h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has anyone noticed that no-one shouts out, "Bhudda!!!" when they stub their toe, or, "Ra!!!" when something goes amiss?

What constitues unacceptable language changes with a culture's sensitivities.

Bad language based on sexual activities and bodily functions is becoming more acceptable, but bad language based on racism and disability is becoming less acceptable.

Apparently the BBC Editorial Policy unit have more trouble deciding whether or not to re-run shows from the 1970s than with current output.

B

What's up with everyone using the name of God, and not any of the other 'gods'?

The difference being...? (I'm sorry, I don't understand the point you are making).

B
PS - The Buddha was not a god. In fact, Buddhism is an atheistic religion, and is arguably not a religion at all, so much as a philosophy supported by spiritual practice.

just curious, actually.

Thanks for that insight into Bhuddism, tho. Rather intriguing.

I think what Patches means, Ben, is why do people shout 'God' or 'Jesus' instead of 'Allah' or 'Yaweh'.

In my opinionl, probably because one tends to shout that sort of thing by reflex in a moment of stress, and are therefore going to say the first thing that comes into one's head.
Which is likely to be the cultural name for a deity that one grew up with, rather than one learnt about later.

So what you're saying is: if someone grows up in a place where the only religion they know is worshipping allah, then they'll use allah as a blasphemic utterance?

I would've thought so. Assuming that a shout of 'Allah' makes sense as a shout of irritation in a cultural context.

Certainly I know Muslim men who say 'The will of Allah' in the same context as a Christian would say 'The hand of God'.

I have heard of allah-worshippers 'pleading' to allah, similar to the way God-worshippers 'plead' to God, but that's more acceptable than blaspheming the name of the deity in question.

What I'm talking about is more along the lines of this; even allah/bhudda/whatever-worshippers sometimes use God's name in vain. would that be because the bible says this is wrong, whereas none of the other religions have mentioned it?

But other religions *do* mention it.

Possibly the reason you've heard Muslims saying 'oh god' as a sign of irritation is because English isn't their first language, and they're translating the name Allah into 'God' because they are talking in English.

My apologises if I'm making assumptions about their/your native language.

Make<

Precisely. That clears up that confusion.

Ye-es...

What I was trying to indicate is that what is considered taboo or unacceptable varies from culture to culture.

In some cultures blasphemy is unacceptable, in others it is sexual lanugage, in ours it appears that it is racism and disablism.

It is particularly interesting because we are, even as I type, in the process of moving from religious/sexual taboos to racist/disablist ones.

What I'd like to know is how Tourettes manifests in different cultures, whether it always relates to sexual words, or whether it latches on to the strongest taboos.

There has to be scope for several doctoral theses exploring to what extent swearing is a physical/emotional/chemical thing, and to what extent it is an intellectual/cognitive one.

B

that sounds like it should be an entry for tourettes. i'll check to find what i can on the subject, maybe we can co-write it and submit it to peer review.

Go for it. I'll skip on that one, but you have f-f-f-f-fun there.

B

Lets try that again.

I just found out I'm too late

A1012203

Not too late really - it's in the Flea Market, and available for resurrection and adding to. You may well get it in to the Edited Guide.

There's a thought that Mozart had Tourettes.

B

I'll find more on the subject before I add to it.