Interesting column in the New York Times on Sunday (“The Case for Profanity in Print“), which argues the mainstream media are far behind the larger society in accepting certain previously off-limits words.
News consumers and news producers all have a stake in this situation.
According to the author, Jesse Sheidlower:
Our society’s comfort level with offensive language and content has drastically shifted over the past few decades, but the stance of our news media has barely changed at all. Even when certain words are necessary to the understanding of a story, the media frequently resort to euphemisms or coy acrobatics that make stories read as if they were time capsules written decades ago, forcing us all into wink-wink-nudge-nudge territory. Even in this essay, I am unable to be clear about many of my examples.
Taste is a legitimate concern. But this isn’t a matter of sprinkling salty words around to spice up the content. These circumlocutions actually deprive readers of the very thing these institutions so grandly promise: news and information. At a time when readers can simply go online to find the details from more nimble upstarts willing to be frank, the mainstream media need to accurately report language that is central to their stories.
The author’s point is that if these words are used, and are quoted as newsworthy, then they should be quoted in full, and not with coy references to “the F-word” or other avoidance mechanisms.
Based on my own experience, I think we would get a different view of some public figures if their actual language appeared in print.
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i cannot possible agree more. there is nothing achieved in using “the F-word” when President does not know the microphone is on and says “fuck”.
note to righteous gods who see everything in black and white: I am NOT advocating another American pendulum swing; we do not need to swear in every sentence, like construction workers.
however, concerns about cultural collapse if the media reports swear words ignores the fact that People Already Use the Words. it’s like daddy thinking his son will never swear if daddy never swears!!!! not gonna happen. daddy needs to get a little more realistic.
One of the Honolulu newspapers–the Advertiser, I think–used “fuck” in a local news story years ago. They were quoting a wanted man who yelled something defiant to police officers and walked back into a burning house to die. His reported utterance was brief, ungrammatical and enigmatic. I appreciated their quoting it in full under the circumstances.
More accurate, candid reporting could have affected many current office holders and many former politicians who could have been issued honorary longshore cards for their ongoing “cursing’ talent.
This is dangerous territory. Having started my career as a sportswriter and having had to clean up both language and grammar, I’m not sure readers are ready for the unvarnished utterings of those so often quoted.
Most would be amazed at ignorance, illiteracy and bad taste displayed in locker rooms and political venues.
ironically, politico just posted the following tale:
By EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE and CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN | 4/2/14 12:17 AM EDT Updated: 4/2/14 1:19 AM EDT
There was a word White House officials had for Monday, the final day of Obamacare enrollment: “S—t-tastic.”
“S—t,” because they couldn’t believe that the website had crashed again, and they couldn’t get it back for hours. “-Tastic” because this time, the problems were actually because of traffic so high that it caught even the most optimistic people in the White House by surprise.
OK, does anyone have a problem with commenters characterizing construction workers and longshore workers as serial swearers?
reporters do the same. (sometimes when the mic is *still* on). and so do accountants. and lawyers. and ……….
Does this make them evil and make them lose face? i seriously doubt it. we are noting this because we have witnessed it. someone who has a problem with this might have a problem with the Hawaiian Rent-All hoe sign too. way too sensitive.
I have never understood why some people are so afraid of words.
We should be more concerned with the intent than the delivery mechanism