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

Apparently not, it would seem, since the new h2g2 profundity filter, which would prevent me from posting this if I spelled the word "pow" backwards, or spelled "fick" with an "e" instead of an "i", is quite happy to let me post the word shit.

We are informed that the list of verboten words grew organically from discussions between various staff groups on various BBC boards, h2g2 included. Clearly, nobody in that group considers the word "shit" to be as offensive as the word "pow" spelled backwards, regardless of context.

Personally, I consider that to be ridiculous. I would not have any compunction about saying the letter w followed by "op" in front of my mother. I doubt she'd even recognise it as, in ONE possible context, a racial slur. I would not, however, ever say "shit" in front of my mother, because that word has one meaning and one meaning only, and it's offensive, to me and her at least.

I'd just like to take a quick straw - is the word "shit" offensive in YOUR PERSONAL view? (Please don't tell me whether you think OTHER people might think it's offensive, it's peoples own personal reactions I'm after.)

SoRB

It isn't terribly offensive to me - I'd say it in front of my mum, but not my nan.

The Knights of Standards and Practices may disagree with me though.

Yes it's generally used offensively, because there are inoffensive alternatives.

Not offensive.

I say it in front of my mum. She taught it to me in fact.

Alex.

No shit, Sherlock!

RF

I think my granny taught my mum that word and she taught me! I use it all the time, usually in the Scottish form with an e on the end!

I would never use it while my Dad was there, though! I'd get 'that' look.

Sorry.. after the profanities thread, this is now getting very boring..

In my personal opinion, "shit" is mildly offensive even when used as a word for excrement, and considerably more offensive when used as an expletive.

Surely as with any swear/slang word it depends on the context in which it is used.
frankly if anyone needs to use swear words as part and parcel of an everyday conversation then they clearly either have a limited knowledge of the english language or they are just plain rude, stupid and ignorant and deserve to be ignored and shunned anyway.
Commonsense, common decency and common courtesey has to prevail, afterall, they cost nothing.

Actually SoRB, is this your attempt to get another word added to the blocked list?

This is a difficult question to answer straight out, because what I find offensive to *hear* and what I consider too offensive for me to *say* are often two completely different things.

So with that in mind, I don't mind hearing/reading it so awful much, unless it simply seems totally inappropriate under the circumstances (for instance if a young child has a line of dialog with that word in a movie), but it's not something that I *say*, because it's been thoroughly ingrained in my mind that it's offensive.

There are also degrees of "offensive", in the sense that I'm not shocked by it any more (there was a time, of course), but I don't want my own language to degrade into such crass/rude/offensive depths. (pick one description or all three - with the way this filter chooses words to filter, I have no idea what officially qualifies for which category any more)

You're right though, there's one meaning and one meaning only to that word, despite the fact that it's most often used to express surprise, dismay, boredom, excitement, anger, and many other things other than what the word actually means, whereas some of the other words in the filter have primarily innocuous meanings. Go figure.

Traveller in Time with an alternative
"T (be quiet please)"

Like Straighttalker, it depends on context. In the context of 'you are' and said with any degree of viciousness, it would offend.

But then any name calling like that offends. In the usual context it's commonplace enough to register as nothing more than giving sharp emphasis.

I think I've said it out loud only twice ever (once in front of my mother, ooops and she 'didn't notice'). So, I don't use it and don't find it offensive except in when used viciously and personally.

I'd certainly not want it added to a profanity filter for a site where that's not common and which has been pretty responsible in sorting out that sort of thing in the past.
Waz

I don't find it offensive in the slightest. However, I will tend to use foreign words like ghosa (got to love Firefly!) or merde instead, especially when in unfamiliar company.

It seems like it is (or at least, was) in these United States, though. It was part of the 7 words you can't say on TV issued by the FCC some years ago. Any George Carlin fans out here?

With regards to words that are considered offensive may I offer the following comment.

Back in 2004, when the original BBC WW2 Peoples War website had started to solicit articles, I submitted one that contained the phrase “stupid bastard!”.

The word had actually been used by my then tank commander, one SSM “Busty” Thomas and was expressed in the heat of battle to describe the actions of our tank driver.

To my dismay, the article was rejected by the moderators because of what they considered to be an “offensive word” but I was advised that if I were to replace the offending word with bxxxxxd it would then be allowed.

I did as they suggested, the article was accepted and so the matter rested for the next year or so.

Shortly before the website became a ‘sealed’ archive I put in a search for the word bastard and was mortified to see that successive writers had used the original word with apparently no complaint from the BBC.

I then wrote to the moderators, pointing out the fact that they had apparently shifted the goal-posts and headed the e-mail “Please can I have my bastard back!”

I don't remember receiving a reply but I restored my article to its original text and it is now part of the archives.

It would appear that 'bastard' is now officially allowed !

depends on where and how you are brought up as to whether "shit" is offensive but to me it is not!






too close

<>

WHAT blocked list? I'd love to see this list. Why can't we see it?


az

"WHAT blocked list?" The one the filter uses that can, presumably, be added to. I don't know why they don't want to show it to us though.

i suppose they can't show it as all the words would be on there!!!