Excessive profanity in books - Page 6

mr ploppy · 10-24-2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Depends on the nature of the book.

If it's a children's book called "Lily's Beautiful Pony" aimed at pre-school children, then you may want to think again.

Now there's a gap in the market that's ripe for exploiting. When I started school at age 5 I had no idea what all these strange new words my friends were coming out with meant. If only there was a pre-school book that had explained them all to me with pictures of cute ponies. Does anyone know where I can hire an illustrator?

Bilbo1967 · 10-24-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Now there's a gap in the market that's ripe for exploiting. When I started school at age 5 I had no idea what all these strange new words my friends were coming out with meant. If only there was a pre-school book that had explained them all to me with pictures of cute ponies. Does anyone know where I can hire an illustrator?

SameOldStory · 10-24-2010, 04:56 PM

The title of the thread is Excessive profanity in books

All threads tend to morph the longer they get.

That there were many books, and movies, that were banned or censored can not be denied. But that some wish for a system to avoid what they find objectionable is hardly a slippery slope. The movie industry even found that by marking a movie R they could get more kids to want to see it.

Political correctness. I think that political correctness is more corrosive than censorship ever was. It reminds me of the videos I've seen justifying eugenics.

I have little concern about "foul language" in the books I read. I've used more than a little of it myself. And I don't recall any books that I've read where it was "too much". But I can understand where some would like to avoid it.

The following is only being offered to illustrate why I restrain myself from offering offence. What I think of as funny will be offensive to others.

Spoiler:

In the end it is a matter of respecting others. I can restrain myself, and don't think that it must, or should, be imposed by others.

Superlucky · 10-24-2010, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

And heaven forbid (pun intended) mentioning religion in front of an atheist! It's like waving a red flag in front of an irritated bull. They literally can't control themselves. They just have to attack. To them the word God is THE most offensive profanity around and they'll go to any length to stamp it out or drive the offender away.

This from the individual railing against intentionally causing offense. I suppose atheists are the exception to your rules. I don't know what religion you belong to, but I'm assuming that you might have a proverbial cow if someone were to say "All Catholics support child rape" or "All Muslims are terrorists" or "All Evangelicals are uneducated, inbred, closeted homosexuals."

Mention God (whichever one you happen to prefer) all you like in front of me. I promise to defend your right to free speech.

crich70 · 10-24-2010, 05:09 PM

I think profanity has its place in fiction, but it can go to excess as well at which point it loses impact and the story suffers for it. In that way it's like dialect I think. Too much dialect distracts from the story. Filmmakers fall prey to something similar. They spend so much time building a model and showing it off on screen that the story stalls for a moment. In the end you shouldn't have anything in a story that isn't needed and I can imagine some authors forget that when they put too much profanity in their fiction.

Lemurion · 10-24-2010, 05:22 PM

I read and enjoy a lot of books with no profanity at all. I like old-time SF and those words just aren't in those books. I read and enjoy other books with lots of profanity; I also like contemporary thrillers and crime novels and there are lots of x-bombs in those books.

As a writer, I don't think the usage of profanities and expletives means a lack of language skills, only the inappropriate usage of that vocabulary.

If I found a book told in the first person from the perspective of an inner city youth I would expect it to be laced with profanity because anything else would feel artificial and forced - untrue to both story and character.

I think people have every right not to read books for any reason, including the presence of profanity; and if enough people don't read books with certain language, publishers will stop buying them.

That's the market at work and I'd be fine with that even though I don't mind such language in books as a rule. (Profanity doesn't need to be in every sentence in every book, but I'd put that kind of overuse down to bad writing in general rather than anything specific to profanity.)

Connallmac · 10-24-2010, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Now there's a gap in the market that's ripe for exploiting. When I started school at age 5 I had no idea what all these strange new words my friends were coming out with meant. If only there was a pre-school book that had explained them all to me with pictures of cute ponies. Does anyone know where I can hire an illustrator?

So a kindergarten version of Bierce's "Devil's Dictionary", eh?

rhadin · 10-24-2010, 06:21 PM

I don't like it in books and I especially find it bothersome in movies. The occasional profanity doesn't bother me, but the constant use of it does. Similarly, excessive graphic violence. If Dashiell Hammett didn't need either in his hardboiled detective stories, I see no reason why it is needed in this year's romance.

JLeighs · 10-24-2010, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

The title of the thread is Excessive profanity in books

Thank you. I wasn't trying to say that I abhor all instances of profanity in the books I read. What I loathe is excessive, hard-core profanity. For me, it completely detracts from the story, and if it gets bad enough I will toss the book. The "C" word? Forget it. I find it very offensive and even coming across it once in a book is too much --for me. I don't expect everyone else to feel the same way I do about it.

Quote:

That there were many books, and movies, that were banned or censored can not be denied. But that some wish for a system to avoid what they find objectionable is hardly a slippery slope. The movie industry even found that by marking a movie R they could get more kids to want to see it.

