# Language no-nos **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 29, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453 "2011-01-29T23:10:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/1 "2011-01-29T23:10:03Z")
I seem to recall that when Ed posted a Pit rule about restricting words and phrases such as “fuck you”, “cunt”, etc., there was a big to do about it and the rule was ultimately rescinded. Is this correct? If it is correct, then the sticky at he top of the forum should be removed or replaced to reflect the new reality. If not, well, never mind then. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/2 "2011-01-29T23:13:24Z")
That’s incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/3 "2011-01-29T23:18:45Z")
The rule was definitely not rescinded. I was warned (lower-case w) a couple of months ago against telling someone to go fuck themselves because it’s apparently a sexual insult (I guess I was literally telling them to masturbate or something - that isn’t what I thought I was telling them but what do I know?). And you can’t call someone a cunt because, well, we’re just better than that. You can still call me a dick, though. That is, until someone’s feelings get hurt and they raise a stink. Then you can give dick a kiss goodbye. Edit: Beaten by **G**! That’s what I get for opening multiple threads at once. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/4 "2011-01-30T01:23:24Z")
The whole thing is silly. I cannot call someone a dumb mother fucker, but I can call someone a less than intelligent actualizer of the classical Oedipal fantasy. Same sentiment. Same meaning. The first draws a warning, the second draws chuckles. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/5 "2011-01-30T01:28:17Z")
Actually, in the actual Pit, that language most often just results in a Mod Note. I believe this was a trend started by Gfactor. The only thing I’ve heard of being rescinded was a much more prohibitive rule: no using those “sexual” words at all. I essentially missed the whole kurfluffle, so I don’t know how accurate that was. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/6 "2011-01-30T01:29:14Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > The whole thing is silly. I cannot call someone a dumb mother fucker, but I can call someone a less than intelligent actualizer of the classical Oedipal fantasy. Same sentiment. Same meaning. The first draws a warning, the second draws chuckles. And the situation would be the same, for instance, if you were having a discussion in a public library. Social conventions may be “silly,” but they are still social conventions. There is a huge difference between saying “fuck off” and saying “go away and don’t bother me.” if you don’t believe it, try it next time you’re talking to a police officer. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/7 "2011-01-30T01:39:00Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > There is a huge difference between saying “fuck off” and saying “go away and don’t bother me.” if you don’t believe it, try it next time you’re talking to a police officer. Um…Dex? Buddy? I live in the rural South. Telling a law enforcement officer “go away and don’t bother me” and telling a law enforcement officer to “fuck off” are highly likely to produce very similar…and unpleasant results. And the library analogy fails too. In a library, I probably would not casually say “fuck” in my normal speaking voice–yet here, in any thread in any forum, I may…and sometimes do, say fuck. Under the currently in place rules, I can also say, in any thread in any forum, cunt, cock, shit, piss, goddamn, cocksucker, fart, or any other presently known obscene or profane word or words. I just can’t direct the harsher ones at another poster, even i the Pit, where personal insults are not allowed. Dude, it’s a stupid rule. Ii was a stupid rule when Ed invented it, it has been a stupid rule since implemented, it will be a stupid rule until somebody removes it. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/8 "2011-01-30T02:13:54Z")
I didn’t intend to reopen the debate on whether the rule is a good idea. While I don’t want to incriminate myself, I used one of these “bad” words as a noun in a Pit thread when I was angered, and later had second thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/9 "2011-01-30T02:33:27Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > And the situation would be the same, for instance, if you were having a discussion in a public library. So the Pit should have the same rules as a public library? Last time I checked, the whole point of the forum was for bitching and flaming people. You don’t do that in a library. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/10 "2011-01-30T03:07:28Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > The whole thing is silly. I cannot call someone a dumb mother fucker, but I can call someone a less than intelligent actualizer of the classical Oedipal fantasy. Same sentiment. Same meaning. The first draws a warning, the second draws chuckles. Heck, if that were actually the situation (no swearing), it wouldn’t be so silly. Unnecessarily prudish, sure, but at least sort of logical. What’s puzzling about the current rule set is that you can still say “fuck you, Ann Coulter, you nasty donkey-fucking cunt”, so there’s no a priori limit on how vulgar one can be, and you can still say nasty things to other posters, e.g. “shut your fat whore mouth, **Giraffe** , you half-solidified pool of dog diarrhea,” so there is no limit on how rude one can be, just a random list of words you can’t use while doing so. At the end of the day, you have a rule with no logical purpose, beyond satisfying the whim of an absentee admin. I’m glad Gfactor has chosen a relaxed enforcement strategy, but it’s a shame he has to waste time on nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/11 "2011-01-30T05:47:44Z")
