Comments on: Chinese Niggaz http://www.matjjin-nehen.com/2007/04/14/chinese-niggaz/ a linguist without a language Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:47:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jaŋari http://www.matjjin-nehen.com/2007/04/14/chinese-niggaz/comment-page-1/#comment-144 Jaŋari Sat, 14 Apr 2007 03:38:11 +0000 http://www.matjjin-nehen.com/2007/04/14/chinese-niggaz/#comment-144 Yeah, Alejna, it seems to be a characteristic of North American culture that meta-discussion of taboo terms is itself considered taboo. There in fact seems to be a recursion of taboo-ness, such that words describing sets of taboo words are similarly considered taboo and duly euphemised. I'm thinking of the word <i>swear</i> which (this is probably anachronistic, but it's just off the top of my head) was euphemised to <i>curse</i> and then, to <i>cuss</i>. Remember that case of Ann Coulter claiming that she 'did not call [whoever it was] a faggot'? She was vilified for making reference to the word (albeit by using it), while she didn't actually use it descriptively (see <a href="http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/004277.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>). Anyway, In Australia, I believe it's less the case, though of course there are still some prudes around. I prefer to think that it is not the words themselves that are offensive, but the communicated intention behind them. Thus discussing words meta-linguistically, which cannot give the discussed words any communicative intention, are not offensive. <i>A filled pause</i>, that sounds about right, thanks. But I also dig <i>hesitative</i>, for it's technicality, and I think I'll continue to use it. And, I'll fix the italics in your comment. Yeah, Alejna, it seems to be a characteristic of North American culture that meta-discussion of taboo terms is itself considered taboo. There in fact seems to be a recursion of taboo-ness, such that words describing sets of taboo words are similarly considered taboo and duly euphemised. I’m thinking of the word swear which (this is probably anachronistic, but it’s just off the top of my head) was euphemised to curse and then, to cuss.

Remember that case of Ann Coulter claiming that she ‘did not call [whoever it was] a faggot’? She was vilified for making reference to the word (albeit by using it), while she didn’t actually use it descriptively (see here).

Anyway, In Australia, I believe it’s less the case, though of course there are still some prudes around. I prefer to think that it is not the words themselves that are offensive, but the communicated intention behind them. Thus discussing words meta-linguistically, which cannot give the discussed words any communicative intention, are not offensive.

A filled pause, that sounds about right, thanks. But I also dig hesitative, for it’s technicality, and I think I’ll continue to use it.
And, I’ll fix the italics in your comment.

]]> By: alejna http://www.matjjin-nehen.com/2007/04/14/chinese-niggaz/comment-page-1/#comment-143 alejna Sat, 14 Apr 2007 03:16:41 +0000 http://www.matjjin-nehen.com/2007/04/14/chinese-niggaz/#comment-143 Oops, my italics got all messed up in that comment. They should've ended after the right square bracket... Oops, my italics got all messed up in that comment. They should’ve ended after the right square bracket…

]]> By: alejna http://www.matjjin-nehen.com/2007/04/14/chinese-niggaz/comment-page-1/#comment-142 alejna Sat, 14 Apr 2007 03:15:31 +0000 http://www.matjjin-nehen.com/2007/04/14/chinese-niggaz/#comment-142 Hmm. Interesting, and also disturbing. It's funny how even reading about taboo words can still be jarring, even with the knowledge that they are being discussed as taboo words. <i>[Is there a term in the linguistic nomenclature for this sort of thing, one that perhaps ends in -ive? If not, can I propose hesitative?]</i> Um...do you mean a filled pause? Though I like your propoal of the <i>hesitative</i> for this type. I've seen "hesitative noises". But hestitatives would make a good class of words. Hmm. Interesting, and also disturbing. It’s funny how even reading about taboo words can still be jarring, even with the knowledge that they are being discussed as taboo words.

[Is there a term in the linguistic nomenclature for this sort of thing, one that perhaps ends in -ive? If not, can I propose hesitative?]
Um…do you mean a filled pause? Though I like your propoal of the hesitative for this type. I’ve seen “hesitative noises”. But hestitatives would make a good class of words.

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