Where Do You Draw the Line at Profanity?

[StudentCarl]

However my club is a military environment, we aren't 'outside'.

Yep, you've mentioned that before. I wouldn't expect any different. When you're 'inside', that kind of language is normal. It would actually be more uncomfortable for them if they couldn't talk that way.

But the distinction is worth making. I'm in a suburban community with lots of kids attending. Most of the adults are parents of the kids.

 

[granfire]

However my club is a military environment, we aren't 'outside'.

I am actually kind of jealous.

hubby works as lead man in a government installation, he has to bite his tongue every turn so the union won't have his hide, for cussing at the workers or say anything that might hurt their wittle feelings...

So I am stuck with his penned up frustrations.
If I had a penny for every 'bad word' he uttered today (only afternoon, mind you) I had the money for the meet-up...

I wish he could leave it at work....

 

[Cirdan]

Well agressive and arrogant behavior is not tolerated, nor is calling people names. When the younger kids are not around however the language can get a bit rough and we tell a lot jokes some people might consider "inappropriate". It is perfectly normal for our sensai to tell the class something like "Your kiai sounds like moaning from a bad german porn movie!". (She is a woman by the way) Considering that we are spending long hours studying the finer mechanics of inflicting harm on other living beings, I think a bit of rough humor serves an important function in letting out some stress. Wrapping a martial art in political corectness just can`t be done IMHO. Doesn`t mean we aren`t nice and decent people

Civilians always tend to be shocked at their military though lol.

Indeed. We had a huge media frenzy here when one boy returning from Afghanistan told the press that he thought klling was better than sex.

 

[granfire]

killing is better than sex? now that is disturbing...
(or he just needed a more exiting GF)

 

[Cirdan]

killing is better than sex? now that is disturbing...
(or he just needed a more exiting GF)

Perhaps she can dress up in a tow.. I mean turban and with an AK-47 in the bedroom now that he is home.

"Allahu akbarr, die you infidel! BLAM BLAM!"

 

[granfire]

"this is my Rifle, this is my gun...."

 

[StudentCarl]

...he thought killing was better than sex...

Sounds like too much experience with one and not enough with the other.

 

[Tez3]

Well agressive and arrogant behavior is not tolerated, nor is calling people names. When the younger kids are not around however the language can get a bit rough and we tell a lot jokes some people might consider "inappropriate". It is perfectly normal for our sensai to tell the class something like "Your kiai sounds like moaning from a bad german porn movie!". (She is a woman by the way) Considering that we are spending long hours studying the finer mechanics of inflicting harm on other living beings, I think a bit of rough humor serves an important function in letting out some stress. Wrapping a martial art in political corectness just can`t be done IMHO. Doesn`t mean we aren`t nice and decent people




Indeed. We had a huge media frenzy here when one boy returning from Afghanistan told the press that he thought klling was better than sex.

Well that's not I had in mind, that is disturbing. Our soldiers don't talk like that I must admit, with them it's more the sense of humour they develop which enables them to cope with the horrors of war.

I think you are correct about the point of martial arts is to inflict harm albeit in self defence, we can't pretend that by being overly polite and politically correct to each other that's not what it's for. I think again this is a western thing dressing it up to be an eastern thing which I doubt it is.

When we train it isn't bad langauge and coarseness, they aren't like that, it just as I said the sense of humour and the odd swear word when someone is hurt. they aren't rough and ready, they are soldiers who at the moment are still recovering from being in Afghan. I've never heard any of them say anything about killing.
There's different words here in the UK that are considered swear words in some parts of the country but not in others, some words Americans use are considered rude which they don't. I would tell a child off and glare at an adult if they used the word 'fanny' which is inappropriate here. some words which we use I think Americans find rude. It's all in the ear of the person hearing it!

 

[granfire]

LOL, fanny...

so I guess 'fanny pack' get's that part of the body into trouble?

yes, language is flexible.

Around here, you say the 's' word for poop, people get the vapors while accepting goll darn, a friend of mine raise Mennonite was flabbergasted 'even the preacher said s****, if I had said goll darn they would have beaten be with in an inch of my life, just as if I had said the real thing'

 

[Tez3]

LOL, fanny...

so I guess 'fanny pack' get's that part of the body into trouble?

yes, language is flexible.

Around here, you say the 's' word for poop, people get the vapors while accepting goll darn, a friend of mine raise Mennonite was flabbergasted 'even the preacher said s****, if I had said goll darn they would have beaten be with in an inch of my life, just as if I had said the real thing'

Well put it this way, it applies to girls only and if they wore a fanny pack it would only be at the front!

The s word isn't rude at all and it surprises me that it's censored on here, the female dog word isn't rude either. I think there's only two words that are considered swearing here and thats the two four lettered ones beiginning with F and C. The C word and 'fanny' are the same here, only men tend to use the c word and hardly ever in front of decent women and of course children. I can't think of any words other than those two that are considered bad. could be I don;t hear that many lol.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Would you use or allow the use of these words in your dojang?

***
piss
*****
sucks
gay (in the pejorative sense rather than just a description of sexuality)

All are off limits with the exception of sucks, which I discourage but will not scold for.

