Swear Filter?

[swansonj]

The argument "you ought to be able to express yourself without swearing if you are competent with the English language" doesn't work. We could all express ourselves, in plain, factual, boring, unadorned language, with no swearing, but also no poetry, and the language would be vastly the poorer for it. The skill of using language is partly to evoke an emotion, a reaction, in your hearer. Use of anything from a Rowan-Atkinson-esque "pah!" to a "daffodil" is one of the tools in the armoury of language, to be judged by its effectiveness in the context in which you are communicating.

 

[Pale Rider]

Here's one: I am deeply offended by the word pikey. It is racist, and I can't believe that it is in common parlance in the UK. It carries the same level of deep hatred as n*gger. OMG. I just tested that with the Preview button. Neither word is censored here. They are both much much worse than bollocks. Or (and I say this as a white, anglo-celtic woman) daffodil.

So, there is no general consensus on what is offensive @Pale Rider, despite what your instinct tells you.

Yes there is.

All you have discovered is that not every offensive word is blocked by this forum's filter.

 

[jefmcg]

Yes there is.

No, there isn't. I find that word offensive. You apparently do too. I have reported posts that contain that word - at least once. That post is still up.

Viz -> there isn't a consensus. Shaun, and possible one other moderator do not agree with me.

and 17 pages of quotes mean several others don't agree.

https://www.cyclechat.net/search/6209002/?q=pikey&o=relevance

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Um, why? You are clearly not personally offended by the word, or you wouldn't have typed this. Why would you want the language here further garbled than is necessary?

No, I'm happy without swear filters and belong to one forum where they are optional, so switch it off. However I was surprised that as this site has a swear filter it didn't include bollocks in it and it felt like an omission considering what is in there, so I pondered if it should be added.

To be honest, quite naively for CC, I didn't realise it would turn in to an etymological and ecumenical slagging match and kind of regret asking what was a genuine if a bit frivolous question. More fool me I guess, I'll learn eventually.

Oh, and to completely answer the question, I felt bollards a suitable replacement as it has a bit of use as a call by the Fridays.

 

[Pale Rider]

No, there isn't. I find that word offensive. You apparently do too. I have reported posts that contain that word - at least once. That post is still up.

Viz -> there isn't a consensus. Shaun, and possible one other moderator do not agree with me.

and 17 pages of quotes mean several others don't agree.

https://www.cyclechat.net/search/6209002/?q=pikey&o=relevance

You said there is no 'general consensus' about what is offensive.

The word consensus means 'general agreement'.

That is precisely what there is, general agreement on what is offensive.

What there isn't is full or complete agreement by everyone on what is offensive.

 

[ayceejay]

Oh, and to completely answer the question, I felt bollards a suitable replacement as it has a bit of use as a call by the Fridays.
When someone uses the word bollocks as in "that sentence is a load of bollocks" they are obviously not talking about testicles because, Hitler not withstanding, bollocks come as a pair not a bunch or a load. If someone said "that sentence is a pair of bollocks" they would indeed be talking bollocks just like w00hoo. And if anyone thinks I am talking bollocks - well bollocks to you.

 

[jefmcg]

That is precisely what there is, general agreement on what is offensive.

I don't think there is. For instance, I very much doubt I'd find any word CC censors offensive, except in certain contexts. And in certain contexts, almost any word could be found offensive.

If you think there is a consensus, then you are living in an echo chamber, surrounded by people who agree with you.

I know there are the words you can't say on tv, or print in a paper. But I haven't read a printed paper or watched broadcast tv in years, so I'm losing track of those. And my friends come from all over the world, so there would be no consensus even amongst those whose first language is English.

 

[Profpointy]

do we even need a swear filter? On the other place I got (mildly) told off for using the word "arse" - which got substituted for a fill-in word which made it seem I'd said something considerably ruder. Even in the context of a post on saddle comfort ii got changed rather confusing the site of discomfort in question. Invoking the Almighty is considered more offensive by some of a religeous persuasion than mere reference to a body part.

OK, there's probably no legitimate need to use a couple of traditional swear words, nor certain racial epiphets, but if used as insults then it just makes the mod's job easier as can then go straight to a ban without much thought - no bad thing.

As an aside, in another group I subscribe to, there's an area called "the shoot heap" for threads that fail to even reach the low standards of the "idle chat" area The mods occasionally announce "this thread has been closed and moved to the shoot heap..... because it is shoot". As it's invariably and unarguably true it's a lot more satisfactory than claiming transgression of this or that policy. Outright bannage is rare but does happen too.

And for the OP, I wouldn't see "bollocks" to be a swear word unless being ludicrously prudish - could be saddle discomfort or a cross-bar incident, quite appart from being a description of something not of high quality

 

[Andrew_P]

daffodil just checking which old English word for vagina was, and to know if someone on here is calling me a daffodil so I can be suitably offended...

 

[Andrew_P]

Also what happens if a poster circumvents the filter on here, like they do on more or less every other forum I frequent?

 

[Andrew_P]

Lastly! I do not ever recall seeing the real word for daffodil on here before but since is has been replaced with a flower it seems to a very popular swear word.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Also what happens if a poster circumvents the filter on here, like they do on more or less every other forum I frequent?

Daffodils...or is it bulrushes, like that should be suspended. They offend me deeply....not.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Lastly! I do not ever recall seeing the real word for daffodil on here before but since is has been replaced with a flower it seems to a very popular swear word.

True, but only in the spring.

 

[jefmcg]

Also what happens if a poster circumvents the filter on here, like they do on more or less every other forum I frequent?

I don't normally do this. "when in rome..." etc. Did in the above thread as anything else would have been too confusing. Elsewhere I have just said "anglo-saxon" or old english for this word. Though google tells me I'm wrong, and it's in fact middle english with germanic roots.

 

[Dayvo]

daffodil just checking which old English word for vagina was, and to know if someone on here is calling me a daffodil so I can be suitably offended...

Ah, that's why the Welsh wear them on their lapels on March 1st!