**Giraffe** , don’t be so hard on yourself, you aren’t fat. ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/12 "2011-01-30T15:13:17Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I didn’t intend to reopen the debate on whether the rule is a good idea. While I don’t want to incriminate myself, I used one of these “bad” words as a noun in a Pit thread when I was angered, and later had second thoughts. If it really upset you so much, why do it in the first place? This isn’t a real time, spoken medium, and you have plenty of time to phrase statements the way you want to. If you are going to swear, don’t go into angst about it later. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/13 "2011-01-30T17:50:24Z")
I wasn’t angst-y about saying it, I was angst-y about possibly collecting a warning. You know it goes on your permanent record. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/14 "2011-01-31T01:47:44Z")
Whether you like the library or police analogy, or prefer some other, my point (and the only point) is that there is a qualitative difference between “fuck off” and “don’t bother me.” **Oakminster** , are you seriously saying that if your boss told you “fuck off” it would be the same as if he said, “don’t bother me now”? How about your teenage daughter? Look, I apologize, I tend to explain in analogy. My point is only: there is a societal difference between telling someone “fuck you” and “go away.” And a reminder: there is nothing inherently against the rules to use the words “fuck off” as long as they are not directed at other posters. > [@](#): > > So the Pit should have the same rules as a public library? Last time I checked, the whole point of the forum was for bitching and flaming people. You don’t do that in a library. And the whole point of the “new” (now several years old) rules were: EVEN IN THE PIT, THERE ARE LIMITS AS TO WHAT YOU CAN SAY TO ANOTHER POSTER. The Pit is not the public library, but neither is a place without any limits whatsoever. You want a place without any limits whatsoever, my understanding is that there are plenty of places on the internet to satisfy those urges. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/15 "2011-01-31T02:18:16Z")
Mmmmm… satisfying my urges. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/16 "2011-01-31T04:01:30Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > … EVEN IN THE PIT, THERE ARE LIMITS AS TO WHAT YOU CAN SAY TO ANOTHER POSTER. … So is **Giraffe** wrong? > [@Giraffe](#): > > … you can still say nasty things to other posters, e.g. “shut your fat whore mouth, **Giraffe** , you half-solidified pool of dog diarrhea,” so there is no limit on how rude one can be, just a random list of words you can’t use while doing so. … Since the rule change I’ve seen things that make **Giraffe** ’s example look tame, with no warnings given. “Fuck you, cunt”, on the other hand … **Oakminster** pretty much nailed the current state of the pit, the only part he missed is you post details about your life at the peril of seeing them used to attack you. ☹ CMC fnord! To be clear, the ship sailed, sank, is covered with barnacles, “It’s over Johnny” I get that. But anyone who thinks that the pit has become less vicious just isn’t paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/17 "2011-01-31T04:06:09Z")
We’re gentlemen, **crow**. We may call each other fat whores and half-solidified pools of canine excretions but we remain gentlemen. Without rules we would be savages. Savages, **crow**! Savages! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/18 "2011-01-31T04:14:03Z")
Savages? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/19 "2011-01-31T05:25:13Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > To be clear, the ship sailed, sank, is covered with barnacles, “It’s over Johnny” I get that. But anyone who thinks that the pit has become less vicious just isn’t paying attention. The only differences I’ve noted were caused by the sudden lack of a lot of posters, and the sudden influence of the ones that remained and the new ones who came in. The culture actually did change, but not because of the words. If anything, the lack of those easy to shock words means that people have to be more creative in their insults. And a more creative insult is often more powerful, as words lose their power when they are used frequently. Personally, I’m fine with “cunt” being forbidden, since it was never really used that mcuh, but I would really like to see “fuck” put back. As far as I can tell, it rarely has the sexual meaning that got it banned in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453/20 "2011-01-31T05:51:10Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > And the situation would be the same, for instance, if you were having a discussion in a public library. Social conventions may be “silly,” but they are still social conventions. There is a huge difference between saying “fuck off” and saying “go away and don’t bother me.” if you don’t believe it, try it next time you’re talking to a police officer. Nice try; I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday. (It was last month.) If I’m in a situation where I want to say go away and don’t bother me to a police officer, I’m in a situation where my best bet is yes sir and no sir. The rule is dumb, as I’ve told you and you’ve been told countless times. It hasn’t changed because much like Veridian Dynamics, The Dope Administration is always right. The only way the rule would be changed was if it were possible to prove that it is losing Ed money. Until that happens we can’t call posters cunts. Because that would be rude. But we can tell them we hate their stinking guts and they should go lick an alaskan flagpole in January because that is not rude. As for me, I will simply appropriate other words and phrases. From now on tornado will be my word for cunt and have a sammy code for fuck you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-no-nos/569453.md?page=2)