couldn there be a list of unaceptable words.

[2shoes]

I have just been educated on another thread.
these arguments seem to flare up every now and agian. so wouldn't it make like easier,.
I would put Spaz and retard.

Oh hell!

People have actually posted those words?

not recently

thats

I think it could be troll fodder having a list like that though.

I would put aceptable with only one C

awww, c'mon, lighten up it's Friday!

Yep - and then you'd get the "Troll Challenges! Can you get every word from the list into a sentence?"

I'm uneasy about this. It's the thin edge of the wedge for censorship. Considering the size and variety of the MN community, we're pretty good at self-censorship, and at letting posters know when they've overstepped the mark.

Think how unpleasant it was when we couldn't mention Gina Ford, or anything to do with her.

Besides, how do you define what's acceptable? Who sets the standard? What about the situation when a person feels it's OK for them to refer to themselves by a particular word, but unacceptable for an 'outsider' to use that word?

Not keen on having too many rules.
I think self-policing is probably more effective, tbh.
People who are stupid enough to use the words that 2shoes mentioned deserve the flaming they will receive.

I was just about to say NO WAY when i read what the words were....

but can we intitute lynchings for those who use them instead?

No, there couldn't.

Who on earth has the authority to make the call on what is and isn't acceptable?

Well, Mumsnet does, Anna. It's their site.

And IFAIR using inflammatory language can sometimes even be illegal.

Well, Mumsnet could... and they'd end up alienating a lot of people who were averse to censorship on principle and like coming here precisely because of free speech.

If you had a list you would simply have people wondering why certain words are unacceptable.

As it is, if someone uses a word that others find unacceptable then it raises discussion and therefore education. OK, it raises arguments but you get my drift.

Hmm i think a list of words that are unacceptable could be counterproductive. Imo its better to not see these words written at all, im hoping their use in the english language will be destroyed.
After the bb furore the news reports stated an 'extremely racially offensive' word had been used, and sometimes referred to as the n word.
Its better for it not to be written or said at all, as it does have a habit of re-entering the consciousness of people reading it.
(plus then you might have to use disclaimers, as in ok in rap songs etc)
Better to try and persuade people they are not ok, hopefully if one person stops using it then the world is a better place imo

SaintGeorge - indeed, discussion of people's perception of the acceptability of certain words is very educational

Well you can put the f word and the c word on there as they seem to be everyone's favourite words these days. Words that I find far more offensive than chinky. We would say chinky as a shorten version of Chinese takeaway not to offend Chinese people. This PC stuff has gone too far.

it isn't pc to not say "chinky". I tis merely polite and civilised.

and a bit common to use it too.

I am common and impolite then, oh dear.

SecondHandRose - but at least, thanks to MN, you know it

didn't say that SHR - just that it is impolite and common behaviour (IMHO) not that you and everything about you are such.

Well it took a long time for white people to realise tjat Asians don't like people talking about going to the 'Paki' shop and I don't think talking about going for 'Chinkys' is any different. It's just rude imo.

I think 2shoes' idea is really good.

It should be part of Mumsnettiquette not to mention certain words. Although I am a bleeding heart liberal and therefore a firm believer in free speech, I also think that this sort of forum is horribly difficult to manage. People have got really seriously upset about this.

You might argue (and before I came onto this forum I WOULD have argued) that these sort of things should be self-evident but they clearly are not.

So a list would be helpful.

I agree with spaz and retard. I would also put nigger, (golli)wog, sambo, paki and chinky in Mumsnet's room 101 too. Please.