From: b.scott@csuohio.edu   
      
   On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:26:49 +1000, Aqua   
    wrote in   
    in   
   rec.arts.sf.misc:   
      
   > Brian M. Scott wrote:   
      
   >> On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:23:10 +0100, Catja Pafort   
   >>  wrote in   
   >>    
   >> in rec.arts.sf.misc:   
      
   >>> Brian M. Scott wrote:   
      
   >>>>> Until recently, I thought nothing much of the word "paki",   
   >>>>> considering  it a slang shortening of "Pakistani".   
      
   >>>> I assume as a matter of course that such ethnic terms are   
   >>>> likely to have derogatory connotations unless I definitely   
   >>>> know otherwise, so this particular issue wouldn't arise.   
      
   >>> So how come you're making an exception for ethnic terms,   
   >>> but not for words meant to denigrate _other_ minorities?   
      
   >> I make no such distinction.  If you think otherwise, you   
   >> haven't understood what I've been saying.   
      
   >    
      
   I don't understand what's not clear.  (1) Some words are   
   usually used to derogate or to offend; a sensible person   
   recognizes this and is cautious about using words that are   
   likely to fall into that category.  (2) A sensible person   
   *also* pays attention to the context in which words are   
   used, including words that have strong negative loading for   
   that person, and tries not to take offense or to suggest   
   that offense might reasonably be taken at the mere use of   
   the words independent of their context.   
      
   Brian   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)