Use of language

Has anyone on here watched TV or listened to the radio lately?

I can't believe that a few asterisks are taken this seriously - it's a joke, surely?

Martin.

No joke Martin some are real serious. Apparently you can only use 4 letter words beginning with F when someone drill a hole in a Myford that wasn't in the original design.

Well I live in the wilds of somerset and our little local pub that I tend to frequent at lunchtime (for over 20yrs) has
tractor drivers, farmhands, there is a fairground wintering yard nearby, and the language can get very ripe
but if a lady walks in everyone behaves themselves. I personally abhor swearing and all the lads know that.
I personally do not worry about a few *****s. in text.
Ketan my pennyworth and keep up the good work of supplying us with goodies.
Bob

... or John, you could have accepted the fact that some people have a different viewpoint than yours and respected instead of ridiculing and belittling them.

Plonk!

When I had to work for a living, I had the good fortune to work in a variety of places. One was a shipyard in Southampton. There, my knowledge of swearing was increased by about 500%. It always amazed me how the language would improve from about 1 "Queens English" word in 5, to 100% "Queens English" when a woman was present. Yes even in the 70s there were women in a predominantly male workplace. Some of the less savoury language would strip paint at 50 metres.

cheers

Bill

We are all real men who know the words, aren't we? We can all swear like troopers for an hour without repeating themselves and anyone showing restaint is a kill-joy and has no sense of humour. Never mind the kids.

Perhaps at 79 I am not typical of the members here but, to me, the same old dozen commonly-used words just become booooring and anything containing them takes longer to read.

Perhaps we should spare a thought not only for our Editor but also for the people who are trying to introduce young blood to the hobby and who might want to encourage them in the habit of using plain decent English.

When you use a certain 4 letter verb as a conjunction, it loses much of its impact and makes the lot sound like a torrent of abuse. Is it really necessary?

Also some of the things done/said in the name of "entertainment" today, e.g., "Lady" Gaga. Joke title if ever there was one.

Go back and look. Actually "S**tbay and S**tpal". Perhaps I spell "slow" differently?

As I said, nothing personal and I'm not offended either, just seems rather childish. Ketan seems like a decent chap and Arc a great business. Pity to risk offending potential customers.

Hi Muzzer

Point taken, I was looking at the posting at the head of this thread and did not go hunting for the original post/s but there are alternatives available for that as well . In general a few well chosen asterisks causes me no offence and I share your opinion of Ketan and Arc, normal disclaimers. That said posts that openly use offensive words do cause offence and thankfully seem to be very limited and have been removed once the moderators were made aware.

Martin

My understanding is that 'offence' can not be given, it can only be taken. It's therefore the choice of the reader how they interpret the words.

How does one predict another's interpretation?

Martin.

Too true Martin and I'm still looking for my @~;#;=^%&*" knitting needles

I don't bother at all with what other people do or say, as long as I don't get hurt. My Grandad said to me when I was little;- I f you use words like that now what will you say when you hit your thumb with that hammer ?

As one of the people who commented adversely on the thread including both Ketan's and John Stevenson's language, may I comment further.

Yes, I'm no stranger to bad language, having heard it, had it used against me, and used it myself. However, these days, aged 70, I do regret those days and do now believe that there is no place for it in normal, including forum, conversations. Whether offence is taken by the receiver, well, why should we be subjected to such language? I am reminded of two television programmes - Last of the Summer Wine (LoST), and Heartbeat. In both instances, the early programmes did include bad language, but not the later ones, and in the case of LoST were just as funny. I have noticed that the Heartbeat repeats do appear to have been cleaned up somewhat.

Schoolchildren have always used bad language, indeed I remember reading many years ago, that schoolchildren have two languages - one for use with their peers, and the other for use with everyone else. Certainly I had the two languages.

I think one consideration has to be to ask the question "does it add anything to the subject matter?" I suggest that in the majority of instances, it does not. Another consideration is to ask "would you like your young children/maiden aunt (although she probably knows just as much as you) to hear or read such language?" If the answer is no, then why use it? And, as Dias has indicated, especially in a forum such as this, does it aid understanding by non-UK readers?

Final comment. I do not believe it is necessary.

Regards,

Peter G. Shaw

If engineering is to be seen as the highly intelligent occupation that it really is we should not publicly use expressions that could be considered as common bad language by others. We are trying to encourage schoolchildren to take an interest in taking up engineering as a progressive profession. It needs to be seen as such by everybody. Colin

Peter,

Seeing as I have been mentioned and seeing as this forum has software in place to prevent swear words being posted could you point me to a post of mine that has swear words ?

Actual swear words and not words 'perceived' to be swear words ?

Ketan's example of s***bay is a good one. What are the missing letters ? Ketan hasn't posted them so it's perceived what they are.

Peter and Colin

How right you are.

In my view this forum is a gem - a mine of information and an interesting place to visit frequently to learn all sorts of things I wouldn't normally come across. I hope others get as much enjoyment from it as I do.

The fact that some folk find bad language offensive should be enough for others not to use it. It adds nothing to the discussion and evidently, from some posts here, is offensive to some people. It is not good enough to say that " It's up to them how they interpret it so tough luck I will carry on regardless" At the basic level to do something that offends others is simply discourteous and to continue to do so, once this has been pointed out, speaks volumes about the poster.

Norman

So tell E-On to stop sending me outrageous energy bills, that offends me.................and therefore by your example , discourteous.

No I can read the digital vernier, it's the mechanical one that makes me frown, the lines are too small.