The removal of 'prejudiced language'

[Nearly Sane]

Dictionaries always have an involvement in politics in many ways but this isn't going to be easy.

https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2020/sep/01/dictionarycom-revises-definitions-eliminate-prejudiced-language?__twitter_impression=true

[Steve H]

Lot of silly nonsense. I don't use Dictionary.com, and certainly won't start now.

[Aruntraveller]

Lot of silly nonsense. I don't use Dictionary.com, and certainly won't start now.

Why is it silly nonsense?

I don't disagree with NS's opening statement. It is very difficult to change language in a formal way that has been in use a long time, although language changes organically all the time, but the fact that they are thinking and acting on this is, I think a good thing, Even if it fails, which it may well do.

What got me thinking was "commit suicide" a definition (from another dictionary) of which follows:

a phrase used to mean “to kill yourself”, which is now considered offensive because it suggests that doing this is a crime

As a society do you think we perhaps should move away from a phrase that is so weighted with judgement?

As I said, it will probably not be that successful but it may change some minds about the way they use certain words and phrases, which although not meaning to be, may be considered hurtful or judgemental by others.

[Steve H]

What got me thinking was "commit suicide" a definition (from another dictionary) of which follows:

As a society do you think we perhaps should move away from a phrase that is so weighted with judgement?

Possibly, but dictionaries are supposed to describe language as actually used, not tell us how we ought to use it. I would expect a comprehensive dictionary to include "nigger" and "queer", for example, perhaps with a note saying that they are considered offensive. People still usually say "commit suicide", so the dictionary should include it.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Down with linguistic piracy and totalitarianism!

Ban yourselves.

[Outrider]

I guess my only 'concern' in this is whether this is being done in response to conventional usage or to try to influence it.  My impression was that dictionaries were updated to reflect usage, not to try to define it, but I don't know that Dictionary.com necessarily holds to that philosophy anyway.

O.

[Roses]

The 'N' word should be BANNED from all dictionaries, as it is more offensive than even the worst of swear words, which aren't included, are they?

[Aruntraveller]

The 'N' word should be BANNED from all dictionaries, as it is more offensive than even the worst of swear words, which aren't included, are they?

A quick goggle would say that you are wrong in that assertion. Certainly Collins dictionary online gives the definition for "cunt".

On reflection I don't think you can ban nigger or any other contentious words. I do think an approach that informs and suggests alternatives would be much more reasonable.

Edit: Also checked my "real" Collins dictionary and both "fuck" & "cunt" are present and correct.

[Nearly Sane]

The 'N' word should be BANNED from all dictionaries, as it is more offensive than even the worst of swear words, which aren't included, are they?

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/fuck

[Steve H]

The 'N' word should be BANNED from all dictionaries, as it is more offensive than even the worst of swear words, which aren't included, are they?

Of course they're included, as should "nigger" be. The word exists, so a comprehensive dictionary should include it.

[Stranger]

The 'N' word should be BANNED from all dictionaries, as it is more offensive than even the worst of swear words, which aren't included, are they?

Don't know what you consider the most offensive words but the BBC devoted an entire episode of program Balderdash and Piffle about the Oxford English Dictionary, to the word "cunt": Germaine Greer on the C Word (Balderdash and Piffle).

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I guess my only 'concern' in this is whether this is being done in response to conventional usage or to try to influence it.  My impression was that dictionaries were updated to reflect usage, not to try to define it, but I don't know that Dictionary.com necessarily holds to that philosophy anyway.

O.

post of the week

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I’m an autoeroticist but still inordinately fond of the old dictionary definition of masturbation as sexual self abuse.

[Aruntraveller]

I’m an autoeroticist but still inordinately fond of the old dictionary definition of masturbation as sexual self abuse.

What's wrong with wanker?

[Roses]

Of course they're included, as should "nigger" be. The word exists, so a comprehensive dictionary should include it.

I had no idea ghastly swear words were included in dictionaries, I am totally shocked. Why can't you refer to the abhorrent 'n' word by its initial? If you were a person of colour you might not be so thrilled to have it bandied about as you are doing!

[Nearly Sane]

I had no idea ghastly swear words were included in dictionaries, I am totally shocked. Why can't you refer to the abhorrent 'n' word by its initial? If you were a person of colour you might not be so thrilled to have it bandied about as you are doing!

What do you think dictionaries are?

[Roses]

What do you think dictionaries are?

I didn't they would contain swear words, I have never come across them in any of the dictionaries we have owned, thank goodness. These days I look up words on-line, we have a Collins Thesaurus, which doesn't appear to contain any such words.

[Nearly Sane]

I didn't they would contain swear words, I have never come across them in any of the dictionaries we have owned, thank goodness. These days I look up words on-line, we have a Collins Thesaurus, which doesn't appear to contain any such words.

That isn't answering the question. What do you think the purpose of a dictionary is?

[Roses]

That isn'y answering the question. What do you think the purpose of a dictionary is?

Not to look up swear words, imo.

[Nearly Sane]

Not to look up swear words, imo.

Why not? It's there to look up words surely? They are words.

[Roses]

Why not? It's there to look up words surely? They are words.

We are never going to see eye to eye on this topic, so I will leave it there. Suffice to say the use of swear words has never been tolerated in our home.

[Nearly Sane]

We are never going to see eye to eye on this topic, so I will leave it there. Suffice to say the use of swear words has never been tolerated in our home.

Which is completely irrelevant to what dictionaries are for.

[Steve H]

I had no idea ghastly swear words were included in dictionaries, I am totally shocked. Why can't you refer to the abhorrent 'n' word by its initial? If you were a person of colour you might not be so thrilled to have it bandied about as you are doing!

The word is "nigger". I hate it as much as anybody, but "the N word" is a stupid, twee euphemism, and completely pointless, since we all know which word is meant.

[Steve H]

We are never going to see eye to eye on this topic, so I will leave it there.

That's what you always say when you've run out of arguments, but refuse to admit that you're wrong.

[Sebastian Toe]

I didn't they would contain swear words, I have never come across them in any of the dictionaries we have owned, thank goodness. These days I look up words on-line, we have a Collins Thesaurus, which doesn't appear to contain any such words.

A thesaurus isn't a dictionary.
Collins dictionary does contain those words, as it should.