Taboo replacements

[Nik Taylor]

"Steven A. Gustafson" wrote:
> A live taboo does not remove a tabooed word from the lexicon, or render
> it obsolete.  People need to know what words they are forbidden to use
> if they hope to avoid using them.

Perhaps.  However, consider this: how did you first learn the word
"shit"?  From hearing someone violating the taboo.  No one told you
"Don't say shit".  You probably learned not to use it when you got in
trouble for using it.  If a taboo is thorough enough, it may be that the
word *will* be forgotten, or at least restricted.  Of course, as you
pointed out, it would no longer be taboo, being non-existent!

> (This is also why I have difficulty explaining the loss of the word,
> 'hart,' by taboo.  In certain circles it may be considered daring to
> call a coffin a coffin.  No such cachet seems to surround the word
> 'hart,' even if it is a word that gets spoken only in church if it is
> spoken at all.)

Perhaps.  Indeed, in that case, I doubt that the word "hart" would've
been used in the KJV translations if it were taboo.  Altho, the taboo
could've arisen later.  Reminds me of the use of "ass" in older Biblical
translations: "Thou shalt not covet they neighbor's ... ass".  :-)

--
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