Regarding gay, there is no discussion of sexuality in my classes, period. So in fairness, I have never 'banned' it because it has never come up. I have no clue of the gender preferrences of my students and frankly do not care to know, so pejorative terms in that regard will be greeted with a healty serving of knuckle pushups if it ever comes up.

If a technique is being done incorrectly or poorly, there is proper terminology to describe the errancy of the technique and I expect those in class to use it.

If they want to talk like middle schoolers, they may do so on their own time. There is really no good reason for any of the quoted terminology to be used in a martial arts setting.

I hear these words daily on the tv now in normal mainstream network programming and was wondering if they have entered polite society as acceptable words in our vocabulary.

I consider mainstream television programming to be neither polite nor acceptable for the most part and certainly not a barometer of what is polite or acceptable. Mainstream television airs mostly "reality" programs that highlight bad behavior and insipid talk shows that display the absolute worst aspects of human behavior in the guise of dialogue.

Turning off the television would vastly improve our nation in and of itself.

Daniel

 

[Tez3]

The word piss here I don't think is seen as a rude or profane word, it's just a word for urinating or being drunk. It's a very old word.
'Sucks' doesn't get used the way American use it.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A753527

"This is a subject which fills books, and has a word all of its own: what you have been reading is a brief outline of English scatolinguistics. One of the things which becomes clear is that usage varies widely from country to country, and within countries. In one place a word may be a term of affection, in another a clear and direct term of abuse. And these words provide a potted social history of the speakers of the English Language. However, used appropriately and with panache, many people feel that these words actually add depth, colour and a sense of regional variation to the English language."

 

[ETinCYQX]

My Judo sensei and the guys who train there are lifelong friends of mine and my parents, and they swear like pirates. We have a big crowd from MMA and the guys seem to cater to that a bit; they let the formality go in favor of instruction. It's an enjoyable class and it makes getting beat for the hundredth time by a guy I've known for years a bit easier. I'm also one of the youngest at 18 years old.

My TKD instructor is different. He's never said anything, but I get the "vibe" off him that he should be taken seriously and he likes to have a formal setting to learn. However, he treats me like an equal, and on the occasion he has me instruct another student (I'm senior belt right now) he refers to me as "Mr. Mylastname." I really appreciate this treatment and it means more to me when it's coupled with such respect and formality, almost like that reverence, if you will, is extended back to me. He is Korean by descent so that may have something to do with it.

I do have to say that we are friends now, we run together and we do some things socially. One thing I enjoy is his "Korean movie nights", he orders Korean movies on DVD and we watch them with English subtitles. It's improved my conversational Korean a lot and given me insight on Korean culture that I'd never seen before.

Neither is wrong, and it's hard to say which I like better. I like each for different reasons.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Teens in Washington like to call everything they don't like, Jew. I would flip if I heared that in the studio.
Sean

 

[granfire]

Teens in Washington like to call everything they don't like, Jew. I would flip if I heared that in the studio.
Sean

add a gay and we got a winner... :uhohh::uhohh:

 

[Touch Of Death]

All are off limits with the exception of sucks, which I discourage but will not scold for.

Regarding gay, there is no discussion of sexuality in my classes, period. So in fairness, I have never 'banned' it because it has never come up. I have no clue of the gender preferrences of my students and frankly do not care to know, so pejorative terms in that regard will be greeted with a healty serving of knuckle pushups if it ever comes up.

If a technique is being done incorrectly or poorly, there is proper terminology to describe the errancy of the technique and I expect those in class to use it.

If they want to talk like middle schoolers, they may do so on their own time. There is really no good reason for any of the quoted terminology to be used in a martial arts setting.


I consider mainstream television programming to be neither polite nor acceptable for the most part and certainly not a barometer of what is polite or acceptable. Mainstream television airs mostly "reality" programs that highlight bad behavior and insipid talk shows that display the absolute worst aspects of human behavior in the guise of dialogue.

Turning off the television would vastly improve our nation in and of itself.

Daniel

The youth of today have turned off the TV; they just watch stuff, without those pesky FCC regulations, on the computer.
Sean

 

[granfire]

The youth of today have turned off the TV; they just watch stuff, without those pesky FCC regulations, on the computer.
Sean

rofl, ain't that the truth...then again, can't blame them TV sux...

 

[gobbly]

Just watch the instructors and other students. If you hear them say something and no one raises an eyebrow, figure it's ok for you in similar situations. This is just natural social behavior. When you get in a new group, be on your best behavior. How you behave as you become more comfortable can easily be influenced by how you observe the group acting.

I am in a class with nothing but adults, mostly 18 to mid 30's. Sometimes when I fall or miss something I will say damn, I doubt anyone but my drill partner hears, and no one has ever seemed to care. I was told by a senior student after she observed a form I was working on that my 'stances sucked', so I worked on it. I could see how some people might be offended, but she knew me well enough to know that I appreciate blunt feedback and chose words that would get the proper focus out of me (and she was probably smiling while she said it ).

 

[jda]

There is no swearing, cursing, or name calling of any kind allowed in our dojang. We have a wide range of ages and that language is never appropriate. When the black belts are together for our private workouts we speak like normal people, though.
Jim

 

[seasoned]

At my mouth. Slang/profanity has no place in the dojo where you are trying to teach tools that will help one to achieve the best life has to offer. Total waste of words, only enhanced to the negative, by some of the trash on TV.