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CIRCLE WITH A DOT

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  3. Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

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askfedi
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  • afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place

    Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

    In English, you have "four letter words", these words have four letters but are perhaps not to be used in polite communication.

    In OTHER languages: Are there any other "group of words constrained by arbitrary rules"?

    Does NOT have to be an offensive group of words, but more like a grouping outside the traditional language syntax.

    #AskFedi

    (no answer? please boost)

    franceskamann@freeradical.zoneF This user is from outside of this forum
    franceskamann@freeradical.zoneF This user is from outside of this forum
    franceskamann@freeradical.zone
    wrote last edited by
    #35

    @afreytes

    Someone once pointed out my use of " the isms" as in racism, sexism, theism, etc.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • gbargoud@masto.nycG gbargoud@masto.nyc

      @afreytes

      Don't know of any similar arbitrary grouping in French or Arabic.

      Similarly I wonder what other languages do about "teenagers", do they just say "adolescents" or do they also have an arbitrary group of ages based on prefixes or suffixes?

      gbargoud@masto.nycG This user is from outside of this forum
      gbargoud@masto.nycG This user is from outside of this forum
      gbargoud@masto.nyc
      wrote last edited by
      #36

      @afreytes

      Tugging on the teenager thread, I found out that the Polish equivalent is 11-19 and the Hungarian one is 10-19 because of the way the words for those numbers are formed.

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • lukyan@lukyan.euL lukyan@lukyan.eu

        @afreytes I'm not aware of any in Polish: I think more of groups of objects than words. But we have "cztery litery" ("four letters") as one of the euphemisms for buttocks, referencing two such four letter words.

        slothrop@chaos.socialS This user is from outside of this forum
        slothrop@chaos.socialS This user is from outside of this forum
        slothrop@chaos.social
        wrote last edited by
        #37

        @lukyan @afreytes hah, the same thing exists in German („vier Buchstaben“)

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • rhelune@todon.euR This user is from outside of this forum
          rhelune@todon.euR This user is from outside of this forum
          rhelune@todon.eu
          wrote last edited by
          #38

          @CorvidCrone @afreytes Some call it legalese.

          I've also heard of "psychobabble" and lately of therapy speak, especially in the context of weaponising it.

          Also technobabble.

          But all of them in English.

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place

            Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

            In English, you have "four letter words", these words have four letters but are perhaps not to be used in polite communication.

            In OTHER languages: Are there any other "group of words constrained by arbitrary rules"?

            Does NOT have to be an offensive group of words, but more like a grouping outside the traditional language syntax.

            #AskFedi

            (no answer? please boost)

            drsaucy@sfba.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
            drsaucy@sfba.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
            drsaucy@sfba.social
            wrote last edited by
            #39

            @afreytes I'm not sure this fits the bill, but your query made me think of reduplicatives in Tagolog, which indicate emphasis, intensity, speed, etc. For example, mabilis-mabilis (fast becomes very fast), araw-araw (day becomes every day), ganda-ganda (beauty to most beautiful).

            afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • drsaucy@sfba.socialD drsaucy@sfba.social

              @afreytes I'm not sure this fits the bill, but your query made me think of reduplicatives in Tagolog, which indicate emphasis, intensity, speed, etc. For example, mabilis-mabilis (fast becomes very fast), araw-araw (day becomes every day), ganda-ganda (beauty to most beautiful).

              afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
              afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
              afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place
              wrote last edited by
              #40

              @DrSaucy oh I think Hawaiian also has this? The wiki in wikipedia I think means fast but wiki-wiki means faster IIRC...

              Yes I like3 this... I didnt know reduplicatives is the word for it. Thanks!

              drsaucy@sfba.socialD 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place

                @DrSaucy oh I think Hawaiian also has this? The wiki in wikipedia I think means fast but wiki-wiki means faster IIRC...

                Yes I like3 this... I didnt know reduplicatives is the word for it. Thanks!

                drsaucy@sfba.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
                drsaucy@sfba.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
                drsaucy@sfba.social
                wrote last edited by
                #41

                @afreytes I immediately thought of wikiwiki after I posted, but awaited your reply in case my example wasn't relevant to your request.

                Other Hawaiian reduplicatives of which I'm aware, but quite likely lost in Hawaiian to Haole: holoholo (from stroll/amble to run around), mahimahi (strong to brute strength) makemake (like to desire).

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • fgbjr@indieweb.socialF This user is from outside of this forum
                  fgbjr@indieweb.socialF This user is from outside of this forum
                  fgbjr@indieweb.social
                  wrote last edited by
                  #42

                  @oheso @afreytes At a faculty dinner, back when I was still working full time, the restaurant was tatami style, and at the shoe lockers I put mine in number "42," as I generally do when it's available. A European colleague much more obsessive about appearances and local trivia than I was looked on, scowled, and said, "That's a bad one: SHI [written as 四 for 'four' or as 死 for 'death'] NI [二 for 'two' or the particle に meaning roughly 'to' or 'toward' or 'at']."

