RE: OT: Profanity in the workplace

["Leonard C. Porrello" <Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- com>]

Objectively, words are just sounds that have no meaning apart from human
apprehension. They are all "inherently" meaningless. For example, the
word "dog" has meaning only in the mind of a person who speaks English.
"Dog" is meaningless to a wild baboon. Granted this, it makes no sense
to talk about words apart from their social context. At its core,
language is a social phenomenon. Consequently, "inherent," if used at
all, has a special meaning when it comes to language. It doesn't mean,
"existing in someone or something as a permanent and inseparable
element, quality, or attribute." Instead, it means something like
"infixed." Consequently, I would assert that in the mind of someone who
speaks English, "dog" is, in the sense I have defined, inherently
meaningful, and if when I said "dog," someone understood "pork pie," he
would rightly be considered to be either mistaken or insane. Along these
lines, vulgar and profane phrases are considered as such because they
are identified as such by the social group in which they are used. If
"GD" weren't "inherently" offensive in our social group, it wouldn't be
used in an expletive manner. Therefore, within a certain social group
and at a particular time in that social group, some phrases are
inherently offensive.
 
Leonard

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
om] On Behalf Of Dan Goldstein
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 12:43 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: OT: Profanity in the workplace

No word is inherently offensive. The offense depends not only on the
speaker's intent, but also on the situation and the people within
hearing.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wade Courtney
> Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 3:14 PM
> To: 
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: OT: Profanity in the workplace
> 
> Is it really the word that's offensive or the intent behind 
> it. For Example...
> 

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