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To: jbe who wrote (1174)	3/25/1998 10:39:00 AM
From: Rambi	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 1614

Hi jbe, There is some speculation that BLANK may have derived from the Latin futuo, the Frenchfoutre, and the German ficken, all of which mean the same thing. The word BLANK was used by William Dunbar in a poem in 1503. From my favorite sourcebook, Mother Tongue: BLANK is the most versatile of English words-- make a mess of something-BLANK up be provocative-BLANK around invite someone to depart-BLANK off be estimable-BLANKing A! be baffled-BLANKed if I know be disgusted-BLANK this! plus the wonderful military acronyms-snafu, fubar, and fubb It certainly isn't the word or its legitimate derivation that makes it questionable, but the emotional connotations it has for people. If you call a Chinese person a turtle, it's very nasty, and the word devil in Norwegian is as bad as BLANK. Some cultures don't even have swear words. Cutest swear word--the Finns have none, so when they need one, they say ravintolassa. It means "in the restaurant".

To: jbe who wrote (1174)	3/29/1998 4:26:00 AM
From: 246810	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1614

We typically call those words from the past "anglo-saxon." They are words that were used in common language until the more "cultured" developed euphenisms and then looked down on the rabble who didn't or couldn't change their form of expression. Since the "vulgar" people used those words, they became vulgar. Similarly, crap and shit have pretty much been accepted into ordinary discourse. Crap in the 50's and shit in the 60's. "BLANK" has not so easily been accepted. It has been forced down persons' ears since the 60's but still grates on most people and so is rejected by those who want to communicate instead of shock. (There is a place for shock in the language, and I use the word myself when I feel the shock value is appropriate and those it is directed to will understand it is shock not my normal form of speech.) Now, two more things: Poetry and Propriety Are Absolutely Incompatible!! That is not true. Certainly Emily Dickenson and Carl Sandburg did not use BLANK. Emily, although mysteriously in love, was not improper. I am a licensed Professional Engineer and therefore allowed to shoot from the hip. This discourse is about BLANK not about the poem. I will now go search on Flynn and see how I feel about the poem. 246810