Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site unc.unc.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!mcnc!unc!fsks
From: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Taboo words
Message-ID: <578@unc.unc.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 13-Nov-85 11:09:27 EST
Article-I.D.: unc.578
Posted: Wed Nov 13 11:09:27 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 16-Nov-85 01:44:02 EST
Reply-To: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann)
Organization: CS Dept, U. of N. Carolina, Chapel Hill
Lines: 14
Summary: 


Comedian George Carlin has a famous routine about "the seven words
you cannot say on televison."  Most of these words have ancient
anglo-saxon roots, and close cognates in other teutonic languages.
They must have been used fairly frequently, to survive so long.
Yet, in many social groups, these words are forbidden.  Articles
in net.kids discuss the threats and punishments parents have used
to discourage children from using them.

Yet, the concepts, things and actions denoted by these words 
are unavoidable.  We MUST have words to describe them.  So,
how and why did these words become taboo?

	Frank Silbermann