From: Starfox [mailto:starfox_at_kiva.net]
Can't forget that some insults would be inapplicable depending on the
setting, after all a world of naturally evolved felines wouldn't have the
litterbox insult, since that's a human term, and while an insult might sound
quite good if it doesn't fit the world it breaks the flow of things.
***
Very true. Technically, an insult requires three things:
1) It must be in some way partly true.
2) It must have/had bad negative connotations if it was true.
3) The other person must find it insulting.
Let's take an example:
Black people come from Nigeria, but not all black people do. For the vast
majority of them, this fulfils (1). It used to have some *very* bad negative
connotations in the past. And it's shortened form is considered so offensive
it has become almost the archetypal insult. For instance in this picture,
you really don't need to look at the last panel to know what is trying to be
said.
http://vclart.net/vcl/Artists/Pepe/J&J/J&J005.jpg
Also remember that insults aren't universal. If you tried the above with a
panther from Extinctioners, they'd look at you blankly because they would
know nothing about the history behind that word, and would not find it
insluting. If you called a called a chakat a 'tail-raiser' (a common
extinctioners insult) they'd probably thank you, as being interested in sex
is not considdered a bad thing for them.
ANTIcarrot.
Received on Sun Jun 08 2003 - 02:06:29 CDT
