tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812295151694162891.post6367485803932155496..comments2020-07-28T22:01:13.578+02:00Comments on Bitter/Sweet and Salty: Frickin' Cultural Differences (Censored)Lady MacBeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15597702011193710112noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812295151694162891.post-58721344345687841102012-03-18T16:55:10.310+01:002012-03-18T16:55:10.310+01:00I recently saw the version of Austen's "P...I recently saw the version of Austen's "Persuasion" with Sally Hawkins playing the lead. It was amazing to see how cruel people can be to each other as long as they maintain a veneer of politeness. And not one "rude" word was ever used!Andrew Shieldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02804655739574694901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812295151694162891.post-41441941473839210862012-03-16T11:31:12.475+01:002012-03-16T11:31:12.475+01:00That's a good point! There is much more to bei...That's a good point! There is much more to being a good person than using certain words or not. Still... I sometimes wonder if cursing around certain people is just using those words that don't *really* matter? Or is there some basic level of respect I should do a better job of teaching my daughter? It's a little like table manners. I actually don't care if my daughter and I stab our food and gnaw at it from the fork like Neanderthals. But my daughter had better understand *how* to have nice manners and when they are needed, out of respect for other people. <br /><br />Andrew, that was very, very funny. <br /><br />Kooki, also a good question.... I guess it's arbitrary at some point, like someone had to decide which coin had to represent 5 francs and which was 1 franc. There's cold, chily and freezing; azure and cornflower blue and navy. There just has to be a word that represents what we feel when we say sh*t and one for what poop means, I guess. <br /><br />I remember, I think, William Safire saying that the best reason to be circumspect with swear words is that if we overuse them, there will be nothing left that REALLY means F*#@ when you need to say it! (It's a hazy memory and I may be completely misquoting Safire - but that idea has stayed with me.)Lady MacBeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15597702011193710112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812295151694162891.post-57549989594675278112012-02-28T19:35:22.340+01:002012-02-28T19:35:22.340+01:00Don't worry about that words... Don't you ...Don't worry about that words... Don't you think that people can be really rude using just "nice" words? The intention speaking makes the difference. For example: if you said to a very ugly person: "How good-looking you are! is worse that just saying: "You are ugly"? It depends on the intonation... No problem with those words you talk about. In Spain we use it over and over again and noone makes a fuss, it lacks importance!! Will anyone be better person for not using them?Vieja Ceraviejahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09547635172612405952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812295151694162891.post-14660981192871361622012-01-27T16:16:42.958+01:002012-01-27T16:16:42.958+01:00Here's what I wrote about this topic a few yea...Here's what I wrote about this topic a few years ago:<br /><br />http://andrewjshields.blogspot.com/2008/01/have-sex.htmlAndrew Shieldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02804655739574694901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812295151694162891.post-1428734601080167372012-01-16T05:14:32.100+01:002012-01-16T05:14:32.100+01:00I finally gave up on not swearing in front of my k...I finally gave up on not swearing in front of my kids. I blame it on the Doha traffic but take full responsibility for it. I simultaneously decided to teach them that while it's okay for me to say some of the things I say while driving in a car with the windows rolled up, it is not okay to say these same words with the windows rolled down or when people other than family and close friends are around. The reason I give them is that when you use those words you look stupid and other people see them as deeply offensive. <br /><br />What I don't understand is why the word shit is considered more offensive than the word poop. It's all the same thing, just society putting a meaning on that particular arrangement of letters. I think I may have to piggy-back this post with one of my own. Great questions!kookihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11454671322108137234noreply@blogger.com