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Bad Language in novels/short stories
Inspired by a post of a fellow TBer, I am interested to hear of readers' thoughts about the growing incidence of bad/offensive language in novels and short stories. I am one who uses it only in dialogue, to create realism in a character. I am also sensitive (I think) to not pushing too much onto the reader for fear of alienating them.
I invite your thoughts . . .
Comments
If it's all over the shop it puts me right off.
I don't use it much at all in my writing. (Unlike in my own potty-mouth language!!)
I did read a book the other day, however, where a mother used a 'bad' word. It was unnecessary and unbelievable. Any belief I had in the character (which wasn't much as it happens) disappeared.
I don't tend to use it in my writing. I think once I've written the 'sh' word, and once the 'bl' one. ">
I'm shocked.
I have also written 'I don't effing believe it', which skirts the word but is clear what is meant.
And yes, I remember talk of adults chastising children over using 'God' as an exclamation. 'Don't take the Lord's name in vain,' they said; a phrase perhaps heard by many on here.
A pivotal character in that early chapter uses the F word casually and, in this scene, is extremely agitated and annoyed so the word appears. I use it to get across the characters personality and his "unlike ability".
It's the way I tell 'em...
:O
Hope you didn't punctuate your story with a fart.
I'm not bothered about bad language in fiction, if it's there and it fits wid da characters, etc, then I ain't unhappy. There are some areas in the UK where Effing Hell is used in practically every sentence anyway. Almost as routine as a cuppa tea in da morn innit for some folk.
Then again, maybe it has something to do with one's breeding. Or lack of it. Or intense inter breeding.
I can take it or leave it.
Bad language that is. Not interbreeding.
There are times I prefer it.
http://stevenchapmanwriter.com/v-is-for-vulgarity
(from Apr 2011)
Is there a rule book in existence that you have knowledge of, PET?
I must be terribly old-fashioned because that is one word I do say on occasion. There are people in this world deservingly called this by me.
It is also a word I would print if it suited the character to utter it
Everybody poos
Am i insulting the entire human race by doing so?
I shall continue to call a person a see you enn tee if the face fits just as some people are deservedly called a cock or a prick, etc etc etc
To say it has no meaning anymore—or some another meaning separate from gender because it has been made into an insult, is disingenuous at best and just reinforces the culture of misogyny.
Poo head, poo is clearly revolting. So you are arguing, dora, on my side.
Is poo revolting though?
Only this morning I was relieved of the weekend's excess by way of a
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmaassssssive dump
Most glorious feeling
Happy as a piggywinkle in shit I was
My emoticons are back on
I guess this is an 'each to their own' situation, because in in a closed situation, I would never, and have never, referred to a person AS the 'C' word.
I accept there are there are occasions, and not always in adult conversation, when the 'c' word is appropriate.
By the 17th century it was used in a pejorative way.