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.

You're basing your lexicon ideology on your cousin's reaction on seeing the word (as opposed to its context)?

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

But that's not comparable because, as far as I know, the N word has only got one meaning, which is a derogatory term.

Faggot has two perfectly legitimate non offensive meanings - kindling for a fire, or a traditional foodstuff.

You must have to buy faggots without uttering the word. If you are to ask an employee 'Where are the faggots please?'expect them to call the police immediately.

@Prettyvase Not true. The N word was originally a hue, a shade of black on a colour chart. That word, too, has been changed.

So again, why is it ok to accept that the N word, which started with a different meaning originally, cannot be used now. And the 'fag'/'faggot' word started with a different meaning(s) originally, is now not acceptable at all?

It isn’t in the past. It hasn’t ever been and offensive word in UK usage, and some of us are not going to accept you bastardising the meaning of it, and then telling us we’re no longer allowed to use our own language because you’ve now decided it’s offensive.

@StripySocksAndDocs There is no acceptable context in the minds of the rest of the civilised English-speaking western world.

@treaclesoda But it did originally have a different meaning, as I said above.

@SaucyJack Is that like the N word which was bastardised too? So I guess you are ok with using the N word, since it mostly refers to African Americans, and you are in the UK.

Righto then.

Being gay in the UK is much more socially acceptable than in other parts of the world, notably Africa, M.E and perhaps Australia and the US.

@Sparklingbrook
...wait..hold on! Are you NOT SUPPOSED to flush tampons???

Omg is this something im just finding out?

The origin of the word you are referring to is still related to colour. Whereas the original word faggot has absolutely nothing to do with homosexuality, no link whatsoever. I just don't see how they are comparable.

And to go back to my previous question, would Americans mind if I took offence every time they use the word fanny, or would they think I'm strange to find it distasteful? When I was little my neighbour had a visitor from America who referred to her fanny and I'd never heard it before so used the word too. It was like a tumbleweed rolled across the room, and the fury of the people I said it in front of was a thing to behold.

I think gays are proud to be gay in the UK, hence any term like fag or faggot would make the gays I know laugh and not feel insulted as there is nothing to be insulted by: they are proud to be gay as they should be and so perhaps that is the reason that there hasn't been a massive campaign by British gays to get the term outlawed @salem?

The fag thing is more comparative to you saying Spanish-speaking countries should no longer be able to use the word negro to refer to the colour black.

*me

Sorry Sassie but it's wee, poo and toilet roll down the loo and that's it. They are the only things that the water companies want to see so to speak.

That usually a v funny thread about one thing turns into a v heated and non funny thread about something else by MNetters who clearly need to start their own threads but cant be arsed so just piggy back onto some other random fun thread and then ruin the vibe that was there before with their (im right i know everything thats ever been PC in the whole world attitude)

@SalemBlackCat4, well except (in the evidently uncivalised part of) the English speaking world it does have a different use. Does as in present times. (I see we've downgraded from the whole world and all caps.)

Should the Welsh never write down the Welsh word for carrots, should American's stop talking about fanny? What about nonce? Forget the contextual use just react. Or is it just the one word your cousin overtly reacted to without taking in the context?

"Fancy a fag?" uttered in Britain and Ireland is not offensive.

@Sparklingbrook
Really?? Even in the UK?
How have i reached the age of 46 n not know this?
Does it not say to flush on the wee paper leaflet in the box ( that i last read when i was 13)
I dont know why this one piece of information is so devastating. Its like the womans club has kicked me out & not told me this updated info. lol x

The phrases pot, kettle (oh, the irony ) and 'people in glass houses....' spring to mind here.

Isn't the word 'handicapped' still in widespread use in the US? That is considered outdated and offensive in the UK.

The US can have some ridiculous attitudes to language, like the blurring out of Tyson Gay's last name on a published photograph of him and the insistence of referring to black people as 'African American' even when they are neither African or American.

Salem Perhaps you should just accept that words in different country have different meanings.

Fags and faggots are not associated with gay people in the UK so are hence not considered to be offensive.

I could walk up to my colleague at the next desk and ask her for a rubber and she won't bat an eyelid while handing me one. She will probably also expect it back after I have used it .

I've learnt that post-birth, no visitors are allowed to darken your doorstep to meet the new arrival at least until they're about to start secondary school. Thus allowing time to settle in to your own little family < vom>
Thankfully it was very different in my day when you'd pass the baby to any random stranger if you thought you'd get a break for five minutes