Poll: Which is the most offensive, N-word or C-word?
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I often use "****" as an alternative, more vulgar form of "vagina"... always have (I'm far more likely to use that word than "pussy", which I find overused among people who willfully refused to finish a basic education. Call me an elitist, but that's my reason). Its use as a direct insult wasn't known to me until I was about 20 years old... and I'm from the US.
So of course a couple of Gs, an R and an E, an I and an N arranged in a way that will form a word [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw] starting with the N would be far more offensive to me.
So of course a couple of Gs, an R and an E, an I and an N arranged in a way that will form a word [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw] starting with the N would be far more offensive to me.
Be more specific. I know that you mean ****** for one, but I'm not sure what you mean for the 'c-word' though. ****? *****? Cock? In the end though, I don't find either offensive. They're just words. Hell, they're meaningless to those who don't understand English. You got me nigga?
Well that's kinda the thing main factor, in how it ends. We call each other nigga as in friend, brother and such. But when we say it ****** it basically means what you said, some who's worthless, to us it doesn't matter if the person is black, white, asian, or anything else. If they're thieves, or just worthless we generally refer to them as being a ******.
Funny thing is the whole saggy pants thing started in prison. It meant that you were "taken", if you get my drift.attackshark said:
This is purely my opinion:
I'm in high school and I choose not to curse at all. I find it annoying when other people curse, especially when people curse for no good reason, but I usually won't call them out on it. I might call them out on it if they're using "retard" or "gay" as insults, but like everything in school, it depends on the situation. I never really thought of "****" as a curse, i just thought of it as one of the worse insults.
I'm in high school and I choose not to curse at all. I find it annoying when other people curse, especially when people curse for no good reason, but I usually won't call them out on it. I might call them out on it if they're using "retard" or "gay" as insults, but like everything in school, it depends on the situation. I never really thought of "****" as a curse, i just thought of it as one of the worse insults.
Oh yes, words can offend.
Granted, the effect is pretty weak from any single word without context. To get someone to hurt from words, you'd have to get really personal and particularly vitriolic. From a more qualitative perspective, to say no one was ever hurt by words is to say no one was ever insulted, angered, saddened, or threatened by them, which is clearly not the case.
Obviously, the word "n*****" harbors no ill will. But the kind of people who would use it reveal a little of their intent when they do so. Intent that's drenched in a history of prejudice and violence. With that in mind, no shit it's different when black people say it to one another. It was never really about the word to begin with--it's about the fact that the person who says it is willing to remind you of the fact that black people were once slaves to be tortured and subjugated.
Granted, the effect is pretty weak from any single word without context. To get someone to hurt from words, you'd have to get really personal and particularly vitriolic. From a more qualitative perspective, to say no one was ever hurt by words is to say no one was ever insulted, angered, saddened, or threatened by them, which is clearly not the case.
Obviously, the word "n*****" harbors no ill will. But the kind of people who would use it reveal a little of their intent when they do so. Intent that's drenched in a history of prejudice and violence. With that in mind, no shit it's different when black people say it to one another. It was never really about the word to begin with--it's about the fact that the person who says it is willing to remind you of the fact that black people were once slaves to be tortured and subjugated.
Oh Carlin, how I love you.Suicideking said:
Surprised this wasn't posted:
<youtube=C9HRLvfbauA>
Also, like Carlin said, its the context of the word.
There is usually more negative context behind ******, especially in the states, but **** apparently has some pretty heavy context as well.
Personally, I don't care that much. Like Carlin said, its the context that matters, and I don't really insult random strangers that often...
I don't swear (though I hang out with the kind of people who'd make a sailor blush). But when we're discussing words, I think it's valuable to be specific and not dance around them. So I have no problem saying the words in this context.
I'm biased, being female, and white, and also being a non-swearer, but I'd give the edge to "****". I think it is more offensive than "******" is.
I don't much understand the desire of people to adopt swear words to describe themselves (although we took "Yankee Doodle Dandy" as our own, so I suppose I get it... a little). But it seems to me that Black people cheerfully call themselves "niggers", whereas I can't think of a woman who'd cheerfully call herself a "****". That's poor evidence, given that I'm judging from the media, not (much) personal experience, and not any sort of polling data, but that's my gut reaction here.
Also, when people say "Well they're just words, they can't hurt anyone," I think they're operating on a different wavelength from me. Teasing and taunting has led to suicide, and it's not that the individual words were bad words per se, it's the communication they were meant to convey. That's what words are, a medium of communication. You can yell "Fire" in a crowded theater and have people stampede until a couple of them end up in the hospital or even dead, and you don't get to make the defense of "Well, it was only a word," because you knew darn well what would happen if you said it in that context.
And yeah, teasing is something everyone's gotta learn to deal with sooner or later, from kindergarten bullies to drill instructors. When I'm babysitting and a little teasing happens, I generally tell the kids to go handle it themselves, rather than intervening over a few hurt feelings.
But let's not forget that when you package up hate and send it to another person, the individual words aren't enough to excuse the message.
I'm biased, being female, and white, and also being a non-swearer, but I'd give the edge to "****". I think it is more offensive than "******" is.
I don't much understand the desire of people to adopt swear words to describe themselves (although we took "Yankee Doodle Dandy" as our own, so I suppose I get it... a little). But it seems to me that Black people cheerfully call themselves "niggers", whereas I can't think of a woman who'd cheerfully call herself a "****". That's poor evidence, given that I'm judging from the media, not (much) personal experience, and not any sort of polling data, but that's my gut reaction here.
Also, when people say "Well they're just words, they can't hurt anyone," I think they're operating on a different wavelength from me. Teasing and taunting has led to suicide, and it's not that the individual words were bad words per se, it's the communication they were meant to convey. That's what words are, a medium of communication. You can yell "Fire" in a crowded theater and have people stampede until a couple of them end up in the hospital or even dead, and you don't get to make the defense of "Well, it was only a word," because you knew darn well what would happen if you said it in that context.
And yeah, teasing is something everyone's gotta learn to deal with sooner or later, from kindergarten bullies to drill instructors. When I'm babysitting and a little teasing happens, I generally tell the kids to go handle it themselves, rather than intervening over a few hurt feelings.
But let's not forget that when you package up hate and send it to another person, the individual words aren't enough to excuse the message.
OMG... After reading this thread I'm sure of it... The word which would offend me most is if I was called the A-word.
I'll tell you what happened to sticks and stones; it went the way of the Dodo, because most civilised societies realised that words CAN be extremely harmful. If you saw someone scream obscenities at a two year old, would you call that child weak if they burst into tears?JustaGigolo said:
I take it you've never had a relationship break up either? Or an estranged family member? friend-turned enemy? Disciplinary parent? Crush that turned you down? Come to think of it, I'd hate to live in such a sterile environment as that.
Bingo! Growing up, my friends and I regularly called each other "******" and all of us were as white as rice. "******", "fucker", "*****" it all meant the same thing. Basically "I don't believe you won that match fairly by use of that cheap pattern of attack with Sub Zero." was shortened to a plop of a controller in a lap and a wicked grin with "******" being spouted.Al-Bundy-da-G said:
NO word is "racist" in and of itself, or offensive. If you're "white" and being called '******' by your friends is offensive... I got nothing... It's a damn word.
Well, this has been an interesting sociological experiment. You're all wrong though. The correct answer was "Colonel Mustard in the ballroom with the ****** ****."