# What's up with the language police lately? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 4, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247 "2015-05-04T15:01:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/41 "2015-05-04T20:52:55Z")
Just coming in to add… The phrase “double-plus-un-good” is stoopid. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/42 "2015-05-04T21:00:40Z")
Not to mention that anything which declares itself to be hip is, by definition, not hip. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/43 "2015-05-04T21:01:19Z")
> [@funky\_little\_lee](#): > > Wow, I see that people have taken exception to the words that insult people of different mental capacity and different skin color, but no one has mentioned the one that is a huge and vile insult to women. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised there, but whether or not “cunt” is crimethink, it is definitely not acceptable. Because men aren’t insulted by the derogatory use of dick, cock, junk, etc? Are you really telling me euphemisms for male genitals aren’t used insultingly? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/44 "2015-05-04T21:05:25Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Just coming in to add… > > The phrase “double-plus-un-good” is stoopid. > > 😉 I find that remark to be offensive. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Teach-me-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Teach-me-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teach-me-not)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/45 "2015-05-04T21:19:00Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Just coming in to add… > > The phrase “double-plus-un-good” is stoopid. > > 😉 Funnily, “stoopid” is double-plus-un-good as well. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/46 "2015-05-04T21:21:15Z")
> [@Teach-me-not](#): > > Funnily, “stoopid” is double-plus-un-good as well. > > 🆒 and let’s not get started on “Funnily” ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/47 "2015-05-04T21:38:45Z")
All of these are just the expected outcome of [the Euphemism Treadmill](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Euphemism#Euphemism_treadmill). A word becomes known as a pejorative, and it becomes taboo to use that word. However, the underlying trait that people wish to comment on is still a thing, and still needs a signifier, so a new one is introduced, which then eventually succumbs to the same fate. Suggesting that we not use hateful words is, to some extent, attacking the symptom, not the disease. If thug is a racially charged word, the problem is not that there’s a word to describe criminals, the problem is that there are people who use that word to describe black people in general. The disease is racism. The word is just the symptom. But words can be hurtful as well, and it’s a lot easier to convince people not to use a certain word than it is to fix societal problems like racism. Of course, people do get caught up in the change, particularly older people, since a word that they’ve been using for years without any intended malice now has other connotations. And they may not be sufficiently tuned in to the zeitgeist to realize it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/48 "2015-05-04T21:46:01Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > the problem is that there are people who use that word to describe black people in general. I don’t believe that I have heard “thug” used to describe Black people in general. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/49 "2015-05-04T21:58:28Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I don’t believe that I have heard “thug” used to describe Black people in general. > 🙂 President Obama used the term ‘thug’ to describe the rioters. Technically, he’s incorrect. Those breaking windows and damaging vehicles are vandals. Those stealing shit from stores are thieves or burglars. Those assaulting other people are thugs. The thugs in this scenario were the people throwing rocks and other objects at the cops. But as an overall descriptive of those tearing up the town, I’m fine with ‘thug’, since he really can’t say ‘assholes’ on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/50 "2015-05-04T22:15:04Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Those breaking windows and damaging vehicles are vandals. On behalf of [Vandals](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandals) everywhere, I would just like to make it clear that I am offended by your use of this term. Not every member of this particular Germanic tribal configuration were into breaking windows and damaging vehicles. And besides, other tribes were doing it, too. It’s hardly fair to single out one particular group. Thank you all for your understanding. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/51 "2015-05-04T22:54:49Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > On behalf of [Vandals](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandals) everywhere, I would just like to make it clear that I am offended by your use of this term. Not every member of this particular Germanic tribal configuration were into breaking windows and damaging vehicles. And besides, other tribes were doing it, too. It’s hardly fair to single out one particular group. > > Thank you all for your understanding. Hey, I attended the [University of Idaho](http://tkt.xosn.com/tickets/TicketLanding.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17100), so spare me your outrage. And shit. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/52 "2015-05-05T00:46:52Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > All of these are just the expected outcome of [the Euphemism Treadmill](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Euphemism#Euphemism_treadmill). > > A word becomes known as a pejorative, and it becomes taboo to use that word. However, the underlying trait that people wish to comment on is still a thing, and still needs a signifier, so a new one is introduced, which then eventually succumbs to the same fate. Absolutely. As I understand it, “retarded” was introduced specifically to be inoffensive. There was a time when the official designations for those in certain low IQ ranges were “moron”, “imbecile”, and “idiot”. “Retarded”, by contrast, was supposed to suggest that these people are merely slow, not incapable. I don’t go out of my way to use offensive words or profanity. But I think those who grandstand on trying to eliminate “retarded” or any other word merely want to convince themselves that they care, while not doing actual work to improve the world. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/53 "2015-05-05T02:11:40Z")
