So last night my trying-to-sleep roommate texted me to "Halt Die Klappe!". I, of course, don't speak German, so it seemed like an absurd thing to text me, because if it was instructions of some kind, I sure wasn't going to be able to follow. Luckily another roommate was in the room who claims to know some German, and he told me it meant "Shut up!". I thought surely that can't be right...if anything my roommate would have just said, "be quiet", right? Nope, I looked it up today on multiple sites and all of them interpretted it as a harsh way of telling a German to shut up (several of the interpretations included swear words to define its more precise English meaning).
Now I don't take offense to my arian roomie, because - as stated before - I don't speak German so a harsh phrase in it just sounds like gibberish to me (although I was a tad annoyed that he didn't just open his door and say something, as it was several people being loud). But it got me thinking about curse words. Now language itself is a very odd phenomenon if you think about it...this odd collection of sounds which somehow have meaning to us, but swearing is extra-odd. The concept that certain sound combinations OFFEND us is really kindof mind-boggling. What is it about these words that offend us anyway? It's obviously not the actual meaning behind the word, 'cuz there's a non-swearing way to say the same true meaning behind every curse word I can think of.
Is it bad to swear in another language? I guess it's the same bad-ness that is if you swear when you're by yourself. I've heard it said that the reason it's "bad" to swear is that the offender is exhibiting a loss of self control...but what if you say a swear word NOT in a moment of anger with no malice AND it's in another language...it's completely meaningless to you and your audience...that's not really bad, is it? But then if that's the case is it bad to simply SAY a swear word in your native tounge if you're by yourself (so as not to offend anyone) if you're not saying it in anger and are just saying it for fun? lol. Anyway, just some random thoughts that came from an evening of keeping my poor, sleepy roommate awake. ^^
6 comments:
Just because I have blond hair and blue eyes, and I speak German, and you are a Jew, and I blame you for everything that goes wrong...I automatically get labeled an Aryan!? Sheesh!
I don't know why curse words are offensive, but they are. They were invented with the intent to offend. That's why I don't approve of them.
It's a less kind, less generous, way of speaking. Like sarcasm. I can handle it when it's dished out, but I'd rather not have to.
They tend to show the limits on a person's vocabulary, too. Especially when every other word begins with f. Read a book, man!
Man, Jared! You must have been pretty loud to get Thad that cranky! :) I think what probably tipped Thad's 'rocker' was that he had to be at work at 3:55 am.
I believe the swearing discussion for me boils down to the 'opposition in all things' concept. Everything can be used for good or for bad, including language. There are words that are uplifting and words that are degrading and offensive. So, we have to decide what end of the spectrum we want to be at.
I also think that if we practice swearing in private we will have a hard time not doing it in public.
Just my two cents...:)
I'm pretty sure you would have gotten much more pointed, non-German, language if it was me that had to be up so early!
And on to swearing. I'm all about the gray scale--there is swearing, and then there is SWEARING, if you catch my drift. (Some cause complete offense, while others don't really phase me). Although I think it is fascinating that people substitute swear words or use swear/offensive words from other cultures and it doesn't seem to phase others. It is totally culturally. But since we live in the culture we live in (I'm not talking Mormon here, btw) we abide the rules we do.
I can think of a couple of instances when I cursed and it was the appropriate, positive thing to do. Nobody was offended, and it strengthened relationships. I hold such occasions in special reserve, because I don't believe swearing is the appropriate tool for most jobs.
I posted your crepes today. Hopefully I got everything right. Thanks again for being willing to do that. We had fun, and they were yummy. And it makes for great blogging material. lol.
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