Mountains out of Molehills

Published on August 23, 2006 By Dr Guy In Politics

Quick! What is the worst thing you can call a German? What is the worst offensive gesture in Nigeria?

What is Shit in Spanish, French, and German?

How many of you know? What if I had substituted Japanese, Chinese and Russian?

And the good old classic, Forced Unnatural Carnal Knowledge. What is it in German and have you ever used it?

These are but a few questions I have for the Washington Post and a local talking head (or poop chute as that is where he orates from). Quite simply, if you ask me what the worst insult in Hindi or Urdu is, I could not tell you. And if you asked me the translation of Shit in Russian, I would give you a blank stare.

And until last week, I did not know that Macaca was a slur against anyone! Hell! I did not even know the word! But apparently it is. After Sen. George Allen called someone "Mr. Macaca, or whatever his name is". But now he is being castigated by the holier than thou (who don't seem upset with the 2002 use of the N word by Sen Sheets Byrd). Are we supposed to know EVERY slur that might exist in the known world?

That is so stupid as to be ludicrous! Let me give you an even better example.

Tiger Woods was castigated for saying that he played like a Spaz in the British open last year. Spaz in America is a very well accepted word that we use to describe an uncoordinated person. No one on this side of the pond is offended, at least I have never heard a spaz object. Yet in England it is apparently some type of slur because they use it to describe handicapped people. And we supposedly both speak English!

Upon being told that his word was offensive (no one at first had even found the French connection which they use to derogatorily refer to Muslims), he Apologized. But did that satisfy the 'unbiased' Press? Hell no! They are still hounding him on it.

And you know what? I hope they keep it up. For when people realize that no one knows all 4000 languages in use today, much less all the slanderous slang of said languages, they will see that these poop chutes are acting like poop chutes. And any word we utter can be an offense in some language or another. Regardless of the intent.

Oh, if anyone wants to know the answer to the first 3 questions, just ask. And for the record, Fick du in German will get you a night in the sack, not a smack.

Comments (Page 2)

Dr Guy

on Aug 24, 2006

spaz is no less nor more an insult (here or there) than tard.

Tell that to Tiger Woods. He used it to describe his play, and got reamed for it in the English Press.

CharlesCS

on Aug 24, 2006

The word penis in spanish (not sure if I want to say it here) has 2 meanings. It all depends on where you are. In Puerto Rico penis in spanish is just that and is used as an insult a lot, in other latin countries it means insect. Go figure.

Dr Guy

on Aug 24, 2006

In Puerto Rico penis in spanish is just that and is used as an insult a lot, in other latin countries it means insect.

But would that not be an insult as well?

CharlesCS

on Aug 24, 2006

But would that not be an insult as well?

dynamaso

on Aug 30, 2006

I don't know about the use of 'spaz' or 'tard, for that matter. My uncle was born serverly physically handicapped so I know I'm overly sensitive to words such as these. That people can be clumsy, make mistakes or even play a bad game of golf does not imply, to me anyway, that they are in any way deficient either physically or mentally. I find the words demeaning and unnecessary, given how many wonderful offensive words already exist.

Just my two cents worth, Doc, is all...

Dr Guy

on Aug 30, 2006

I find the words demeaning and unnecessary, given how many wonderful offensive words already exist.

But that is a cultural thing. Neither of the words are used in the US, either descriptively, or derogatorially, to describe mentally or physically handicapped people. So how was Tiger to know he wa being insensitive? And that was my point. He was not only not using them in a demaning way to anyone else, he was unaware they were an insult over in England.

Some innocent words and gestures in one culture, can be an insult in another, but I doubt that more than a handful would know what everyone was in every culture. When an offense is given, as in the case of Woods and Allen, at worst, they should be told of the offense so as not to commit it again. But not castigated for not being fluent in a foreign culture. Especially in the case of Allen when he was speaking in his native land, where the pretend word (for that is what it is), is just a series of syllables.

Tova7

on Aug 30, 2006

Some innocent words and gestures in one culture, can be an insult in another,

Yeah don't go to Turkey and show someone the sole of your foot (like when you sit down and prop an ankle on a knee).....that's like flipping them the bird while sleeping with their wife! ha.

And our 'ok' hand sign is seen as the "evil eye" in some muslim countries.

And good grief Tiger, if you ever happen to be playing golf in the middle east, do not EVER give a thumbs up.....that IS the middle finger over there.

IMHO get over it already. If people who are actually WATCHING golf can't figure out there are differences in cultures, too freakin bad. Watch something more mundane like tennis, or er, wrestling, or er....well ok golf is the most mundane thing to watch...so maybe they better head outside and watch grass grow.

Dr Guy

on Aug 30, 2006

And good grief Tiger, if you ever happen to be playing golf in the middle east, do not EVER give a thumbs up.....that IS the middle finger over there.

Dont go thumbing for a ride in Nigeria, that means the same thing as well!

dynamaso

on Sep 05, 2006

Neither of the words are used in the US, either descriptively, or derogatorially, to describe mentally or physically handicapped people.

My mother worked for the Spastic Centre, which is an organisation founded in America. So obviously, spastic is used to describe some mentally handicapped people. And I'm sure, while you might not use it, the word 'retarded' would be used as a descriptive for physically and mentally handicapped people too.

Having said this, I don't think there is anything wrong with the words when used as they're supposed to be (I'm not pro-political correctness, in other words). But for an international figure such as Tiger Woods, you would think he'd be a bit more careful about what he says to the media.

MasonM

on Sep 05, 2006

Politically correct and stupidity should never be used in the same sentence as that sentence then becomes redundant.

The press has become the voice of the PC police. No wonder I prefer South Park.

ParaTed2k

on Sep 05, 2006

I think that people are only as offended as they want to be.

Dr Guy

on Sep 06, 2006

But for an international figure such as Tiger Woods, you would think he'd be a bit more careful about what he says to the media.

But that is my point. He had no clue he was being insulting. One cannot be expected to know all the idiosyncracies of every culture on this planet as a matter of course (perhaps those who study them may know them all, but I doubt that any ONE person knows them all).

Dr Guy

on Sep 06, 2006

The press has become the voice of the PC police. No wonder I prefer South Park.

It can be more informative at times.

Dr Guy

on Sep 06, 2006

I think that people are only as offended as they want to be.

Some seem to make it a career for themselves.

drmiler

on Sep 06, 2006

And you'd be wrong! The Spastic Centre is based out of NSW (New South Wales)

Contact us

Links to contact details for the different Spastic Centre regions, services and functions are listed below.

ACN: 000 062 288 ABN: 45 000 062 288

- General enquiries:
189 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights, NSW 2100
PO Box 184, Brookvale, NSW 2100
Tel: +61 2 9451 9022, Fax: +61 2 9451 4877
scnsw@tscnsw.org.au

WWW Link

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