Azrael Cain
The alternative is unthinkable.
Greetings one and all.
No doubt some of us have been listening to the radio for the past few months, and no doubt some of us have heard the Britney Spears single titled very much like the title of this thread (if you haven't, please enjoy accordingly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FehBgQeVKFQ).
This topic is meant to entice and encourage a "debate," if you will, over the idea of obscenity, foul language and the ingenious double entendre that the song is (as well as many and some of them in our world, eh?)
Rather recently, in my History of the English Language class, we were discussing foul language. I posted the "George Carlin" view on language, one that says words in and of themselves, cannot be 'foul' or pejorative (mind you, the same argument applies to all the words we consider positive!). I've always believe that words mean only as much and the things we say they do, and can only hurt us if we allow them to; essentially, if you're offended by a word, that's entirely your choice to be offended because the word, in the grand scheme of things, does not mean anything.
I am fascinated by the mere fact that human beings are capable of making such an array of sounds that makes sense (or at least the sense we've all agreed on). I am fascinated by the fact that we've chosen some collaboration of sounds, literally nothing more than a collection of phonemes (if we are to get technical) and assigned them meanings! How, I ask you, can we get upset over these, from my point of view, "gurgles"? It's petty and idiotic, if nothing else. If we were to suddenly change the meaning of the world 'cunt' (since it is the most demeaning example I can think of at the moment) to mean something incredibly positive, and got seven billion people (or at least all English speakers) to agree on that new meaning, it wouldn't be an insult for much longer, would it?
At the same time, please do not misunderstand -- I do understand the function language serves and, to some extent, how it works and why it works the way it does. It's just interesting to me, and I am interested in your opinions as well. I would rather avoid the linguistics debate in turn of a philosophical one, but if linguistics is your bag, I am open to try and have a go at it.
Also, on this note, and the title of the thread, I guess, what is your opinion of the song and its impact in pop culture? Clearly this is an example of foul language creeping into the familial sphere... but damn it, is it ever clever!
No doubt some of us have been listening to the radio for the past few months, and no doubt some of us have heard the Britney Spears single titled very much like the title of this thread (if you haven't, please enjoy accordingly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FehBgQeVKFQ).
This topic is meant to entice and encourage a "debate," if you will, over the idea of obscenity, foul language and the ingenious double entendre that the song is (as well as many and some of them in our world, eh?)
Rather recently, in my History of the English Language class, we were discussing foul language. I posted the "George Carlin" view on language, one that says words in and of themselves, cannot be 'foul' or pejorative (mind you, the same argument applies to all the words we consider positive!). I've always believe that words mean only as much and the things we say they do, and can only hurt us if we allow them to; essentially, if you're offended by a word, that's entirely your choice to be offended because the word, in the grand scheme of things, does not mean anything.
I am fascinated by the mere fact that human beings are capable of making such an array of sounds that makes sense (or at least the sense we've all agreed on). I am fascinated by the fact that we've chosen some collaboration of sounds, literally nothing more than a collection of phonemes (if we are to get technical) and assigned them meanings! How, I ask you, can we get upset over these, from my point of view, "gurgles"? It's petty and idiotic, if nothing else. If we were to suddenly change the meaning of the world 'cunt' (since it is the most demeaning example I can think of at the moment) to mean something incredibly positive, and got seven billion people (or at least all English speakers) to agree on that new meaning, it wouldn't be an insult for much longer, would it?
At the same time, please do not misunderstand -- I do understand the function language serves and, to some extent, how it works and why it works the way it does. It's just interesting to me, and I am interested in your opinions as well. I would rather avoid the linguistics debate in turn of a philosophical one, but if linguistics is your bag, I am open to try and have a go at it.
Also, on this note, and the title of the thread, I guess, what is your opinion of the song and its impact in pop culture? Clearly this is an example of foul language creeping into the familial sphere... but damn it, is it ever clever!