4 ms·
This is a really good question. Can language be de-weaponised? Wittgenstein and Marcuse thought not - that words stand in as tools of intent. It is our hostile
by nonrandomstring 3y ago
This is a really good question. Can language be de-weaponised?
Wittgenstein and Marcuse thought not - that words stand in as tools
of intent. It is our hostile times that make weapons of words.
But it's frustrating because neutral prose is hard to reach. We seem
in an age where it's hard to say anything succinctly, in a fashion
that will pique the wretched attention span of the ordinary reader,
that isn't either drenched in political bias or ungainly.
I think the media industry absolutely embarrassed themselves by
misappropriating the word "piracy". Even after 30 years it still jars
as awful, childish cringe. When I see a grown man in a suit talking of
"piracy" I can't help but see a pitiful clown before me.
But one cannot police other's language. They must be allowed to make
themselves known through the words they choose.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- fragmede 3y agoWords can be reclaimed by social movements and used neutrally or positively instead of negatively within them. "Gay" used to be a slur, as did "slut", and language is culturally dependent on top of that - I'm lead to believe that "cunt" is a generic reference to another person in Australia, while it's not a particular term of affectation in the US. So it depends on the circles you run in. "Pirate" is villianized if you're in the shipping business due to actual piracy, but if your morals are a bit flexible, paying $100/month to have all the streaming services is definitively a choice; the word "piracy" just brings to mind that person's preferred torrent site, and is seen on the same level as breaking the speed limit on the highway.
- nonrandomstring 3y agoGuess we're happy to have reclaimed "hacker" around here. In the South-West of England, we're all mostly pirates too :)
- fragmede 3y agoBoffin is a great UK word that doesn't especially have a US equivalent.
- salad-tycoon 3y agoBoffin: A scientist or expert. Saving my fellow nonUK people a click.
- fragmede 3y agoThe particular tone those two words aren't a direct equivalent is that boffin bears a respectful tone. Nerd or geek (and lately, in polarized online US political discussions, scientist and expert) don't always have the same sort of caché or respect in all circles.
- fragmede 3y agoOh good point. Caution must be used when trying to use words outside the context within which where they work. "Hacker" is fine to use in these parts, but having that be your profession on an immigration form is not likely to go over well!