Posted by GeishaGirl on December 1, 2004, at 8:05:48
In reply to Offensive languge reformation., posted by alexandra_k on November 30, 2004, at 3:57:17
Hi,
I was the person who used to post with the name 'M*d J*p Poet'> I thought that the poster used the expression in much the same way that it is (sort of) non-offensive slang for people with relatively dark skin to say 'wassup n*gg*r' when addressing each other. > Reclaiming the expressions and attempting to remove the offensiveness.
You're right, I was.
> In New Zealand the word 'Pakeha' is accepted officially as 'non-maori'. In practice it means white person, however, and nobody would refer to somebody from Samoa or Tonga or wherever as pakeha. It was offensive at the time of its introduction.
In the U.S., the reclaimed words are used by some (not all) people within that particular group. If it's said by someone outside the group, it gets its original power back. One exception may be when someone is a personal friend. But, not even everyone in the U.S. feels that it's okay even when a friend that's outside of the group says it.
> Now I heard (though maybe wrong) that F*ck used to mean for unlawful carnal knowledge (ie of a minor). That wasn't offensive, though if you called someone a F*ck*r then I suppose they might take offense if it was false....
>
> Curious.I agree. I really don't like language at all. Wish there was a better way of mass communication. Words never seem to describe with any real accuracy what I feel and words are too confusing...which leads me to ask - Does any of what I wrote make sense :) Thanx for sharing all the info.
Geisha Girl
poster:GeishaGirl
thread:420609
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20041122/msgs/422712.html