New "offensive" words

[BuckingFrolics]

It seems to me that a new list of dubious, objectionable words are coming to light as the situation progresses. Words that in the past just slipped by without anyone noticing, now stand out in neon.

"Just" - as in "I just like to use ..." or "he just popped out". The minimising of greed - at worst - or thoughtlessness,at best, now simply highlights the attempt at diminishing our flaw, as we become keen to present ourselves as someone who treads lightly during this time. "I just let Billy hug Grannie for a quick moment".

"Bits" - as in "popped out for a few bits", "have been adding some bits". Again, minimising. If we said or write the full story, it would have the potential to cause a whiplash. "I have systematically been buying additional items", "I went out to buy bread, milk, eggs and two steaks", sounds very different.

The disappearance of the word "want" and replacement with "need". "We need a box of eggs a day", "Lilly needs her daily run".

Can anyone add to this? One of my favourite books is Victor Klemperer's diaries during WW2, he was a Jew who survived in Germany, and he writes about the Nazi's changing use of language. So I wondered if we are seeing a change too (I am not saying this is a comparable situation in any way other than in the rapid change to normality and world wide increased awareness of risk, death and vulnerability.)

No, that’s not objectionable words, that’s attitude.

Honestly you are going to tie yourself up in knots about this. The situation is already bad, we don't need to keep competitively finding something else that is bad.

Find something good to focus on.

What Yogafairy said.
Relentless negativity will drag you (and everyone else) down.

Eh?

But people have always used words like 'just' and 'need' to defend, minimise and justify in exactly that way. Nothing remotely new about that.

'Oh I was just parking there for a second, officer!'
'I didn't spend much, honestly darling! Just picked up a few bits'
I don't drink much, but I need* my few glasses of wine on a Friday night!'

The coronavirus might have added a new context for the words to be used in this way, but they aren't new ways of using the words. Neither are they offensive.

I'm endlessly fascinated by language (hence the username), but I can't really see that there's a change here at all.

'only' is another one, especially in relation to blue badge parking spaces.

I think it’s interesting to reflect on. It must be great to be a sociologist or behavioural psychologist right now! Would like to know more about the Nazis use of language

I don’t think you are being unduly negative OP

OP, you've conflated offensive with you not liking it much.

I dislike the term ‘bits’ as in, “I popped out and managed to get a few bits.”

I don’t know why it irks me but it does. I wouldn’t take against anyone for saying it as that would be silly but yeah, it makes me wince inwardly when I hear or see it written down.
What a daft, inexplicable annoyance to have on my part. I can’t articulate what it is that grates on me. Weird.

Agree with previous poster that ‘just’ and ‘need’ have always been used in the way you describe. I’d be wary of applying negative significance to such a nuance in this challenging climate. People are going to fall out as it is.

Oh dear I've misrepresented my thoughts. I'm not saying I find these words offensive. Or that they are new. But that the work these phrases and words now do in a sentence has shifted up a gear.

So Klemperer wrote how the words in Nazi germany even before the war, changed. Eg the rise in use and loaded nature of the word Fanatic. It was a negative word, then became a hugely positive word during third Reich. The word "organisation" took on a wholly different meaning.

You're surely not conflating 'popping out for a few bits' to the ride of Nazism and the Third Reich?

No Ik I clearly said as much in my OP

It's a long time since I read it but your op and attitude reminded me, strangely, of 1984. The book.

What an interesting post! Food for thought. Yes I have stopped saying "I only like that one" or "they're the only kind I can use" etc. Now I've been forced to reflect, actually neither comment was true at all.

It's certainly true that major events can change language. I was intrigued by your mention of Klemperer, because I teach German to a Klemperer whose great grandfather was the composer and conductor Otto Klemperer. I'd never heard of Victor Klemperer, but they were cousins, I think.

lazy yes they were cousins, not at all close or known to each other. victors diaries are fabulous -

jovial I've noticed people now saying or signing off, "stay well" now.

And the change in meaning of "how are you?" And "I'm fine".