More euphemisms: "pervasive language"

[Jonathan Lighter]

Clearly in these cases, which I've been noticing for several years,
"language" means "offensive language" precisely as Neal says.

I've even heard news stories where somebody was accused of using, without
further elaboration in the *immediate* context, "some language."


JL

On Fri, Mar 16, 2012 at 11:13 PM, Neal Whitman <nwhitman at ameritech.net>wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Neal Whitman <nwhitman at AMERITECH.NET>
> Subject:      Re: More euphemisms:  "pervasive language"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Yes, agreed, by our old definition of "language". But if "language" now
> means "offensive language" in this context, then "mild language" means
> "mild
> offensive language" as opposed to "strong offensive language", and
> "pervasive language" means "pervasive offensive language".
>
> Neal
>
> >
> > I do get it.  Although if "language" means "offensive or obscene
> > language", it can't be "mild".
> >
> > But -- "Mild" I can understand -- it's a quality.  "Obscene" or
> > "blasphemous" I can understand.  But "pervasive" I can't place on a
> > scale.  "Pervasive offensive language" would make sense for an R, as
> > opposed to "occasional offensive language" meriting a PG, or whatever.
> >
> > Joel
>
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