What's wrong with our language?
Every time I hear the word "F***", I get annoyed. I feel cheap when I see the word re-spelt and put on T-shirts and there is even a brand of watches that way. It has been only two and half-years since I have been living in a city and therefore I find it very hard to digest when this word is used for all kinds of feelings - anger, excitement, shock, dissent...
I happened to visit a literary festival yesterday in Bangalore and there was a short skit that was performed. I loved the entire skit but for the last part when the son says to his mother "F*** You" more than once. I could tolerate it only because it was a play. But, what I ask is, "Is this the way you talk to a person who gave you birth?" My son will find his skull echoing with the sound of my palm colluding his cheek, if he speaks that way to his mother.(Of course I am still 27 and un-married; I am only saying how offensive I consider it)
And then people repeatedly use the expression "WTF." It only signifies frustration and exasperation; nothing more. To me it symbolizes how happy a person is with his/her life and how often is he/she getting fed up with it. It is certainly a bad symptom.The F-word is still in the vulgar category in a dictionary. It may not be long to be moved to the colloquial category but I have already missed the bus and I will continue to get irked with this word; especially when girls use it.
Now, coming to the word shit. I have found even myself using this word and have gradually reduced its usage and am trying to completely remove it from my expressions of exclamation marks. People no more call out to their mother when they get hurt; they use this word. There is this short story where a foolish wood cutter is cutting the branch on which he is sitting. Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati are going around Earth and see this.They agree that if he uses the word "Amma", Mother Parvati would go and save him. If he uses the word "Abba," it would be Lord Shiva's turn. But the wood cutter neither says Amma nor says Abba but "Shit."(modified to suit the context) So, he falls down and dies.
Every time I hear the word "F***", I get annoyed. I feel cheap when I see the word re-spelt and put on T-shirts and there is even a brand of watches that way. It has been only two and half-years since I have been living in a city and therefore I find it very hard to digest when this word is used for all kinds of feelings - anger, excitement, shock, dissent...
I happened to visit a literary festival yesterday in Bangalore and there was a short skit that was performed. I loved the entire skit but for the last part when the son says to his mother "F*** You" more than once. I could tolerate it only because it was a play. But, what I ask is, "Is this the way you talk to a person who gave you birth?" My son will find his skull echoing with the sound of my palm colluding his cheek, if he speaks that way to his mother.(Of course I am still 27 and un-married; I am only saying how offensive I consider it)
And then people repeatedly use the expression "WTF." It only signifies frustration and exasperation; nothing more. To me it symbolizes how happy a person is with his/her life and how often is he/she getting fed up with it. It is certainly a bad symptom.The F-word is still in the vulgar category in a dictionary. It may not be long to be moved to the colloquial category but I have already missed the bus and I will continue to get irked with this word; especially when girls use it.
Now, coming to the word shit. I have found even myself using this word and have gradually reduced its usage and am trying to completely remove it from my expressions of exclamation marks. People no more call out to their mother when they get hurt; they use this word. There is this short story where a foolish wood cutter is cutting the branch on which he is sitting. Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati are going around Earth and see this.They agree that if he uses the word "Amma", Mother Parvati would go and save him. If he uses the word "Abba," it would be Lord Shiva's turn. But the wood cutter neither says Amma nor says Abba but "Shit."(modified to suit the context) So, he falls down and dies.
4 comments:
Superb annayya...I too hate the word F***..A lesson to the people who uses vulgarity in their words..
"especially when girls use it."...tells me what kinda person u are.....if what u wrote actually tells me what u feel...den all i can say is...be a bit broad minded.....people like you do create lot of inequality shit with girls - A guy...
@Anonymous: Surprising that you did not notice, how I got irritated when that person uses the same language with his mother.
One possible reason for all this could be because the only woman I have known so far is my own mother. By known I mean not just acquaintance or friendship.
Thank you for your inputs
-Sasi
Nice thoughts . . .
While I appreciate your thoughts of being rooted to the values and the image of women you have got imprinted in your mind; I guess, you may need few more years to settle down and get used to the changing culture where women have become an active part of the society and evolving.
I appreciate your thought of reducing the usage of profanity from the language we use; however, I feel the view towards the usage should be uniform irrespective of gender.
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