A sociolinguistic and etymological challenge

[doe_witch]

Not to beat a dead horse, but while r_blackcat's post on ableist language was mostly struck through, it's prompted me to make an inquiry about something I've wondered for years. It's arguably the kind of question that belongs on a community more directly centered around issues of privilege, discrimination, etc., but since we have a bunch of etymology-

Comments

[secretsoflife]

what you're basically saying in this comment is that your desire to use certain words supersedes anyone else's experiences of being hurt or marginalized by those words, and so you're not even going to put in a minimal effort (except where it's become socially unacceptable enough, such as with "gay" and "retard").

i've got some words for that! i'll start with "inconsiderate" and "asshole".

Moderative

[muckefuck]

What hontou said. You can disagree vehemently with someone, but if you can't also do it civilly then you're in the wrong comm.

Re: Moderative

[secretsoflife]

it's not so much that i disagree as that hontou missed the point, but i will take your caution under advisement.

Re: Moderative

[secretsoflife]

that the OP didn't care what you thought about PC language, and was looking for useful thoughts on the linguistics of insults?

Re: Moderative

[secretsoflife]

touche. i'm sorry.

[secretsoflife]

as far as i know, inconsiderate assholes aren't a historically marginalized population... at least not without cause :)

[secretsoflife]

insert sarcasm tags as appropriate - i wasn't the one who played the "but i am an asshole! stop oppressing me" card.

[secretsoflife]

i disagree. sometimes an asshole is just an asshole :p

(pet peeve: people who conflate Aspergers/Autism spectrum disorders and "being an asshole" in conversations like this. it happens all the time :s )

[lacunaz]

I know it's a really tricky line to walk, but intent is not magic. Just because you don't intend to hurt someone's feelings doesn't mean that you won't.

I'm not trying to start anything. The whole point of pejoratives is to marginalize someone, so unless you give up negativity altogether you're not going to get rid people being hurt by these words. What we can do, at least, is be aware of the social implications of these words instead of using them without thinking.