[Ads-l] Metaphorical NSFW

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Thu Aug 31 16:13:42 UTC 2017


> On Aug 31, 2017, at 11:04 AM, Jim Parish <jparish at SIUE.EDU> wrote:
> 
> I would guess that usage is related to the word "filthy", describing a skilled pitcher's repertoire.
> 
> Jim Parish

That’s certainly the semantic route involved.  I wonder if the writer was consciously thinking of that use of “filthy” in extending NSFW or if it was a more generalized extension.

LH
> 
> 
> On 8/31/2017 9:59 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>> As I just confirmed on urbandictionary, the initialism (at least I’ve never heard it pronounced acronymically) NSFW is standardly understood as designating “Not Safe for Work”, “Not Suitable for Work”, or (presumably by urbandyslexics) “Not For Showing Wife”, in reference to internet videos, pix, memes, and the like.  But consider this extended use, which I’ve never previously encountered or seen exemplified even on urban dictionary, in reference to a Cleveland Indians pitcher:
>> 
>> ===================
>> Jose Berrios dominates. There are times when Berrios' stuff is NSFW. This was one of those games, maybe the best of his young career, as he fanned 11 in seven scoreless innings in a 11-1 win over the Chicago White Sox.
>> 
>> http://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/82321/real-or-not-indians-are-the-team-to-beat-in-the-american-league
>> ===================
>> 
>> LH
>> 
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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