to think it's really quite offensive to call someone "unhinged" or "deranged"?

[HairyOrk]

I keep seeing it on Mumsnet, if someone's behaviour is a bit odd then they are "unhinged" or if they've gotten something wrong then they're "deranged".
For a site that got its knickers in such a twist about Asda's mental patient halloween costume (which I agreed was wrong) it seems very out of sorts.
AIBU?

Batshit is a wonderful term.

OMG no 'bonkers' either? We need a list so I know what to be offended by.

Batshit and barking are only OK because you left out a word. Does that make it OK with the offended?

Batshit? Nooo. I am offended by that.

How about 'a sandwich short of a picnic?'

I don't understand why, on threads like this, where people talk about using language sensitively, there are always other people popping up tt take the piss out of professionally-offended types who apparently go round telling people what they can't say and saying, "I'm offended, so you're not allowed to say that." Total straw man.

Nobody's suggested banning use of any words or telling people what they're not allowed to say. They've suggested, you know, maybe having a think about the meanings of the words you're using and how they might affect other people

I like the Al from Neighbours ones. "Mad as a bag of cut snakes" I seem to remember. In this context 'mad' is angry.

Nobody say anything. Ever. It's the only way.

Bit snakist Terry.

I like two stops past Dagenham.

One for Londoners...

Fail of course there are words so terrible that no one should use them (except if they are of that group and they can do their own inventory of whether that works for them).

But we can't cut any work out of the language that has ever been used out of context, as an insult, inappropriately, with malice. Some people can make 'mate' or 'girl' sound dreadful while 'cunt' form others sounds warm and snuggly.

www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=only%20a%20ginger

*word

*from

FFS MrsTP proofread!

How far do you want to restrict language? There's nothing you can say to people that won't offend them if they're looking for offence.

Deranged is a perfect description of how some people appear through their posts, they need to hear an honest opinion of how they may come across, if they're actually quite reasonable people and just over reacting or obsessing over something that can jolt them into reality, figure out what's really going on and they can take steps to solve their problem. If they truly are deranged they might have enough of a lucid moment to be inclined to get help.

It's not helpful to tell everybody what they want to hear, if people wanted their egos stroked they would go somewhere where posters will lie to them.

of course there are words so terrible that no one should use them

I disagree. People should be free to use whatever words they like IMO. And I should be free to tell them why using those words bothers me, or to think less of them.

You're putting words into my mouth. I don't want to cut any words out of the language. I want to be able to have a conversation on MN about whether a word I use is going to upset people without it automatically becoming a "yer can't say anything these days, political correctness gone mad, let's spend the rest of the thread coming up with all the fun MH-related insults we've ever heard" thread.

Look on the bright side. If OP hadn't started this thread, you'd never have found out that calling someone deranged is pretty unlikely to upset anyone. On the other hand, when someone uses the word "nutter" in the middle of a thread, completely innocently, and without their intending to upset me, I am always reminded of having it shouted at me aggressively by people who knew I had a mental illness. But I still don't want the word banned. I want people to know that if they do choose to use it, I will be reminded of those experiences, but it's entirely up to them.

I see what you mean Fail. Although I'm in two minds about words like the 'n' word. I don't use it even when describing a racist using it IYSWIM. However, there is a debate about things like; reclaiming the term; the dog in Dambusters; words like niggardly which share no origin with the 'n' word but find themselves banned by default.

Yep exactly, there's a debate to be had, and it's a shame that whenever people want to discuss specific words, the PCGM brigade show up to demonstrate how bravely and fearlessly they use language

PCGM brigade?

Did anyone see Stewart Lee discussion context and abusive words in S3E4 of "comedy vehicle" ?

As far as I'm concerned he demonstrated that words have to have context, and there's no such thing as a "bad" word. In a very funny way.

Pee cee gorn mad

Where's the OP?

Oh right Fail. Loads of people don't like the word 'brigade'.

yanbu

My instinct is to say nutter but on mumsnet I correct myself and say 'unhinged' instead.

Is that wrong?

This is why "are you on glue?" is so useful when a poster's behaviour/thought processes have strayed waaaaay outside the norm. . But I do remember a thread where it was used and the OP, who'd never heard the phrase before, got very offended (or other people got offended on her behalf) because she was very upset by her DP's substance abuse problems (not actually glue though). Sometimes you can't win.

I think Fail's "do people actually yell it at others in the street abusively?" test is a good one.

in my nephew's school the bands were colour coded, soon green became an insult (i think i am agreeing with lurking)