YYMV, but I much prefer “moron, imbecile and idiot” as effective pejoratives over “retarded”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/54 "2015-05-05T02:25:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > YYMV, but I much prefer “moron, imbecile and idiot” as effective pejoratives over “retarded”. 🙂 Well, when our [celebrity cultural leaders](http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/29300000/the-three-stooges-three-stooges-29303376-500-375.jpg) (of an earlier generation) routinely called each other moron, imbecile, and idiot, it became ingrained in our culture that these are okay words to use. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/55 "2015-05-05T04:01:13Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > More than anything else I’m amused by how behind the times and out of touch this board can be compared to other places. So much for the self described “hip” status. Not that I’m on the bleeding edge of the zeitgeist or anything, but some of these issues people bring up as new are years, sometimes decades old. > > Hey guys, did you see this funny video of a cat playing a keyboard? Pray, might you deign to lower yourself and enlighten the rest of us? If you’re going to use the OP as a basis of comparison to more timely, nay _worldy_ insights, I think it’s only proper that you enlighten us. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2015, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/56 "2015-05-05T04:12:00Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Pray, might you deign to lower yourself and enlighten the rest of us? If you’re going to use the OP as a basis of comparison to more timely, nay _worldy_ insights, I think it’s only proper that you enlighten us. It’s not complicated. We are just now are addressing the word “retard.” It’s been taboo since at least 2010. We’re talking about “thug” as if it’s a word that normal everyday people actually use, and not a word that suddenly started being popular again to describe Trayvon Martin and now any black criminal. Before that, it was an old-timey word. And, worst of all, we’ve had a problem with “cunt” since 2009 on this very board. And the OP is just now noticing it. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/57 "2015-05-05T04:16:23Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Sam from Burn Notice: > > You know word police. Bunch a whinny little bitches. I doubt that they whinny. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/58 "2015-05-05T04:21:20Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I doubt that they whinny. Language police! ---
**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:** [May 5, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/59 "2015-05-05T04:32:14Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Because men aren’t insulted by the derogatory use of dick, cock, junk, etc? Are you really telling me euphemisms for male genitals aren’t used insultingly? Men were never discriminated against for being men. This is about as good as talking about “honky” or “cracker” as being horribly offensive–words I know I consider to be complete jokes. Heck, only “dick” is a full on insult: “cock” is more playful and “junk” is only used in its non-phallic meaning. (I don’t think I’ve ever been called “junk,” to tell the truth. That would seem weird.) Not that I think the word “cunt” is as bad as “retard” or “thug.” It isn’t used as a comment to refer to women in general, while “thug” is used for that purpose. And it isn’t used to compare you to a woman, as if that is an objectively bad thing. Retard is comparing you to the mentally retarded (you know, the actual medical word, not just retard, which was always offensive). Plus “cunt” has oddly become gender neutral. I know I never consider the gender of the person it is being used to describe, nor does gender enter in to my own desire to use it. I even often forget it means “vagina,” unless it’s actually used to mean vagina. Just like “shit” doesn’t mean feces to me. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2015, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247/60 "2015-05-05T04:35:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > For the record, I refuse to be bullied into not using the word “thug”. It’s a perfectly fine descriptive, and the argument about it being a substitute for a slur word is just nonsense. I love how people characterize “being told to be nice and not unnecessarily offend minorities” as “being bullied.” Do you also feel “bullied” into not saying “nigger” or “fag”? It’s the exact same issue. You want to continue to use the word with people you know will understand, fine. You want to make a consentrated effort to use the term 100% accurately and try to keep the word from becoming a racial epithet? Foolish and doomed to fail, but at least noble. But to use it because you are offended that people find it offensive? That’s just ridiculous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-language-police-lately/719247.md?page=4)