English Language - what "Does your head in" ??

[Mike Sales]

I am often annoyed by the by the superstition that some words are unacceptable, but other words for the same thing are polite.
The current niggle is that "poo" is fine, but "sh1t" is shocking. This idea that words make a difference in the real world is a belief in magic.
Another is "pee" is OK, but not "p1ss".
I expect you can think of many other examples. "Sleep with" for instance.
I once scandalised a lady who was letting her dog mess in the street by using an Anglo-Saxon word to describe her dog's activity.
I suppose that I have a dislike of euphemism.

[mattheus]

I am often annoyed by the by the superstition that some words are unacceptable, but other words for the same thing are polite.
The current niggle is that "poo" is fine, but "sh1t" is shocking. This idea that words make a difference in the real world is a belief in magic.
Another is "pee" is OK, but not "p1ss".
I expect you can think of many other examples. "Sleep with" for instance.
I once scandalised a lady who was letting her dog mess in the street by using an Anglo-Saxon word to describe her dog's activity.
I suppose that I have a dislike of euphemism.

It's called good manners Mike. Of course there is drift over time, but it's good manners to go along with these things (in most situations).

[Mike Sales]

I am often annoyed by the by the superstition that some words are unacceptable, but other words for the same thing are polite.
The current niggle is that "poo" is fine, but "sh1t" is shocking. This idea that words make a difference in the real world is a belief in magic.
Another is "pee" is OK, but not "p1ss".
I expect you can think of many other examples. "Sleep with" for instance.
I once scandalised a lady who was letting her dog mess in the street by using an Anglo-Saxon word to describe her dog's activity.
I suppose that I have a dislike of euphemism.

It's called good manners Mike. Of course there is drift over time, but it's good manners to go along with these things (in most situations).

And I do go along with it (mostly). I guess it is the near universal use of the infantile "poo" that is irritating me.
It is interesting that use of the Latin word is considered acceptable by the bluenoses.

[thirdcrank]

The Butterfield edition of Fowler has quite an entry on guess meaning "I think it likely, I suppose."

Poo hasn't made it yet.

Anyway

I guess it is the near universal use of the infantile "poo" that is irritating me

might have covered what's doing your head in, I guess. If it really is "near universal, your cause is lost to usage.

That brings me to query what is the purpose of a dictionary?

Is it to settle arguments: "Define xxxxx" or to clarify the meaning of new expressions for those of us "behind the curve." ? Especially the steep learning curve.

[Audax67]

I have read that all the "bad" words we were told not to use as children were just ordinary words a couple of centuries ago. Then the Vickies arrived.

Cue Calvin & Hobbes: https://calvinandhobbes-daily.tumblr.co ... ch-27-1992

[Jdsk]

I am often annoyed by the by the superstition that some words are unacceptable, but other words for the same thing are polite.
The current niggle is that "poo" is fine, but "sh1t" is shocking. This idea that words make a difference in the real world is a belief in magic.
Another is "pee" is OK, but not "p1ss".
I expect you can think of many other examples. "Sleep with" for instance.
I once scandalised a lady who was letting her dog mess in the street by using an Anglo-Saxon word to describe her dog's activity.
I suppose that I have a dislike of euphemism.

It's a major problem in healthcare. The professionals need to be very careful to make sure that they understand what the patient is saying and hearing and understanding. And reticence about embarrassing symptoms and how to describe them is one of the causes of late diagnosis of cancer.

Jonathan

[Mike Sales]

I met a man with a big scar down the side of his face. He had been drinking in a pub when a rugby player at the next table objected to his swearing in front of his girlfriend. Pete took the line that the words were only sounds and letters and demonstrated by repeating them. F*, f*, f*,etc. The bloke smashed a beer mug into Pete's face.

[mattheus]

I met a man with a big scar down the side of his face. He had been drinking in a pub when a rugby player at the next table objected to his swearing in front of his girlfriend. Pete took the line that the words were only sounds and letters and demonstrated by repeating them. F*, f*, f*,etc. The bloke smashed a beer mug into Pete's face.

A great example of two wrongs not making a right.

[richardfm]

I am often annoyed by the by the superstition that some words are unacceptable, but other words for the same thing are polite.
The current niggle is that "poo" is fine, but "sh1t" is shocking. This idea that words make a difference in the real world is a belief in magic.
Another is "pee" is OK, but not "p1ss".
I expect you can think of many other examples. "Sleep with" for instance.
I once scandalised a lady who was letting her dog mess in the street by using an Anglo-Saxon word to describe her dog's activity.
I suppose that I have a dislike of euphemism.

It's called good manners Mike. Of course there is drift over time, but it's good manners to go along with these things (in most situations).

And I do go along with it (mostly). I guess it is the near universal use of the infantile "poo" that is irritating me.
It is interesting that use of the Latin word is considered acceptable by the bluenoses.

Birmingham City fans are well educated, they all speak Latin

[Bmblbzzz]

Bluenose seems to mean:
a priggish or puritanical person;
an unruly woman;
a Glasgow Rangers fan;
an inhabitant of Nova Scotia;
a Birmingham City fan.

[thirdcrank]

My current Fowler says that "folk" as an ordinary word for people in general is tending to fall out of use in British English, except in northern England and Scotland, where it is standard. If that was so in 2015 when that was published, it no longer seems the case. I seem to see more of it than ever.

I was about to mention "folk" as a synonym for "people" and it occurred to me I might have mentioned it before - and I have. And it continues to irritate me

[Jdsk]

...
That brings me to query what is the purpose of a dictionary?

Is it to settle arguments: "Define xxxxx" or to clarify the meaning of new expressions for those of us "behind the curve." ? Especially the steep learning curve.

There's a basic difference between prescriptive and descriptive dictionaries.

As there is across linguistics. The vast majority of serious scholars now favour a descriptive approach, and most of the major dictionaries are descriptive.

But of course a major theme in this thread is resenting change and overemphasising what people think that they were taught at school, and that's of necessity associated with prescription.

Jonathan

[mattheus]

...
That brings me to query what is the purpose of a dictionary?

Is it to settle arguments: "Define xxxxx" or to clarify the meaning of new expressions for those of us "behind the curve." ? Especially the steep learning curve.

There's a basic difference between prescriptive and descriptive dictionaries.

As there is across linguistics. The vast majority of serious scholars now favour a descriptive approach, and most of the major dictionaries are descriptive.

But of course a major theme in this thread is resenting change and overemphasising what people think that they were taught at school, and that's of necessity associated with prescription.

Jonathan

You should of posted this earlier.

[DaveReading]

You should of posted this earlier.

Speaking of things that do my head in ...

[richardfm]

You should of posted this earlier.

Speaking of things that do my head in ...