some words unacceptable

[fine,thanks]

are some words unacceptable and not politically correct in our modern day culture ? E G. spasti*, creti*, mon*, hom*,

[cazzz1975]

Although there are no hard or fast rules to politically/non politically correct wording , generally anything that seems dubious I tend to avoid using as it sounds vulgar and a little remedial.

horses for course though, If people want to use socially offensive wording then thats their perogative!

[fine,thanks]

even if it upsets some people ?

[bednobs]

there is a differeence between not politically correct and unacceptable. For example - it might be acceptable for me to use some of those words with my friends, but they are still politically incorect

[cazzz1975]

It may offend people fine, however most reasonably intelligent people tend to avoid using offensive wording.

The offensive word users attitude is normally noted by his/her peers, often leaving people with a less than pleasant picture of them as a person. Or understanding if the person has a mental disability or a low IQ

[cascarelli]

I'm sure its obvious, but what's mon*?

[cazzz1975]

yes bednobs but you wouldnt address a stranger using those words, especially if you knew that it would be offensive.

[fine,thanks]

casc, add a g

[bednobs]

cazzzz i didnt say i would adress a strangr with the words ... i said that they become "acceptable" when used with cettain people, despite being politically incorrect. they are not mutually exclusive

[cazzz1975]

I totally agree with that bedknobs

[moonshadow]

While we are on this subject I keep hearing the word oximoron on the television which sounds awful, but what exactly does it mean?

[unruliejulie]

i find the words to describe the mentally handicapped offensive to be honest, most of the others are just shortened versions. I dont think the words spastic/mongol are offensive, just old terms that are no longer in use or shouldnt be, but spag and mong/mongy are dreadful in my opinion, the latter forms of these words, mongol and spastic were used by kids to call people, certainly when we were kids.
I think there will always be something that offends someone else though and we mustnt get too upset by ignorance.
when i was working with the mentally handicapped in a hospital, i used to read through the old notes from the 30's 40's etc.... and it made for shocking reading, the terms that were used to describe them were horrendous! Things have changed for the better but we need to be realistic with what we can and cant say. A lot of it is way too OTT with politically correctness.

[raysparx1]

Funny how certain words become wrong, when i was young my nan did work for "The Spastics society" and people with downs were called Mongols, nobody thought it offensive now it is, also the word cretin, wasn't that originally purely meaning Christian or of christ, i might be wrong, words derive and are bastardised over time, that is what makes language so fascinating

[Pippa68]

Oxymorons are something else entrirely, moonshadow.

They are contradictory words in the same sentence. eg: Jumbo Shrimp.

As for the OP, I can't add to what unrulie has posted :o)

[Rubyrose]

Why should any word be 'unacceptable'?
Who is to say what words I can use and what words I can't?

Some words I don't choose to use as they might offend people who I care about but if someone annoyed me then I might call them a Mong!

One of my closest friends is Black and although I use to word with him, if we had a row, I would perhaps end up using it as a derrogative term... (not that I would ever think anything less of him because he is black)... it's the same with someone who is Fat... I wouldn't call them it but if I was angry I might!

I once saw an episode of that cr@ppy prgram with Jasper Carrot in, where he was married to an Asian lady and him and his white children lived with her and her Asian children and they came back from a football match and she was telling him off because he was racist to the refferee... and he said 'I didn't shout at him because he was Black. I shouted at him because he was the Ref'!! That always stuck with me!

[Rubyrose]

I agree with Bednobs and Pa__ul...

Some of my friends I can say any word to and them to me and no offence would be caused... then others I'd tone it down a bit!

But who is to say nowadays what is politically correct and what's not? I think the whole thing has gone waaaay too far!

I saw on TV the other day.. some woman wasn't allowed to call her fairy cakes, Fairy Cakes any more as they didn't actually contain Fairies and it was misleading! C'MON!

[Goodsoulette]

I think the problem arises because people use them to cause offense, suggesting there is something inferior or wrong with having down syndrome. It's just not respectful is it? Its generally people outside of the situation who are more offended by it.

The parents of a little girl at my sons school have a little girl with downs, would we say mong in front of them? Or aimes at their little girl, after all she is, but the answer is probably not!

I think we all use words that are a bit inappropriate at times. it doesnt mean that we think offensively of people with these disabilities.

[Rubyrose]

Point well made Goodsoul... it doesn't mean you think any less of a person with a dissability or anything!

If that is the case you are arguing then surely we aren't allowed to call people Pigs when they are being greedy, or Monkey's when they are being naughty and so on... as it implies we think less of that animal!

[cazzz1975]

I think when you cant say fairy cakes or milkman or lollypopman/lady then that is taking political correctness way too far.

Offensive words are one thing but when you think a name like a fairy cake will offend someone its gone bonkers

[unruliejulie]

I cannot imagine calling anyone a Mong, i would sound like a 7 year old !