Watching a trailer for 'Ironman' last night, I noticed the warning
"Contains strong violence and one use of moderate language".
Forgive me for being pedantic, but isn't moderate language the sort you
use to talk to priests, judges, grandmothers and maiden aunties? (as in
"Moderate your language, young man. You're not in the public bar of the
Rose and Crown now".) This being so it follows that the vast majority of
the 'Ironman' script is full of expletives and blasphemy; or is this not
what is meant?

Is it possible that English has changed so much that moderate now means
moderately bad or have copywriters become so lazy that the insertion of
two syllables (-ly bad) is likely to overtax their delicate fingers and
wear out their sota designer keyboards? The other possibility is that
language now means bad language which leaves me with a problem; how the
*!&% do I communicate the old meaning of the word?

There is some evidence that the second possibility is the case as I have
heard such usage as "He used language in front of my kids so I hit him".
Leaving aside the dubious use of violence to educate or correct I have
to wonder how we are supposed to communicate meaning without using
language. Telepathy perhaps? I am pretty sure that I will not be able to
use words since I have also heard "He used words so I ..." and there is
the older "We had words" meaning "We had an (unresolved) argument".

I am left in a quandary. I can no longer write scripts or programs as to
do either requires me to use both language and words. I can't
communicate this to my clients because yet again I would have to use
language and how do I explain to my bank manager that my income has
dried up because I can't afford to offend my clients without offending
him by doing so?

omg I've just realised that I'm going to be kicked off p.o-t for
persistent use of language. :-(

John (listening to Chwhynny - I Am)
-- 
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.

Post a reply to this message

Languages change as people use them. I am in the front line protesting
against that, but it just seems to be an inevitable consequence of human
nature, and there's nothing we can do about it, unfortunately.

  Do you remember when "gay" was an innocent word and was the synonym for
"happy"?

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

Warp wrote:

>   Do you remember when "gay" was an innocent word and was the synonym for
> "happy"?

Once upon a time, Dick and Fanny were perfectly normal English names...

More oddly, once "wicked" meant something bad. Today, it means something 
good. (Numerous similar examples can be easily found.)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message

On 28 Apr 2008 15:45:13 -0400, Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:

>  Do you remember when "gay" was an innocent word and was the synonym for
>"happy"?
>

Wasn't there a line from "Seven brides for seven brothers" that went'
"Gay's upstairs feeling a little queer"?
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

Warp escribió:
>   Languages change as people use them. I am in the front line protesting
> against that, but it just seems to be an inevitable consequence of human
> nature, and there's nothing we can do about it, unfortunately.

One of the worst being "Free software". And I know you agree, I read all 
your rants on your website :)

Post a reply to this message

Warp wrote:
>   Languages change as people use them. I am in the front line protesting
> against that, but it just seems to be an inevitable consequence of human
> nature, and there's nothing we can do about it, unfortunately.
> 
>   Do you remember when "gay" was an innocent word and was the synonym for
> "happy"?
> 
For those who did not know who is my favorite songwriter and those who 
don't care:
http://ericbogle.net/lyrics/lyricspdf/sillyslangsong.pdf

Post a reply to this message

>  Do you remember when "gay" was an innocent word and was the synonym for
> "happy"?

Sure, there's a restaurant near here that has the word
gay in the name. They serve good tasting food too.
http://www.dirtydavespizza.com/ (flash)

Post a reply to this message

Doctor John wrote:
> Watching a trailer for 'Ironman' last night, I noticed the warning
> "Contains strong violence and one use of moderate language".

They probably intended to say "mature" or "immoderate," spelled it 
wrong, and the spell checker changed it to "moderate."

Regards,
John

Post a reply to this message

On Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:09:59 -0400, John VanSickle wrote:

> Doctor John wrote:
>> Watching a trailer for 'Ironman' last night, I noticed the warning
>> "Contains strong violence and one use of moderate language".
> 
> They probably intended to say "mature" or "immoderate," spelled it
> wrong, and the spell checker changed it to "moderate."
> 
> Regards,
> John

I think it is shortened from 'moderately offensive' language. Who ever 
shortened it just didn't pay attention to the new meaning of the sentence.

Post a reply to this message

Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
>   Do you remember when "gay" was an innocent word and was the synonym for
> "happy"?

  Which also reminded me of these:

http://www.chickenjohn.freeserve.co.uk/images/man_with_a_very_big_cock.jpg
http://sam.zoy.org/porn/cute_underage_chick_with_hairy_pussy.jpeg

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message