Friday 13 December 2013

I Think This Says A Lot About The Circles In Which Lola Okolosie Moves…

Lola Okolosie seems a touch naïve…
Headmistress Davina Wakelin, of Meeching Valley primary school in Newhaven, East Sussex, is only saying something we all already know; we really shouldn't be swearing in front of children.
You just know there's a 'but' coming, don't you?
… such blanket calls to mind our language do not give young people enough credit. I have taught spoken language to students from 14 to 17 and every one of them, each year I covered the topic, recognised that appropriateness of swearing is dependent on context. Therefore, largely, they refrain from cursing in the earshot of teachers or other adults.
Ahahahahahahaha! Come take a ride on my early morning c2c train to Southend, love! You’ll hear language that’ll turn you …. errr, white. And at a volume that’ll liquify your brain.

And that’s from the (mostly black) girls…
Contrary to popular belief, they are not a homogeneously stupid and disrespectful bunch. In my experience, rather than swearing, young people are much more likely to use their ever-changing and inventive slang as a means through which they defy adults.
Don't worry, love, these days the 'adults' are just as likely to know that...
Swearing is fine if you are able to articulate yourself well without it.
Then...why do it?
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3 comments:

  1. The Blocked Dwarf13 December 2013 at 09:12

    "Then...why do it? "

    If I may quote the Sainted Ian Fleming (Vox Bondius): "! No self-respecting man could get through the day without his battery of four-letter words to cope with the roughage of life and let off steam. If you’re late for a vital appointment with your superiors, and you find that you’ve left all your papers at home, surely you say, well, Freddie Uncle Charlie Katie, if I may put it so as not to offend."

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  2. Furor Teutonicus13 December 2013 at 16:34

    XX articulate yourself well without it. XX

    And "swearing" is NOT part of the cultural language, and therfore, articulation of a people?

    Fuck me! If only some bastard had told me!

    A perfect example of how a word becomes "a swear word" is shown in the Monty Pythons sketch regarding the antelopes eating the croquet hoops. (Can not remember the actual sketch name)

    "Oooh! Such a TINNY word!!!"

    Fuck 'em all.

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  3. JuliaM14 December 2013 at 07:51

    "If I may quote the Sainted Ian Fleming..."

    You may, you may! ;)

    "A perfect example of how a word becomes "a swear word" is shown in the Monty Pythons sketch regarding the antelopes eating the croquet hoops."

    "It's got a sort of woody quality about it. Gorn. Gorn."

    :D

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