tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post1506037183038681803..comments2024-03-08T08:23:19.959+00:00Comments on Paul Anthony Shortt - Author: Threatening LanguagePaul Anthony Shortthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-90134125714033998402011-11-24T18:55:33.723+00:002011-11-24T18:55:33.723+00:00I think we all fall in different spots on the sens...I think we all fall in different spots on the sensitivity spectrum. I find the presence of gratuitous sex, violence, and swearing decreases my enjoyment of a show. I find it hard to understand how those things are pluses for other folks, but I guess they have to SEE more extreme things in order to get the same feeling of horror in my guts I'd get from someone simply getting punched.<br /><br />I couldn't watch Deadwood at all. I guess I didn't give it much of a chance, but it just seemed so ... joyless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-80109786722184665322011-11-24T17:30:15.735+00:002011-11-24T17:30:15.735+00:00I LOVE this post! Absolutely true. I always use Ha...I LOVE this post! Absolutely true. I always use Harry Potter as an example. When Mrs. Weasley lets loose on Bellatrix. "Not my daughter you...." WOW. That's a powerful use of the word because it isn't all over the place.Lisa Gail Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03648323153868702165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-71972435667736825642011-11-23T19:27:22.493+00:002011-11-23T19:27:22.493+00:00Yeah, Paul, for my 1710 Pirate story, I have a mas...Yeah, Paul, for my 1710 Pirate story, I have a massive postit on my wall with swear words and terms appropriate to the British Navy at the time, like "Blast you", "Devil take you", "Damn you to the depths", which was as strong as it got for most of the time. But it's a tough balance.Bonhttp://deannawol.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-28144427145598554892011-11-23T19:24:12.315+00:002011-11-23T19:24:12.315+00:00Olene: Bingo. One word, whatever it is, used at th...Olene: Bingo. One word, whatever it is, used at the perfect moment can have a far more profound impact than a string of words.<br /><br />Bon: I absolutely include swearing when I feel its appropriate and narratively effective. I think there's some great fun to be had coming up with put-downs and insults in period settings.Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-46713187272384918522011-11-23T19:02:44.586+00:002011-11-23T19:02:44.586+00:00HBO in particular believes that nudity and swearin...HBO in particular believes that nudity and swearing makes for edgy tv, but recent show Game of Thrones actually put me off by the frequent nudity, full frontal nudity especially, and it's got Sean Bean in it. That's practically unheard of for me.<br /><br />However, shows like Sons of Anarchy and Generation Kill also have frequent swearing but it's used in a measured way. Sons of Anarchy is set in a Hell's Angel-esque motorcycle club and Generation Kill follows marines in action during invasion of Iraq in Operation Freedom. Both are fairly earthy groups, but they use it to underline moments of surprise or abject stupidity of their superiors. <br /><br />But that said, watching shows like Never Mind the Buzzcocks and even Mock the Week becomes uncomfortable at times when all they do is curse.<br /><br />It's a mixed bag really. I guess, I just want them to disassociate edgy from language. But I'll also be the first to admit that I do include cursing in my writing and in the dialogue, but only where it's appropriate for the characters, i.e. street mercs in a cyberpunk setting, marines/soldiers, getting confronted by a vampire... But not for my 1710's gentleman.Bonhttp://deannawol.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-17066029563898081002011-11-23T18:52:30.536+00:002011-11-23T18:52:30.536+00:00Completely agree. There is nothing worse than when...Completely agree. There is nothing worse than when writers use swear words to put up a front of "coolness". Cussing in mainstream media hasn't been revolutionary for about thirty years or so. Now, let's see some subtle use of the English language.<br /><br />I'm not saying to never use swear words, but if you look at the single time Matt Damon cursed in the Bourne Identity, it's much more powerful than the thousands of times it was done in Deadwood.Olene Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07832165320929784582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-62260822791412902172011-11-23T15:49:24.838+00:002011-11-23T15:49:24.838+00:00I was never able to get into Firefly, but it's...I was never able to get into Firefly, but it's a good example, all right. That said, relying too much on words that the majority of your audience can't understand can have its own problems.Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-46875910798459294732011-11-23T15:44:42.840+00:002011-11-23T15:44:42.840+00:00For fantastic swearing - see Firefly. Period appro...For fantastic swearing - see Firefly. Period appropriate phrasing, and the use of a foreign language to get around censorship on American television. As a result - fantastically woven dialogue, solid impact. If only the show had gone on for even just A LITTLE longer...Rognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-12271119837454424432011-11-23T12:51:41.712+00:002011-11-23T12:51:41.712+00:00I feel the same. I'm not at all uncomfortable ...I feel the same. I'm not at all uncomfortable with swearing, I just prefer to see some variety and imagination in dialogue.Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4282504373890041231.post-84334861781074710452011-11-23T12:05:46.759+00:002011-11-23T12:05:46.759+00:00Hear hear! People think feeling uncomfortable abou...Hear hear! People think feeling uncomfortable about excessive swearing in books or movies is a sign of uptight morality. For me it's because the swearing is an ugly, lazy way to show aggression, when a writer can use so many other tools to get across the ideas.Karen Jones Gowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01153821980625034810noreply@blogger.com