Thoughts on Language

Yesterday Little Squid asked what a "cuss" was. He heard the word in a movie (Because of Winn Dixie) and did not know what it meant. I admit it, my kids have been sheltered. Neither Mike nor I have ever used "bad" language extensively so cleaning up our act when we had kids was not too trying. The occasional f-word or s-word comes out of our mouths in times of extreme stress -- dropping an anvil on ones toe qualifies but misplacing the car keys does not. My feeling is simply that one can use nicer language to express the same feelings. Sometimes it is just a dumb substitution like saying that Mommy is a softie and not a sucker. Other times I try to be more colorful and descriptive -- and usually fail. Usually though, I just say nothing. I am not perfect and the occasional explicative does come out of my mouth after a so and so cuts me off.

Working in a high school can either numb you to the presence of a certain group of words (all starting with F) or get you angry that these kids can't be more creative. Why not, instead of calling someone a "bad" name, use a variation on those great ethnic curses. "So and So isn't fit to clean up after my camel!" "That piece of lace looks like it was used as a washrag for my pet walrus."

Can we start a movement here? If you stumble on a post where "common" language is used, leave an affirmative comment such as "you are so right, that son of a turtle herder isn't fit to clean your cookie jar." Or "I bet with some blocking that sweater will no longer look like the bottom of an orangutan."

Anyone with me?