                  This is an example of 余計なお世話.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • fgbjr@indieweb.socialF This user is from outside of this forum
                    fgbjr@indieweb.socialF This user is from outside of this forum
                    fgbjr@indieweb.social
                    wrote last edited by
                    #43

                    @oheso @afreytes It's effectively the same answer with the humor removed from it. 😐 (And I hasten to add that the offending European was not from Germany!)

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • blogdiva@mastodon.socialB blogdiva@mastodon.social

                      not en español. it’s one of those anglicismos i have yet to find a proper way to translate.

                      @afreytes

                      adriano@lile.clA This user is from outside of this forum
                      adriano@lile.clA This user is from outside of this forum
                      adriano@lile.cl
                      wrote last edited by
                      #44

                      @blogdiva @afreytes On the other hand, “anglicismos” (English loanwords adapted to Spanish) and all the -ismos that describe Spanish variants like Argentinismo, Chilenismo, etc. could be “groups of words outside the standard rules of syntax”.

                      alsopaisleycat@tenforward.socialA 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place

                        Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

                        In English, you have "four letter words", these words have four letters but are perhaps not to be used in polite communication.

                        In OTHER languages: Are there any other "group of words constrained by arbitrary rules"?

                        Does NOT have to be an offensive group of words, but more like a grouping outside the traditional language syntax.

                        #AskFedi

                        (no answer? please boost)

                        thierry@twit.socialT This user is from outside of this forum
                        thierry@twit.socialT This user is from outside of this forum
                        thierry@twit.social
                        wrote last edited by
                        #45

                        @afreytes In French Canada (at least in the province of Québec) we have “mots d’église" (ie: church words). Basically swear words, often with adjusted spellings (ex: tabernacle = tabarnak!). They can be combined for effect.

                        Québec used to be a very religious place…

                        You’ll mostly hear such swears around you except for the occasional “marde” in combination with a church word or “merde” if not.

                        afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA alison@beige.partyA 2 Replies Last reply
                        0
                        • thierry@twit.socialT thierry@twit.social

                          @afreytes In French Canada (at least in the province of Québec) we have “mots d’église" (ie: church words). Basically swear words, often with adjusted spellings (ex: tabernacle = tabarnak!). They can be combined for effect.

                          Québec used to be a very religious place…

                          You’ll mostly hear such swears around you except for the occasional “marde” in combination with a church word or “merde” if not.

                          afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
                          afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
                          afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place
                          wrote last edited by
                          #46

                          @thierry oh my! This made e remember in Puerto Rico we have "palabras de Domingo" i.e. "Sunday Words" which is almost like saying church words! And "palabras de Domingo" are multi-sillabic very long words which would usually be used by more well read people, often in church.

                          Thank you! I love that!

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • adriano@lile.clA adriano@lile.cl

                            @blogdiva @afreytes On the other hand, “anglicismos” (English loanwords adapted to Spanish) and all the -ismos that describe Spanish variants like Argentinismo, Chilenismo, etc. could be “groups of words outside the standard rules of syntax”.

                            alsopaisleycat@tenforward.socialA This user is from outside of this forum
                            alsopaisleycat@tenforward.socialA This user is from outside of this forum
                            alsopaisleycat@tenforward.social
                            wrote last edited by
                            #47

                            @adriano
                            That would apply to anglicisms into any other language as well as calques (loan words or word for word phrases). I don’t think it’s what OP is looking for.

                            Quebecois French authorities are always on the alert for ‘anglicismes’.

                            Even so, there are calques, as well as local idiomatic usage and expressions, that exist in both English and French where there is a high level of bilingualism. e.g. people in western Quebec and Eastern Ontario often use the verb ‘to close’ / ‘fermer’ rather than ‘shut down’ / ‘éteindre’ their computer. It’s not considered correct English or French but it’s what’s commonly used.

                            @blogdiva @afreytes

                            afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place

                              Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

                              In English, you have "four letter words", these words have four letters but are perhaps not to be used in polite communication.

                              In OTHER languages: Are there any other "group of words constrained by arbitrary rules"?

                              Does NOT have to be an offensive group of words, but more like a grouping outside the traditional language syntax.

                              #AskFedi

                              (no answer? please boost)

                              amberage@eldritch.cafeA This user is from outside of this forum
                              amberage@eldritch.cafeA This user is from outside of this forum
                              amberage@eldritch.cafe
                              wrote last edited by
                              #48

                              @afreytes outside of i.e. professional jargon, I can't think of any example 🤔 possibly certain sociolects, but that's not purely about words, it's also pronounciation, grammar, etc.

                              Perhaps the closest thing is "Jugendwörter" ("youth words"), loosely referring to teenage slang and a ittle more closely referring especially to words nominated for the "Jugendwort des Jahres" ("youth word of the year") award? That's the only named collection of words I can think of that are connected not by genre (noun/verb/etc).

