Actually no. Often time after mod notes, in a fast moving thread, folks will edit their response to comply with the instructions. Clearly with the edit, the note was seen and a willing choice was made to leave the comment. I was not a mod at the time, but I would have issued a warning for that as well. In such a situation, the correct thing to do would be to edit and remove the comment that was violative of the instruction. If the edit window had passed then a comment acknowledging that could go a long way. None of that is what he did.
[Snipped and emphasized]
What does “bitchslap” literally mean, then?
Seriously? Wow. I do hope that the metaphor would not provoke mod intervention now because that would just be profoundly silly.
It means to put someone in their place. It has nothing to do with hand to face contact in case you have been outside of the U.S. for the past 25 years.
Putting “someone in their place” doesn’t mean literally picking them up and moving them either. It is just an expression. I am going to have to give up at some point because we aren’t speaking a common language.
I think, in context, it meant “something gay people say/do.” He could have also said “If you think I’m against gay people, I’ll give you such a pinch!”
Seriously:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10732390&postcount=78
And follow up thread:
To “put someone in their place” always refers to a place in a hierarchy, not a physical place. I don’t think it’s even correct to consider it a metaphor, since the word “place” need not refer to a physical place.
“Bitchslap” is mostly used metaphorically, sure. But certainly not exclusively. You can literally bitchslap someone. And even when metaphorical, it is clearly a metaphor deriving from literal physical violence.
I agree that there was no threat of literal violence here. But I don’t think your linguistic analysis is correct, and I see no problem with a policy of barring language that entails metaphorical violence.
I think the number of workplaces that would tolerate use of the word “bitchslap” is probably close to zero, notwithstanding your anecdotal testimony.
Literally? That’s what it literally means, huh?
I have been in the US my entire life. And we are close in age. If someone threat- sorry, said - they would bitchslap me, I would take that as a threat- sorry, a suggestion- that they wanted to slap me like a bitch.
I’m not overly steeped in academia, either. Maybe your professional environment is a little different than others’.
Yeah, that was the intent. But it wasn’t clear enough. If you’re going to try to make a weak joke that involves a violent metaphor, and a patronizing and demeaning form of violence a that - then expect some heat if the joke falls flat.
1> Open a new Window
2> Go to google.com
3> Search “bitch slap”
4> Click on images.
Half of them will be Batman memes, but it’s still clear that it means a strong physical slap, metaphorical or not.
Plus, the common definition;
*bitch-slap
verb
US informal
deliver a stinging blow to (someone), typically in order to humiliate them.
“I’d bitch-slap her too if she mouthed off to me like that”*
ETA, their example above, not mine.
Because it doesn’t imply a threat of physical violence?
What relevance is it that the word was used in the movie? Are you under the impression that a piece of hate speech is somehow rendered acceptable for general use because it happened to be used in a work of art?
One of my favorite shows of all time is The Wire. The word “nigger” is used countless times in the show, by all sorts of characters and in all sorts of contexts. Would that make it OK for me to refer to one of the black characters in the show using that word?
So it would have been ok to use “retard” if it was in quotes?
If he had said something like, “In the movie, they often use the word ‘retard’ to describe the main character,” then yes it would be. And i would be willing to bet that, if this had been the context of his usage, he wouldn’t have received a warning.
Do you understand the difference between actually using an epithet about someone, on the one hand, and discussing or mentioning another person’s use of an epithet, on the other? If you don’t, you should probably educate yourself on the matter, because it’s a fairly significant distinction.
While both phrases are unacceptable in polite conversation, I would expect telling someone that I would “bitch-slap” them to be far more provocative than telling them to “shut the fuck up.” To me, it’s close to fighting words. If someone I just met at the bar, for example, told me to “shut the fuck up,” I wouldn’t take it nearly as aggressively if they said they’d “bitch slap me” for some reason or another.
Also, notice I said I would tell someone to shut the fuck up in response to “I’ll bitchslap you,” which is not polite conversation to begin with. I don’t casually say “shut the fuck up,” but I will if someone says something provocative to me. My obligation to be polite ends when someone decides to be impolite to me first.
And again, “I’ll bitchslap you” is not my go-to comment in any situation. I don’t think that’s an acceptable thing to say to anybody.
I think of it in these terms:
“If you think I’m anti-gay, then you can shut the fuck up”
vs
“If you think I’m anti-gay, I’ll bitch-slap you”
the latter sounds far more aggressive to my ears. Plus, even in the worst rows with people I’ve had, I can see myself telling them to “shut the fuck up,” without getting punched in the face, but saying “I’ll bitch-slap them” will likely incite violence.
Thanks for your kind assistance. If I have further inquiries I will be sure to direct them to you.
Whether or not it was OK wasn’t the question. It was certainly offensive. It just wasn’t hate speech. I argued against that ruling, but the warning didn’t need to be rescinded, just changed. He was clearly still being a jerk, possibly trolling, possibly threadshitting, being offensive in a thread where that was out of line, all kinds of not OK things. The mod decided to reverse the warning for hate speech but elected not to warn him for any of the numerous warn-able offenses he committed.
Why is this thread about Shagnasty now anyway?