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Offensive words in books
"A housewife has taken on the combined might of one of Britain's best-selling children's authors and a leading publishing house and won.
Random House Children's Books has agreed to remove a four-letter swearword from a popular book by Dame Jacqueline Wilson, after complaints from Anne Dixon, who insists she is standing up for values of common decency."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1047598/Housewife-wins-battle-publisher-remove-swear-word-book-best-selling-childrens-author.html
Random House Children's Books has agreed to remove a four-letter swearword from a popular book by Dame Jacqueline Wilson, after complaints from Anne Dixon, who insists she is standing up for values of common decency."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1047598/Housewife-wins-battle-publisher-remove-swear-word-book-best-selling-childrens-author.html
Comments
What ever will she say when her niece begins to read the likes of Joanna Trollope and Danielle Steel in 2-3 years?
I wonder what 10 yo s think it means/what does Dame Jacqueline Wilson think it means/thinks 10 yo s think it means?
I dont think it means what it used to exclusively mean. Even if it does, keeping it a secret and only whispering it gives it kudos and children will repeat it to be wicked. Use it a lot. Take the sting out of it. Make it passe.
To kids, it is just a swear word (and lets face it there is a worse one that I use frequently in my writing!) they don't know the meaning. To adults it is slang for female genitilia - big deal. Can't even find it my Oxford Concise dictionary, more likely to be in my slang dictionary.
THAT word would have been a bit strong for a children's book!!!
Say any word enough and it loses its meaning, shielding people from these words make them seem so much worse. Its the feelings behind the words thats the nasty part.
I was only about four when I used a particular rude word whilst playing a rhyming game!! Not intentionally, of course - I was just working my way through the alphabet!
The word that's been used (I can guess) is one I use frequently to describe an idiot - not the other four-letter word which is many times worse, in my opinion (so when someone called me one of these - the only time in my entire life, by a now ex-friend - I was duly offended). The T-word is not offensive. I agree - very Mary Whitehouse. Ludicrous. What a tw*t ;)
"why a spoon brother? why not a (i can't remember what he said there but it was sword or blade or something...)
"because its dull you twit, it will hurt more..."
my friends know not to swear in front of me... i don't swear. I have only used a swearword once and only in my writing... but i don't swear and never will just as i will never drink alcohol... (i promised myself years ago, and i stick by it. Even at my brother's wedding i didn't drink wine for the toasts...)
anyway... i think that children should learn proper words to express themselves not swearwords do you really want your child's first word to be a swear word? i certainly wouldn't...
Dictionaries vary as to the meanings of tw*t.
Our Chambers Dictionary says it can also mean "part of a nun's habit" (it doesn't specify which part). An online dictionary gives one meaning as "a stupid incompetent fool".
So if you called someone a tw*t, it's up to them to decide which meaning you intended!
Mind you, call me peculiar if you like, but I don't think much of Jacqueline Wilson as an author either - so that makes me different to 20 mllion people who have bought her books !
When I was teaching primary school, I found that the subject matter - though perhaps empathetic with some children's situations - often caused some others to feel that they were unusual to be in a family with a mother, father and brothers and sisters of the same parents !
Too conservative? Perhaps, but I do believe that too many "alternative" lifestyles, can become confusing and unhelpful for growing minds.
"The word possibly originates from the Old Norse meaning cut, slit, or forest clearing.The word has various functions, its primary meaning being a vulgar synonym for the human vulva, vagina, or clitoris. It is also widely used as a derogatory epithet, especially in British English. The word is usually considered vulgar in all contexts." wikipedia
How on earth, when it is being used pejoratively, do you distinguish between the twit usage and the cu*t usage? do you see what I mean?
I have never heard it to mean those things. Like TP said earlier, it means silly, intensely stupid.
I would not see it as an offensive word, quite the opposite in fact.
I'm very sorry if my usage of the word has been offensive to anyone here, but that is just stupid.
I don't like hearing women coming out with f*** every other word (not particularly men either). I don't think it should be everywhere. I would only ever say it in under a certain pressure, the same as Jack.
Wilson has always made a point of being realistic, and has never shied away from reality. I think it is wrong not to tell a nine year old about the truth about 'alternative lifestyles'.
Twat is a very unpleasant sounding word anyway.
I wouldn't have known that about 'berk.' Not a word used in Newcastle, and I just don't understand rhyming slang anyway. . .
Because let's face it, wouldn't it be a nicer world without swearing and calling each other names? And doesn't changing the world start with trying to change our children? Why do they have to be given ammuniton to insult each other or anyone else, and have it made okay by being used in a book by someone they admire?
Yes, it would be nicer without swearing but it isn't going to go away just because it isn't used.
I don't consider t**t a swear word- sorry.
But on our course, for the adults, they also said you don't need much swearing in a book to make it sound realistic. No way as much as it is normally used, because it is much stronger on the written page.