Author Topic: EPFFC, Honorable Mention: The Way Before, Language Discussion  (Read 9094 times)

Rachel Swirsky

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Quote
Me no likey.

I'd appreciate it if we could avoid this language on the forums.

Sorry you didn't like the piece, Steph.



Bdoomed

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Reply #1 on: December 05, 2008, 02:09:23 AM
yea really... language!

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #2 on: December 05, 2008, 05:17:20 AM
To be clear, the message of what you said didn't bug me at all. Phrases like "me no likey" originate from making fun of the way immigrants talk. I'm sure that's not what you meant by it, and by this point, such phrases may be abstracted enough from their roots that people can use them without thinking about their origins. But it's kind of like the phrase "jew me" -- someone saying "the vaccuum cleaner salesman jewed me" may not be thinking about what that says about jews, but the root is still there. Or, similarly, the word "gyp" -- gypsies may be hard to see in America, but they're still pretty mistreated in a lot of Europe.

Out of respect for me, I'd appreciate it if people tried not to use language with those kind of implications. I won't think any less of anyone who does it accidentally, and I certainly don't think any less of you, Steph! I just felt I needed to point it out, and ask people to try not to do so.

Wanting more content is understandable. Sorry to swamp you with so much flash. ;)



stePH

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Reply #3 on: December 05, 2008, 05:38:04 AM
To be clear, the message of what you said didn't bug me at all. Phrases like "me no likey" originate from making fun of the way immigrants talk. I'm sure that's not what you meant by it, ...
Not a bit of it.  I had "kiddie talk" more in mind, since the story seemed (as I said) like a "horsey" story for little girls (which, despite the Hello Kitty avatar, I am not. ;) )

Out of respect for me, I'd appreciate it if people tried not to use language with those kind of implications. I won't think any less of anyone who does it accidentally, and I certainly don't think any less of you, Steph! I just felt I needed to point it out, and ask people to try not to do so.
 
Wasn't my intent, but if it bothers you then I'll endeavor to not do it again.  Sumimasen, gomen nasai, whatever.  ;D

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #4 on: December 05, 2008, 05:59:50 AM
That makes sense! I figured you didn't mean it in a racist way. And thanks.

(Just for those who might be interested in where I'm coming from, urban dictionary sources "me no likey" with Family Guy. Other phrases which sound similar and are listed nearby include "me likey rice" and "me so solly" and "me so horny" which are all pretty clearly associated with mocking East Asian accents.)



shwankie

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Reply #5 on: December 09, 2008, 10:47:03 PM
I am going to hop in here, and I'll probably get tagged for it; but, I think it needs to be said. I think Rachel's out of line telling people not to use "This language" here. I, for one, knew exactly what StePH intended with his turn of phrase. I read it as child speak to match the child-centered story on which he was commenting, both because I have no reason to believe it is a racial slur, and because contextually it was pretty obvious. I am sorry, Rachel, that you took it as racist language. Yes, there are some phrases, like the ones you mentioned, that are/may be offensive and that are obviously mocking (intentional or not) certain races, ethnic groups, or cultures. However, I believe that seeing something as bland and benign as what StePH wrote and construing it immediately as a leftover racial slur says more about the person perceiving it than the person saying it.

It would be like construing "I can haz sum?" to be making fun of certain types of language spoken by blacks in the US, when in fact it's a bastardization of l33t speak. Urban Dictionary isn't exactly the most reputable source for word derivations in the same way Wikipedia isn't  a reputable source. Both have their uses, but neither of them are respected peer-reviewed journals.




stePH

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Reply #6 on: December 10, 2008, 05:44:06 AM
Urban Dictionary isn't exactly the most reputable source for word derivations in the same way Wikipedia isn't  a reputable source. Both have their uses, but neither of them are respected peer-reviewed journals.


Wikipedia is orders of magnitude more reliable, respectable and reputable than Urban Dictionary.  UD is next to worthless.

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Talia

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Reply #7 on: December 15, 2008, 09:21:19 PM
Loved this story (but then, I am a girl)

And yeah it was a "girl gets a horse" story without the horse, that's pretty much the entire point. Very cute.


As an aside..

this is the first time I have EVER heard the phrase "me no likey" refered to as racist. If there was every racist undertones to it they've long been stripped away by many years of casual playful useage.

Hell, I've used that term among Asian friends many a time and they've used it as well.




shwankie

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Reply #8 on: December 15, 2008, 09:28:42 PM
Urban Dictionary isn't exactly the most reputable source for word derivations in the same way Wikipedia isn't  a reputable source. Both have their uses, but neither of them are respected peer-reviewed journals.


Wikipedia is orders of magnitude more reliable, respectable and reputable than Urban Dictionary.  UD is next to worthless.

I totally agree. Mostly I just wanted to point out that using any user-compiled, non-reviewed source to decide the absolute relevance or origins of something isn't necessarily likely to win a lot of respect for an argument in these parts. As a starting point, or a general reference, they're fine. But, as a point of policy, probably not.



Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #9 on: December 16, 2008, 04:08:37 AM
I'm sorry you disagree with my reasoning, Shwankie. However, policy is not yours to determine. If you have a problem with my moderation, you may wish to avoid the threads on Escape Pod for episodes which I've produced, as I will be moderating those.

The conversation about this is closed.



shwankie

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Reply #10 on: December 16, 2008, 03:58:21 PM
I'm sorry you disagree with my reasoning, Shwankie. However, policy is not yours to determine. If you have a problem with my moderation, you may wish to avoid the threads on Escape Pod for episodes which I've produced, as I will be moderating those.

The conversation about this is closed.

Really? So now EP moderators are now locking down discussion simply because someone points out that the sources they use to back their arguments are not infallible, and that there are multiple interpretations of things that are just as valid? I actually already avoid the PC forums and podcast because of previous experiences in this vein. If this is to be the tone of all the forums, then perhaps it is time I rethink my support of EA in general.

I will be staying off of "your" threads. Since frankly I am not going to walk on eggshells in regards to voicing valid, well-backed opinions and look at every liner note to see who produced what. It's simply not worth it to visit any of the forums anymore, since apparently there is no longer free and open dialogue anywhere. Commentary has been very civil. I am sorry you do not appreciate it when people point out there are other ways to handle things, and that perhaps your initial observations and interpretations are not the only point of view, and possibly not correct.

These forums have always been open to dialogue, including pointing out when moderators or other posters have opinions that may differ with other people. That is, apparently, no longer the case.



Zathras

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Reply #11 on: December 16, 2008, 04:08:59 PM
(I think this needs a split.)

Purple!  And that's all I have to say on this subject.




Heradel

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Reply #12 on: December 16, 2008, 05:16:19 PM
Split and Locked.

There's always PM's if you want to contest a decision, but closed means closed.

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.