Language.

[madgap]

Seeing as being grumpy is not only my forte, I thought perhaps it wouldn't be out of place to jump on the bandwagon...

I am in the building industry, and bad language goes with the territory. I hear it and use it, day in, day out.
But one thing I do not do, I do not use bad language in ear shot of children. They will learn it in time.
Many is the time I have felt like using foul words to describe how I feel about particular topics or posts on this forum. But I refrain. I acknowledge that although I use such language, it isn't big, neither is it clever.
Now, there are children who use this forum. And many of them contribute in a very positive way.
So I personally don't condone the use of swearing on the forum.
But one thing I'm noticing lately is the use of swearing by means abbreviations. Mostly in the title of the thread. Presumably to catch the eye.
I just don't see the need for it.

Okay, I'll stop beig grumpy now.

Time for my medication.

Si

 

[Lizzie71]

My 7 year old reads this forum, so I totally agree with this. He'll probably be posting soon too

 

[andywg]

***



Mod's Note:

Whenever I see this kind of thing being used on the forum, I always change it and make a notation warning whoever posted it that it's not acceptable on this family oriented forum.

Please watch your language!

 

[Esfa]

^ hard man ^

 

[andywg]

^ hard man ^

^ A man with no sense of irony ^

 

[Esfa]

^ a man who cant take a joke ^

 

[madgap]

<---A man who wasn't joking in the opening post to this thread!

 

[Esfa]

<---A man who agrees with that man ^

 

[madgap]

Hahaha
This could go on and on.

 

[andywg]

On a more serious note, almost all children swear from a fairly early age, often before they even know what the words mean.

Many adults swear.

It is only that the two seldom do so in the company of the other that makes there be this prevention of swearing in front of children (and prevention of kids swearing in front of adults). When with peers the "language" flows.

IIRC kids are often 13 and above when on this site, I bet if you listen to almost all of them in real life you will hear them swear.

Should we stop swearing in front of kids because we don't think they should swear even though they do? I am not so sure, especially with acronyms. Overuse of swearing just makes the word less explicit and less shock creating.

 

[madgap]

Andy, I agree with a great many of your posts. But this one, I draw the line. Just because the two age groups do this behind one anothers back's doesn't make it right. And yes I agree that over use of a particular word will invariably quash it's harshness. But why use the crude words at all.
This has made me look to myself, also. Why do I do it? I firmly believe it is because it is the norm where I work. But when I read old storie or watch old movies, the retorts are so much more potent with a better grasp of the Engish language. And without the use of profanities.
In actual fact, when I hear people use as much bad language as clean in a sentance, I can't help but think that person to be a tad bit simple

 

[andywg]

Just because you don't like it, should everyone change the natural progression of language?

I tend to like some of the proper language terms, like the correct usage of "who" and "whom", the avoidance of terminating in prepositions and never splitting the infinitive. But to be honest, I don't expect others to do so, and certainly not on a casual advice website.

Your reason for not swearing was because children might read it. I replied that children are already using it. Therefore, the reason for not using swearwords (or implied swearwords) is somewhat weakened, if not defeated. How can we protect them from something they are already using.

Would you recommend a parent never smokes in front of a child he knows is smoking for fear of making them think it may be acceptable?

 

[madgap]

Uming and ahing....
Just because children swear already (perhaps because of the internet, if not, accelarated by?) should we have CBBC airing childrens television shows with bad language . I find the thought rather amusing. Bella telling Milo to........
I think, and perhaps it is only me, that children should not be exposed to foul language at seven years old. As Lizzie had said. Her son reads the forum. As does my eight year old daughter.

 

[backtotropical]

Would you recommend a parent never smokes in front of a child he knows is smoking for fear of making them think it may be acceptable?

Quite honestly, yes. Lead by example. Children copy adults. That's a fact.

The child would only be smoking because of following the example of adults who do the same.

 

[Inchworm]

Please see my notation on andywg's post higher up this thread.

We have a swear filter on this forum to help prevent foul language from being used. Using abbreviations to by-pass it is not acceptable either.

IMHO, considering the benefits members can enjoy on this free forum, I don't consider it unreasonable to expect them to act like ladies and gentlemen while they are here. This is not just to prevent exposing children to inappropriate behavior, but to avoid offending grandmothers and all other genteel people who might happen to read it.