                              (All of this is German, btw)

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place

                                Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

                                In English, you have "four letter words", these words have four letters but are perhaps not to be used in polite communication.

                                In OTHER languages: Are there any other "group of words constrained by arbitrary rules"?

                                Does NOT have to be an offensive group of words, but more like a grouping outside the traditional language syntax.

                                #AskFedi

                                (no answer? please boost)

                                thomasfuchs@hachyderm.ioT This user is from outside of this forum
                                thomasfuchs@hachyderm.ioT This user is from outside of this forum
                                thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io
                                wrote last edited by
                                #49

                                @afreytes it’s not a rule, it’s a euphemism, which English is full of (presumably because lots of radical Christians)

                                it’s just a coincidence that there’s quite a few swear words with four letters

                                afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • alsopaisleycat@tenforward.socialA alsopaisleycat@tenforward.social

                                  @adriano
                                  That would apply to anglicisms into any other language as well as calques (loan words or word for word phrases). I don’t think it’s what OP is looking for.

                                  Quebecois French authorities are always on the alert for ‘anglicismes’.

                                  Even so, there are calques, as well as local idiomatic usage and expressions, that exist in both English and French where there is a high level of bilingualism. e.g. people in western Quebec and Eastern Ontario often use the verb ‘to close’ / ‘fermer’ rather than ‘shut down’ / ‘éteindre’ their computer. It’s not considered correct English or French but it’s what’s commonly used.

                                  @blogdiva @afreytes

                                  afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
                                  afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
                                  afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #50

                                  @AlsoPaisleyCat @adriano @blogdiva you are right that "loan words" is not what I was looking for.

                                  But can you expand on "Quebecois French authorities are always on the alert for ‘anglicismes’."?

                                  Does this mean entities get fined for using foreign words? I'm picturing a sort referee taking out a red card when someone misuses an English word! 😇🤭

                                  alsopaisleycat@tenforward.socialA adriano@lile.clA 2 Replies Last reply
                                  0
                                  • thomasfuchs@hachyderm.ioT thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io

                                    @afreytes it’s not a rule, it’s a euphemism, which English is full of (presumably because lots of radical Christians)

                                    it’s just a coincidence that there’s quite a few swear words with four letters

                                    afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
                                    afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
                                    afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #51

                                    @thomasfuchs I know this, this is an uneeded explanation. Thanks but this is not an answer in the spirit of my question.

                                    thomasfuchs@hachyderm.ioT 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place

                                      Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

                                      In English, you have "four letter words", these words have four letters but are perhaps not to be used in polite communication.

                                      In OTHER languages: Are there any other "group of words constrained by arbitrary rules"?

                                      Does NOT have to be an offensive group of words, but more like a grouping outside the traditional language syntax.

                                      #AskFedi

                                      (no answer? please boost)

                                      max@manmachine.meM This user is from outside of this forum
                                      max@manmachine.meM This user is from outside of this forum
                                      max@manmachine.me
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #52
                                      There is a similar construct in Russian also centred around profanity, but with a three-letter word, so the equivalent of "go to hell" becomes "go to three letters", and it's assumed everyone knows which three.
                                      afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • max@manmachine.meM max@manmachine.me
                                        There is a similar construct in Russian also centred around profanity, but with a three-letter word, so the equivalent of "go to hell" becomes "go to three letters", and it's assumed everyone knows which three.
                                        afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
                                        afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA This user is from outside of this forum
                                        afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #53

                                        @max oooh... Is Hell also three letters in Russian? Please tell

                                        max@manmachine.meM 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.placeA afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place

                                          Semi serious question, (please do not ask "AI") I can do web searches just fine so please answer from your own experience:

                                          In English, you have "four letter words", these words have four letters but are perhaps not to be used in polite communication.

                                          In OTHER languages: Are there any other "group of words constrained by arbitrary rules"?

                                          Does NOT have to be an offensive group of words, but more like a grouping outside the traditional language syntax.

                                          #AskFedi

                                          (no answer? please boost)

                                          humanhorseshoes@mastodon.worldH This user is from outside of this forum
                                          humanhorseshoes@mastodon.worldH This user is from outside of this forum
                                          humanhorseshoes@mastodon.world
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #54

                                          @afreytes in Russian they have mata yizik or "mothers tongue" for their glorious swearing.

                                          - YouTube

                                          Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

                                          favicon

                                          (www.youtube.com)

                                          I had a colleague from Belarus and her absolutely X rated running commentary had people literally crying with suppressed laughter at what she said

                                          This is funny as this woman is so composed speaking perfect Russian and tells the drivers where to go in the most coarse language

                                          Link Preview Image
                                          Репортаж про пешеходный переход

                                          Неудачные дубли местнячкового ТВ про изменения в правилах дорожного движения. (Новосибирская область)

                                          favicon

                                          YouTube (www.youtube.com)

                                          Philippines has Bakla https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakla#Swardspeak

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