Yes, exactly. I'm not waving a censorship flag around; I'd just like to have a better idea of what I'm buying before I shell out money for it. I don't like spending money on things that I personally find objectionable. That doesn't seem unreasonable.

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-24-2010, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhadin

I don't like it in books and I especially find it bothersome in movies. The occasional profanity doesn't bother me, but the constant use of it does. Similarly, excessive graphic violence. If Dashiell Hammett didn't need either in his hardboiled detective stories, I see no reason why it is needed in this year's romance.

I won't even go to a movie that has a lot of violence in it.

Jcas · 10-24-2010, 06:45 PM

I don't mind an ocassional profanity but if it is excessive i loose interest quickly, i never used to be so anti swearing, but hearing the way it is used in this day and age really makes me intolerant.

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-24-2010, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jcas

I don't mind an ocassional profanity but if it is excessive i loose interest quickly, i never used to be so anti swearing, but hearing the way it is used in this day and age really makes me intolerant.

mr ploppy · 10-24-2010, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLeighs

The "C" word? Forget it. I find it very offensive and even coming across it once in a book is too much --for me. I don't expect everyone else to feel the same way I do about it.

Interestingly enough, that word was banned from DC comics until fairly recently.

ardeegee · 10-24-2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

I read and enjoy a lot of books with no profanity at all. I like old-time SF and those words just aren't in those books.

Yes, but how many of those profanity-free old-time SF books have made-up words replacing obscenities where it is fracking obvious what the frelling words are substituting for? Tanj!

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-24-2010, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardeegee

Yes, but how many of those profanity-free old-time SF books have made-up words replacing obscenities where it is fracking obvious what the frelling words are substituting for? Tanj!

Heck, some of those made up words were funny.

10-24-2010, 04:56 PM	#78
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	The title of the thread is Excessive profanity in books All threads tend to morph the longer they get. That there were many books, and movies, that were banned or censored can not be denied. But that some wish for a system to avoid what they find objectionable is hardly a slippery slope. The movie industry even found that by marking a movie R they could get more kids to want to see it. Political correctness. I think that political correctness is more corrosive than censorship ever was. It reminds me of the videos I've seen justifying eugenics. I have little concern about "foul language" in the books I read. I've used more than a little of it myself. And I don't recall any books that I've read where it was "too much". But I can understand where some would like to avoid it. The following is only being offered to illustrate why I restrain myself from offering offence. What I think of as funny will be offensive to others. Spoiler: I showed this video to a casual acquaintance. Afterwards he told me that he belonged to The Church of Latter Day Saints - Mormons, and that they could not use profanity or be profane. Rather than being upset I respected him far more for telling me that. A lesser person would have made their exit without saying a thing. Anyway, even though I think that this is hilarious I would not do a general posting of it on MR, out of respect for others who may find it objectionable. Next. I haven't posted this one for the same reasons. In the end it is a matter of respecting others. I can restrain myself, and don't think that it must, or should, be imposed by others.

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10-24-2010, 05:09 PM	#80
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I think profanity has its place in fiction, but it can go to excess as well at which point it loses impact and the story suffers for it. In that way it's like dialect I think. Too much dialect distracts from the story. Filmmakers fall prey to something similar. They spend so much time building a model and showing it off on screen that the story stalls for a moment. In the end you shouldn't have anything in a story that isn't needed and I can imagine some authors forget that when they put too much profanity in their fiction.

10-24-2010, 05:22 PM	#81
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I read and enjoy a lot of books with no profanity at all. I like old-time SF and those words just aren't in those books. I read and enjoy other books with lots of profanity; I also like contemporary thrillers and crime novels and there are lots of x-bombs in those books. As a writer, I don't think the usage of profanities and expletives means a lack of language skills, only the inappropriate usage of that vocabulary. If I found a book told in the first person from the perspective of an inner city youth I would expect it to be laced with profanity because anything else would feel artificial and forced - untrue to both story and character. I think people have every right not to read books for any reason, including the presence of profanity; and if enough people don't read books with certain language, publishers will stop buying them. That's the market at work and I'd be fine with that even though I don't mind such language in books as a rule. (Profanity doesn't need to be in every sentence in every book, but I'd put that kind of overuse down to bad writing in general rather than anything specific to profanity.)

10-24-2010, 06:21 PM	#83
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	I don't like it in books and I especially find it bothersome in movies. The occasional profanity doesn't bother me, but the constant use of it does. Similarly, excessive graphic violence. If Dashiell Hammett didn't need either in his hardboiled detective stories, I see no reason why it is needed in this year's romance.

10-24-2010, 06:45 PM	#86
Jcas Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 9668 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Kellevie, Tas. Device: Kindle PW2,Kindle DXG,iPhone 4	I don't mind an ocassional profanity but if it is excessive i loose interest quickly, i never used to be so anti swearing, but hearing the way it is used in this day and age really makes me intolerant.