Jayne: 'Cause I don't know these folks. Don't much care to. Mal: They're whores. Jayne: I'm in.

'Heart Of Gold'


Spike's Bitches 45: That sure as hell wasn't in the brochure.  

[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risqué (and frisqué), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.


Steph L. - Nov 12, 2009 6:46:31 am PST #191 of 30000
Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe

Or persimmons.

Fuck the persimmons!

Not literally.

Different meaning. "Parsimonious" could be a virtue. It has a much less negative sense.

Interesting. I've always read it with a negative connotation.


Polter-Cow - Nov 12, 2009 6:50:41 am PST #192 of 30000
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

It has a nice ring to it, though. Like "harmonious."


§ ita § - Nov 12, 2009 6:52:24 am PST #193 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Harmony: "Cacophony. That's pretty. What's it mean?"


DavidS - Nov 12, 2009 6:54:00 am PST #194 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

and you're not going to think about the cunt part until you're about 12 when it's suddenly hilarious.

I think about it fairly often because Carlene Carter didn't realize her parents Johnny Cash and June Carter were in the audience one night when she introduced a song by saying, "This'll put the cunt back in Country" and June turned all red and upset.

I'm not taking a hard stand on "niggardly" and indeed just acknowledged that the sound association is a factor in word choice. However, I am not willing to bow to offended sensibilities in all instances and insist on retaining the word. People that say that there are available synonyms are - to me - are incorrect. There are less nuanced choices.

I am not removing "gypped" from my vocabulary anytime soon, either, despite its cultural baggage.

I think there is a danger bending language constantly towards its least offensive, most ameliorated, endlessly qualified word choices.

But I'm not being disingenuous either, or ignorant of cultural context. I know historically how language has been used to demean and restrict. But I think that the deciding factor in word choice is always fluid and balances the vigor of the language against offending people.

Taking offense is quite literally censorious. It's a necessary and useful social pressure but people shouldn't do it lightly.


Vortex - Nov 12, 2009 6:54:38 am PST #195 of 30000
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman

It doesn't have a negative connotation. It has a homonymic association.

fine, it has a homonymic association that is negative. Fact is, that you will make people do a doubletake when they hear it even if they know what it means. If using the word is that important to you, fine. Just don't be surprised if people think that you're being pedantic (and not in a good way) for insisting on using the word even though you know that it might be misintepreted, even for a second.


smonster - Nov 12, 2009 6:54:43 am PST #196 of 30000
We won’t stop until everyone is gay.

Quote The Princess bride book at him.

Or the movie.

Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something.

IMHO the "niggardly" thing is parallel to the debate about swastikas and Confederate battle flags: it's been ruined by popular association so suck it up and find another word/symbol.

Interesting. I've always read it with a negative connotation.

As have I.

How about "miserly?"


§ ita § - Nov 12, 2009 6:56:23 am PST #197 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I am not removing "gypped" from my vocabulary anytime soon, either, despite its cultural baggage

Do you jew people down in negotiation too?


Aims - Nov 12, 2009 6:56:58 am PST #198 of 30000
Shit's all sorts of different now.

I honestly had no idea the word even existed until it was brought up yesterday and it totally made me double and wonder WTH?


smonster - Nov 12, 2009 6:57:42 am PST #199 of 30000
We won’t stop until everyone is gay.

Chocolate, glazed donut and coffee:

I am not removing "gypped" from my vocabulary anytime soon, either, despite its cultural baggage.

How about its synonym, "jewed?"

I hear you on your frustration, Hec, but I tend towards eliminating culturally offensive words. On a related note, anyone got a good term for "wifebeater" that isn't "ribbed tank top?"

eta xpost with ita


Sophia Brooks - Nov 12, 2009 6:59:38 am PST #200 of 30000
Cats to become a rabbit should gather immediately now here

Also, I like to use the word asinine because it sounds like ass, but I can say it in polite company. I imagine some users of niggardly use it like that. It just isn't worth it.

I don't think I realized that the expression wasn't "chew someone down" until I was over 25. The one I am trying to strike is "jerry-rigged". Especially since it is supposed to be "jury-rigged".