Talk:Insult/Archive 1

Archive 1

Wonder

I wonder if there is an advantage to having both Insult and Terms of disparagement or if they should be merged? Ortolan88

I believe the latter is a legal term and so should be seperate from common usage. Vera Cruz

It seems to me that insults can be far more complex than mere "fighting words". In fact, whole computer games have been made about the art of insulting ..--Eloquence

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The link to "Action" (philosophy)" is wrong. "Action" is a legal term here, not found on the disambiguation page. Andres 06:19, 13 Oct 2003 (UTC)

Comeback should be un-RDRed

Comeback has more meanings than this one, and it is being linked to for ones other than this one. I linked to it in the sense of, usually in sport, a return to the professional circuit. It's also being linked to from Lars Frölander (swimmer) and Me Against the Music (a song) for the same sense. pfctdayelise 00:08, 17 January 2006 (UTC)

Only seven words?

I thought there were 13 swear words.

More than that even. Urban Dictionary anyone? Resaebiunne 02:14, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

"dumbass" Language

I got redirected here from "dumbass" language (Du). I want to learn more about this fascinating language, but don't see any content on it here. Anyone?? MotherFunctor 23:41, 25 May 2006 (UTC).

Wow, that is exactly what I just typed in to get here. We must add a full discourse exploring the nuances of "dumbass" forthwith.--God Ω War 06:33, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

Verbal Insults - list not valuable extension of given example

I just removed a couple of lines of expletives from "Verbal Insults". Someone had thought it amusing to extend the single relevant example into an irrelevant list. JohnHarris 08:43, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

Kyle Todd?

anyone care to explain that one? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.174.137.74 (talk) 12:49, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

External Links

I would like to suggest the joke site of Joke the way you want.. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.172.135.218 (talk) 02:59, 2 March 2009 (UTC)

Wikipedia

Ok I know this is Wikipedia, but i actully can't read this O_o
"An example of the latter is a well-intended simple explanation, which in fact is superfluous, but is given due to underestimating the intelligence or knowledge of the other" — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.172.14.21 (talk • contribs) 2011-02-13T13:30:40

There could be for instance a technical-sounding passage in a textbook you think somebody else didn't understand. Trying to be helpful, you explain it to them. However, they did in fact understand the passage, and now they feel insulted because they feel you treated them as a child/amateur/something. Retodon8 (talk) 12:45, 24 June 2011 (UTC)

Two different meanings?

What exactly is the meaning of the word "insult"? Aren't there actually two meanings, depending on the party you're looking at? Also see Wiktionary.

As a very basic example, I can insult someone by calling him/her an idiot. In return they can feel insulted by that. Those are two different things however. I could insult them without them feeling insulted: the insult could've gone straight over their head, or they might actually take it as a compliment instead.

On the other hand, as mentioned in the article, someone can feel insulted by something I said/did even though I didn't intend to insult them. I might not even understand why they would be insulted. For instance I myself feel insulted by condescending or just plain stupid commercials, but generally they aren't intended to insult.

From the article:

Situations also exist in which a person erroneously believes he or she has been insulted. [...] which, at worst, would be simply inaccurate or incorrect rather than insulting.

That doesn't seem right. I keep using "someone feels insulted" rather than "someone is insulted" because that could refer to the example where I insult somebody without them knowing, and I am referring to what the other party experiences specifically.

If you look on YouTube you'll find atheist videos mentioning it is irrational to have faith in something, despite there being only evidence against it, none in favour of it. This is (or at least could be) a statement intended do educate, not insult. However responses to such videos clearly show some people still feel insulted. The above quote from the article says the video might simply be inaccurate or incorrect, not insulting, but you can't decide for others what they are insulted by. If someone claims to feel insulted, you cannot simply dismiss that claim.

In short, the article seems to be inaccurate. Thoughts? Retodon8 (talk) 13:08, 24 June 2011 (UTC)

Your remark is acute. However the definition in wikipedia article (at least how I read it now) correct in this respect (and better than in wiktionary, by the way). Specifically it says "... 'considered degrading..." But it does not say by whom. It may be considered degrading either by the speaker or by listener, or by both (or by a passer-by or a wikilawyer :-). The quote from the article you mention is just one example of different reading into the uttered statement.

In short, the article is incomplete, rather than inaccurate. As you see from tags on top, it is of poor wikiquiality. What it needs is someone to read a book or two and add some basic statements with solid references, rather than to write out of their head. Lothar Klaic (talk) 17:05, 24 June 2011 (UTC)

Moreover, your remark is relevant not only to the "insult" topic, but to any topic related to communication, e.g., "praise":

• "You are very good at conserving your energy" - this praise may be read as "you are lazy".

In short, in communication, any message can be classified differently by sender and receiver (and by eavesdropper :-). This is a common phenomenon, but I don't know whether it has a scientific term or a wikipedia article. Lothar Klaic (talk) 17:12, 24 June 2011 (UTC)

By the way, last night I've read my daughter's fantasy book: there is this assassin girl, and she suddenly feels pity for her next target and spares his life. He praises her profusely for her kindness, and she feels offended, since kindness is not what she is, and breaks his arm in frustration. Lothar Klaic (talk) 17:16, 24 June 2011 (UTC)