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Original poster

Childrens language development

36 replies

Fernley13 · 22/06/2011 20:51

Call me fuddy duddy if you like, but am I the only one who thinks that during prime time Children's TV at 9 am in the morning, an advert with Linda Bellingham saying "I'm knackered" isn't really appropriate.

Channel 5 says that "This particular advertisement has not been categorised as being unsuitable for the transmission time". Clearly we live in a society that wants to encourage (every 15 minutes actually) children from a very young age that 'knackered' is acceptable language do we? Not for my 22 month old! Grrrr!

OP posts:
Bonsoir · 22/06/2011 20:54

"Knackered" isn't very terrible...

emsies · 22/06/2011 20:54

Easy - stick to cbeebies or dvds, no adverts :)

hazeyjane · 22/06/2011 20:56

Is 'knackered' bad then?

I can understand if she was saying, 'I'm fucked'

WriterofDreams · 22/06/2011 20:57
Confused
pointythings · 22/06/2011 20:59

'Knackered' wouldn't bother me either. Mind you, I'm the mum who made the mistake of saying 'b*llocks' in front of my then 17mo DD1 (someone did something scary on the raod when I was taking her to nursery) and that was her favourite word for the next 3 weeks. Blush

DamselInDisarray · 22/06/2011 21:00

What's wrong with knackered?

DelilahDoolittle · 22/06/2011 21:01

No, it's not so bad but, equally, I wouldn't like to hear it coming out of the mouth of any of my young children!

hazeyjane · 22/06/2011 21:02

pointythings, I always know when my mum has been staying as my dds (4 and 5) start slipping 'bugger' into every sentence!

5DollarShake · 22/06/2011 21:03

It's just a colloquialism....?

If you don't want your DC saying such words, then it's up to you to discourage them, but they're going to come across far worse in their careers... [feels like is spectacularly missing the point emoticon]

Confused
LaWeasel · 22/06/2011 21:08

What's wrong with knackered?

babybarrister · 22/06/2011 21:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LaWeasel · 22/06/2011 21:10

You know the origin is horses going to the knacker's yard to be turned into glue right?

It's just an old English word, and a beautiful one IMO!

Original poster
Fernley13 · 22/06/2011 21:16

clearly it's just me... well, thanks but no thanks - hearing a 2 year old say I'm knackered is in my opinion ugly! Its something else completely from an adult, and I'm well aware that he will come across much worse but I do feel TV has a greater responsibility.

OP posts:
pointythings · 22/06/2011 21:18

Know wjhat you mean, hazeyjane - my DPs do swear more than DH and I do - though they didn't when we were little, so censorship wears off, clearly Grin.

If it gets too bad I tell the DPs to hold back a bit and they're fine with that, don't get offended or anything.

If DH or I swear in front of the DCs, they tell us off!

Original poster
Fernley13 · 22/06/2011 21:20

For the record, he isnt my first born either Angry

OP posts:
JoySzasz · 22/06/2011 21:22

My Grandmother was convinced it had something to do with Male genitalia?

I remember her getting quite annoyed with my Mum once.

pointythings · 22/06/2011 21:30

OP, please don't be angry - we aren't trying to be personal, we just happen to disagree with you.

'Knackered' is an old English word with a lot of historical connotations to it - my DCs know what it means, up to and including the horses.

I felt far worse when DD1 cme home last year and described someone as 'gay' - I had to have quite a serious talk about it with her. Being a parent isn't easy Brew.

superjobeespecs · 22/06/2011 21:42

can see why you'd be put out but it isnt a swear word and it isnt tvs responsibility to teach your kids which words to use its yours. just discourage your DC from saying it.

confuseddotcodotuk · 22/06/2011 21:42

I got told off for saying that by my Dad Boss in a nanny job a few years back. I had never heard of it being a rude term before, and had my Mum Boss explain it to me once the kids were in bed. Don't remember why it was offensive now though...

5DollarShake · 22/06/2011 21:44

I do sort of understand what you're saying - it would sound a little odd coming from a small one - but it is actually a charmingly (and peculiarly British!) colloquialism (I'd never heard it before going there), and so I don't think it is entirely out of place in a TV ad at all.

confuseddotcodotuk · 22/06/2011 21:44

Oh, he told me off because of the knacker yard connotations, not the sexual ones that some derive from it...

ChopMonster · 22/06/2011 21:48

Well if you follow the guidelines in the birth to 5 book, babies under 2 shouldn't be watching TV anyway Wink

Tortu · 22/06/2011 21:48

Hmmm. Thought it meant really tired because of excessive sex. Like 'shagged out'. Something to do with mens bits sometimes being called 'knackers'.

God, this is so interesting as a discussion on language change and perceptions of slang vs. SE

theinet · 22/06/2011 21:53

knackered means "sexually tired".

not something you want your 2 year old saying.

swanker · 22/06/2011 21:56

Why is your 22mo watching television? Let alone at 9 in the morning.
There is an off button for a reason