Yes it does. Hell and H**l are two different symbols carrying different logical weights, though perhaps sharing a common root. We all feel the difference when a guy goes "Aw shoot!" as opposed to its harsher relative. Words carry value. I just used the term "harsher relative" to refer to a certain word. What you suggest here is that I might as well say the word outright. That is obviously absurd.
Entirely different comparison. "Ah Shoot", actually appears in a dictionary. You can find the words. By a selection of different words, implicitly you've decided that whatever word you were going to use was inappropriate. On the other hand, "words" that use inserted non-alphabetical characters that do not conceal the intended word are neither part of the dictionary, nor does it indicate that you've decided the word is inappropriate.
If I were to use, *&()(&(£! as a substitute for a word, that's different as well. While it does not appear in a dictionary, it indicates that there is some word or words that I might like to use, but are not appropriate. But you can't tell in any way which word[s] were inappropriate.
What you communicate by using the word h**l, or words f**k you, is that you know that the words are inappropriate but you're going to use them anyway, making some implicit superficial assertion, sic pretend, that inserting ** makes it a less harsh alternative. It isn't because it communicates exactly the same word.
On the phonetic basis. In your example, when I read "ah shoot", I imagine the phoenetic sound that goes with "ah shoot". It's the phonetic sound that allows it to be less harsh. On the other hand, when I write "h**l", do you imagine the sounds: h-asterik-asterik-l. I wouldn't expect you would, I would expect you imagine the phonetic sound hell.
And of all words to pick to soften, the word "hell". Would you walk into a book store and not say you're looking for Dante's Hell. If you listen to a sermon in church are you offended or do your ears hurt if the pastor/minister/priest says "hell". They don't say, That hot place down under....you know what I'm talking about....and it's not Australia."
jttmab |
