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RE: How can any grown adult use the term "potty-mouth" without cringing in embarassment?


> -----Original Message-----
> From: cygwin-talk-owner On Behalf Of Robb, Sam
> Sent: 14 January 2005 20:07

> > a)  The term "potty mouth" is a euphemism for "profanity" 
> > and/or "obscenity" and/or "swearing".
> 
> True; but the rest of your argument is predicated on the
> idea that "potty mount" is *only* a euphemism.  IMHO, there
> are some nuances implied by using the term.
> 
> In my experience, at least, it's used primarily when a child
> says something profane *primarily* to offend, embarass, or
> just to make someone who objects to that sort of language
> uncomfortable. They don't care about the word itself, they
> just want to get a reaction out of someone else.

  Fair point.  I may even have not looked too hard for nuance of meaning to the
term, since what I was writing was really rhetoric or polemic, guised as
syllogism.  So I'm a sophist.  So sue me.

> Use of the term was intended, I think, to convey the idea
> that leaving the (purportedly) obscene material in the
> fortune data files as plain text didn't really serve any
> useful purpose, unless that purpose was to intentionally
> offend. 

  I'm not sure.  Since it was plainly established from the word go that it was
meant to be ROT13'd, it would be paranoia to suggest it was intentional.  I
didn't see anyone at any time suggest that this was a deliberate provocation; as
far as I was aware everyone accepted that it was a mistake.

  No, I think the use of the term was intended in a purely perjorative sense, to
deny that the material could possibly have any worth, to belittle it.  It was a
value judgement that attempted to impose the values of the person who used the
term on the debate.

    cheers, 
      DaveK
-- 
Can't think of a witty .sigline today....


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