35 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
old hand
OP Offline
old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
As an offshoot of Capital K's post in the British accent thread, I submit this for discussion... I'm noticing a relaxing of whatever "rules of propriety" have governed US primetime network broadcast, and things are getting past the censors that I wouldn't have guessed possible. Profanity has always been fine by the cable networks, but I'm talking ABC, CBS, & NBC with their vast collections of easily offended sponsors. "Ass" seems to be OK, as long as it's not used in a sexually suggestive context, although I think I recall a couple of puns on "cock", and "hell" and "dammit" are no big deal... I knew I should've been keeping a list... there are more I'm not remembering.

Anyway, if the Southern hemisphere is getting away with "the fuckin' fucker's fucked" on network TV, I'm just curious what that implies about US censorship and how y'all feel about this issue. I sense a storm brewing...


#20613 02/28/01 03:44 PM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 85
S
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
S
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 85
Anyway, if the Southern hemisphere is getting away with "the fuckin' fucker's fucked" on network TV, I'm just curious what that implies about US censorship and how y'all feel about this issue. I sense a storm brewing...

It really depends on how it's used. I've not had a problem when swearing was used correctly. What's correct, though? For me, I would have a hard time believing some crusty old sailor or a gang member wouldn't use swear words. To have them say "darn" or "oops" is just a joke, and can destroy the atmosphere of whatever story is being told. But when it's used just for shock value and ratings, I have a problem with it.

But then I feel parents should be the primary censors for what gets seen in the home and in movie theaters. We should be warned what's coming, but have to it policed because parents aren't taking responsibility for their own children is the sad and frustrating part of all this, not what is being said.

Ali

#20614 02/28/01 04:31 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
It is sad that the old Greek ideal of "moderation in all things" is so little observed. We wear clothes among other things to avoid continuous sexual stimulation.I resent a continuous bombardment with sexual epithets. I would not suggest going back to days when one dirty word could get you into serious trouble with the authorities, but I wish that when the authoritarian dam crumbled, the flood of filth had not become so pervasive.


#20615 02/28/01 07:19 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
B
veteran
Offline
veteran
B
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
filth on TV
There is much to what you say, although I am not so much concerned with "filth", which, like beauty, is mostly in the eye of the beholder. What I really resent is the hypocracy of the networks and others who determine what can and can not be shown, and the over-righteous critics who would like to change "helicopter" to "heckicopter".

Seems to me that if you can have "Baywatch" on TV in hours when the children can see it (and why not? I love it) you ought to be able to say "bugger" and a few of the milder expletives. And if you can broadcast all the outrageous violence that is on TV nightly, with scores or hundreds of corpses, gore, etc. etc., you ought to be able to use any 4-letter word. A Steven Seagal movie (another one of my favorites) is the equivalent of 50 "fucks" plus any number of equally graphic words.


#20616 02/28/01 08:20 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Re: Expletives on TV
---------------------------------------


filth....... is mostly in the eye of the beholder.

That's what I object to, getting unwanted eyefuls and earfuls of filth


#20617 02/28/01 09:54 PM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 52
D
des Offline
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
D
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 52
Bill...I do agree with you, but I am not ready to go back to "shucks", "oh shoot" or "doggone it". I have to have a few words to show exasperation and I bet you do too...among your friends. I don't hear the Sutherin (ala Anna) women saying as many 4 letter words as I do when I am visiting "up north". I never use the f...word though and I don't think my daughters do either. I hate that word.


#20618 02/28/01 10:00 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Memory time again ... skip this if you have no interest in stories of the "old days."

I remember in the early 1950s there was an uproar about Lloyd Bridges (I think) saying a swear word in a dramatic scene. The media was flooded with it but without mentioning the word itself.
Apparently the actor had inadvertently used the swear word in the heat of the moment.
The discussion was whether or not to broadcast it with the swear left in the scene. The Big Decision finally came down on the side of releasing the dramatic show WITH the swear word as it was "appropriate to the scene' : a confrontation between good guy Lloyd and the bad guys who were attacking his family ... I forget the details...
We were GLUED to the screen ... the word was "dam." It was discussed for days!
Then there is the movie - also the 50s - where the word "virgin" was used for the first time. HORRORS!
The more things change the more they remain the same.
wow


#20619 03/01/01 08:10 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
B
veteran
Offline
veteran
B
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
There are plenty of words which have been giving trouble to the punctilious for a long time. My grandmother, who was as proper as they came, had a tough time sometimes reading to me from the King James Bible, when she came across the word "whore", which is used a number of times in both Old and New Testaments, and the word "paps." Of course, newer translations always manage to use some acceptable word for these older terms.


#20620 03/01/01 08:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
The only time I heard my father swear was when a mouse ran up his pantleg, and all he said was "Jesus Christ" as he gave a mighty kick and mouse shot out horizontally.
I tried not to swear in front of my kids, but failed quite ofen, but I never used obscenities.
What I object to is the excessive frequency of obscenities today. Almost as bad as a guy in Army whose every other word was the "f..."word, to the point that we would call his attention to it if he said three decent words in a string. All it accomplished was to make him talk a bit less. Laugh if you will, but I used to go up to PX to talk to one of the Gray Ladies just to get away from it.


#20621 03/01/01 08:58 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Bill-- don't worry about swearing a bit--as the irish say-- sure there is nothing wrong with it-- and swearing has been in this world since God told the devil "go to hell!"

It's curious-- my parents would tolerate most of the standard 4 letter words-- but under no circumstances would your father utterance pass un remarked and un chastised-- it would have been considered taking the lords name in vain in our house-- and a mortal sin! where as s*** or f*** would just be venial sins!

i can and do use those words-- but since they are not professional, i don't use them often-- and since i have this sweet round face (along with a rolly polly body) and high sweet voice.. every one who doesn't know me well is shocked when they hear me use them!

On one occation some one used them at work, in front of me, and then was so embarassed-- I teased him, and told him i was a word maven, and could he please repeat it, I grew up in the bronx (short hand for tough neighborhoods) and had never heard the word before! When he realise i was not offended, and could joke about it, he apologised again, but relaxed. I accepted, since i agree with you, to some degree, Bill. these words are not alwasy appopriate everywhere!


Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 435 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5