To ask about the weird things you only learned from MN?

[Blanchedupetitpois]

It seems like in MN world there are all kinds of rules that I swear I’ve never seen expressed or followed in real life. What have you been most surprised by? I’ll start:

1. Adults don’t celebrate birthdays, and if you expect any recognition of yours, you’re being childish.

1. Halloween is exclusively an American import with no history in this country, and celebrating it is therefore tacky and meaningless.

1. Trick or treating is glorified begging.

1. Absolutely nobody other than you or your DP is remotely interested in your pregnancy, and even telling another person that you’re pregnant is akin to riding a donkey down the high street while calling for palm fronds to be laid at your feet in recognition of the impending miracle of your unborn child.

Faggots are a meat based item found in the frozen aisle AFAIK.

I'm done with this conversation Salem.

@treaclesoda The word 'fag' should not be used in any context, as it is offensive to people all over the world. It seems there are some one here who have never had any contact with the outside world.

If you find Mumsnet and its British English so dreadfully offensive - maybe don't use it?! It's not compulsory you know. I'm sure there's an US equivalent where American English will be used.

“ Who gives a stuff what UK used to call cigarettes?“

Erm, we do. What with MN being a UK based website, and the vast majority of posters being from the British Isles.

Oh, sorry, I've just re-read. You are referring to cigarettes. I'm lost. It's a completely different thing.

Where I'm from the word fanny is unbelievably rude and would be considered Very Offensive. I don't go to US chat sites and chastise people for using the word to refer to their arse.

I've learned....

That my life and relationships really aren't that bad, when I compare to some of the horrific tales on MN

MILs are devils incarnate

No-one is able to ask their spouse/partner a question - they have to come on to MN to debate it instead

If someone asks MNers to help them decide between baby name A and name B, they will be given names C, D, E, F and G instead.

No-one is encouraged to get counselling or work through their marriage problems; slightest sign of problems and you must LTB

People don't like it when they're told that yes, actually they are being unreasonable

You can't have a nice, light-hearted thread without at least one person coming on and taking offence and starting a war of words

I also learned that I can't keep up with all the acronyms, the list of which grows daily!

And it isn’t a word that used to be used.

It’s still a perfectly everyday and non-offensive word here.

Fanny has a different meanings in different countries.

Btw by WORLDWIDE do you mean the few other English as a main language countries? Or is it used offensivly in EVER SINGLE LANGUAGE ever?

@Spudlet, that is not the point, the point is that word should have died out of usage. It shouldn't be used. It isn't about American English or British English or Australian English, it is about what is right and what is wrong. Using the f term is deeply offensive everywhere. If people have no problems no longer using the N word, why are they sticking so strongly to this one, and refusing to admit that it's usage hurts people?

Ah i see treaclesoda gor her fanny out before I did. Shame.

@SaucyJack You missed that this is an international website, not a UK one (the lack of .co.uk may be a hint as well as the .com being the address), it may have a majority UK/British base or posters, however it is an INTERNATIONAL website that attracts posters from all over the globe.

Surely it is not that hard to simply be mindful of that when posting and not use that term?

Is it really that much to ask?

@salem en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_(food)

@treaclesoda The word 'fag' should not be used in any context, as it is offensive to people all over the world

Best not read any historical fiction then, as its fairly widely used in that.

Salem - are you currently drunk?

Actually, I need to correct myself. Fag is not widely used in historical fiction, but faggot definitely is.

SalemBlackCat4, I see what you are trying to say. But, Faggot is a food. Fag end, for cigarettes was shortened to Fag. Its also a junior boy at Boarding School.

Fag was also used as an insult.

But unlike Retard, which we, in the UK are told to get over its usage, it doesn't have the historical connotations. Likewise the N word, has historical connotations.

Whether we should stop the use of a word which means, 'a collection of sticks', because another country sees it as an Insult, is very debatable.

Also, in the UK we seem to not be as obsessed as living together/getting married. Amongst my peer group, 50+, own house etc, there isn't the want to live together. I was In a committed relationship for 7 years and we didn't live together. Living together has more benefits for older Men, than Women.

NB: I only bring this up because my older cousin who is gay was visiting once when I was playing on the laptop and reading here, and he saw that word on the screen. He became visibly upset and couldn't believe the word hadn't been asterisked out.

I think some on here truly think it is a UK enclave and that no one else from anywhere reads here. Perhaps if the site want it to be solely for UK readers, change the domain name to .co.uk.

I honestly don't understand why people become so aggressive when simply asked to consider their language may be insensitive to others. Is it really that much a deal to refrain from using the term on the www?

You are berating people for speaking their native language including idioms - that is cultural imperialism. To complain about a word which sounds the same but has an entirely different, non-offensive meaning is as stupid as it would be for a British person to complain that the Diet of Worms makes feel queasy.

You have no right to impose your culture onto another, which is what you are doing.

SalemBlackCat4, tell your Cousin to avoid Iceland and other supermarkets, they still sell Faggots in Gravy.

@treaclesoda So are terms like 'n-gg-r'. That is used in older books. It doesn't make it right.

“. If people have no problems no longer using the N word, why are they sticking so strongly to this one, and refusing to admit that it's usage hurts people?”

Because fag doesn’t mean fag in the UK. It’s quite simple.

The N word has never been used for anything other a pejorative term for black people- that’s why we don’t use it to refer pejoratively to black people now.

Interesting and sinister and somewhat sad cultural appropriation of an innocent word.

The N word was always derogatory, the word fag ( cigarette) or faggot ( as above) is not.

@Sparklingbrook I was just wondering about faggots too then. Is this allowed?

@SuperstarDJ No. Have not had a single sip. But I am so dismayed at the humanity (read; lack of) on here, that I feel like opening a wine.

Other people, yes I know it has many other meanings in the past. But that is in the PAST now. Or should be. The word should not be used, at all. I am sure there are other words you can use to call certain food and cigarettes. It's not as if that is the only word there is.