Topic: the power of words

The “F” word: Give it a rest!

By Christine Anne Piesyk | January 5, 2008 |

It’s a New Year. How about a resolution of a different kind?

I get dozens of e-mails, bulletins, notes, jokes, “funny” surveys, cartoons, etc., replete with, overflowing with, saturated with: The “F” Word.

It’s a word. It’s in the dictionary. It means something (with many degrees of stress and passion). It doesn’t mean everything. It doesn’t suit everything.

I attend many events, many interesting, wonderful and creative events with political and social activists (experienced and novice), civic leaders, artists and writers, and fellow members of this community who have powerful messages. We have words for those messages. But when too liberally laced with profanity and vulgarity, the balance of that word power shifts, and we lose the interest, respect and attention of the very people we are trying to reach. «Read the rest of this article»

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