When language offends by connoting hatred of a certain group in society, it deserves to be censored.  Language, improperly used, inflicts deep, undeserved wounds.Two days ago (March 8) at the University of Oklahoma (U.S.), a college fraternity attracted nationwide attention for singing a song belittling African Americans.  The fraternity was promptly banned from the university by its president and expelled from the national association of that fraternity. 

Yes, dear Nelson, I agree that we should be careful not to offend others. 

But languages and habits do change smoothly over time. 

I notice that modern Brasilian Portuguese , for example  uses several Portuguese words that were used in Medieval culture and have long lost their use in European Portuguese. Some are only used in Jargon. (and vice-versa, also)

For instance the term we use in European Portuguese for «standing in line» would be «bicha». The Brasilians use «Fila». The first time I used my European phrase, waiting for a taxi, I unintendely offended 3 or 4 people there, because bichas in Brasil means «Gay»... (I may have told them that I was the next in their gay line !!!)

Another example: Our greatest 16th century Galaico-Portuguese Theatre play writer Gil Vicente cannot be taught to junior students in secondary schools, with the original text, because the text is filled with what we modernly consider improper filthy jargon words, that were in current use in those times... There's a students' version and an adult-hidden original version of the text in many modern households in Portugal...

I don't know if this happens in other languages. 

I'm here to learn from you.

Dear María,

You have definitely made a valuable point. I should have said, "When language offends within its historical context by connoting hatred of a certain group in society, it needs to be censored."  The fraternity boys who used the offensive n----- word over and over and referred it to hanging, definitely expressed hatred within their historical context.

In fact, while I do speak rudimentary Brazilian Portuguese-- enough to be understood--, I know Spanish better.  Certain words used in Spanish Spanish become profane or vulgar words in the Spanish of other countries.  Bicho in Spain means a bug, an insect, while in Puerto Rico it has come to denote the male sex organ.  Coger in Spain means to grab, while in certain South American countries it signifies to engage in sexual intercourse. 

Yes, there were/are even shall be some words those offends, if not users, others. In India, in addition to Hindi and English, many languages are used in daily life.

Some words or slang those are popular in North India offend people of East and South India and vice versa. But these words popular in pockets and do not go against users and nearby people.

With time such words are modified, deleted, or stopped to use.

Moreover, one has to be careful while speaking to other culture people, as every culture may have some words those offend.

Be careful!

it definitely is a very sensitive issue and this is the reason the language is considered both the most effective and ineffective tool of communication.

Common language should be polite and should NOT offend the other!

One of the problems with 'taboo', apart from the cases properly indicated by Nelson Orringer, is that reality reasserts itself irrespective of the language fig leaves we may try to put on it : a case in point is the word 'toilet' - which originated in polite society trying to hide the meaning of the word then in use, and using the word toilet instead - a fancy French word meaning 'little cloth'. People were for a short while more comfortable with saying they were going to go use the 'little cloth' rather than saying they had to go to the toilet. 

But then of course, the reality of what was meant reasserted itself, and no one today would think that the word 'toilet' is especially distinguished.

The phenomenon is general, and is just a conveyor belt whereby perfectly good old words are replaced by exact equivalents from other sources, because of a faddish transitory time during which people deem it cool to speak using fancy new or foreign words - words that do not remain fancy nor foreign for very long after that ..... 

Cecilia, there is no such thing as an inherently rude or coarse or vulgar word: a word is just an assembly of letters and sounds and is only coarse by the arbitrary consensus of the community who has decided that it be so and uses it thus. It means there is a role to be played by such words within the community, and any random collection of letters can be attributed that role of being rude. Therefore, your proposal to ban such words is unworkable: if such words exist, it means that they have a role to play, and if you ban any arbitrary collection(s) of syllables that have been assigned that role, new words will arise to fill the newly vacated niche.

Dear Roland,

Very well said!

find the right word in order to solve real problems is difficult. we must educate ourselves and children to be free without exceeding the red lines. some taboos should not be taboos. but vulgarity is certainly taboo. 

Dear friends, I agree that coarse insulting words should be removed far away from our lips.  I see the situation that Cecilia has described as very tense; when people are constantly insulting one another with harsh words, very soon they may come to blows.  Words can hurt, and words can heal.  And the bible says, 'Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks...'

Highly interesting question. Tabooing of words is an immense cultural and sociological problem. First, who decides what shall be taboo and second, who is able to decide from all the different senses of a word by fixing it to a single meaning.  I fear misuse. The history is full with such cases. First abolish words, then abolish mentality, then abolish populations.

No, no taboos! Of course you can educate your kids to use a civilized speech.

Dear All,

I can but perfectly agree with the opinion of Hanno. No taboos! Hanno stressed the very important approach: “who decides what shall be taboo and second, who is able to decide from all the different senses of a word by fixing it to a single meaning.”

This means that there is a vast area – depending on media opportunities - of manipulating people and making mainstream standards of a group’s, or some people’s interests.

Dear All,

I suggest you to read the essay of George Orwell on style:

https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm

An excerpt on meaningless and abused words:

“Many political words are similarly abused. The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies "something not desirable." The words democracy, socialism, freedom, patriotic, realistic, justice have each of them several different meanings which cannot be reconciled with one another. In the case of a word like democracy, not only is there no agreed definition, but the attempt to make one is resisted from all sides.”

Please, be aware that this was written in 1946. These days the verbal manipulation and abuse became a very “art” even in developed countries. This is a main political instrument.

Dear All,

It is worth reading even longer comments. Chris has had above a brilliant mini-essay. Not only on the essential side of written and verbal expressions but also on the etymology.

Dear All,

Unfortunately, regarding some politically influenced cultures tolerance became a scarcity these days. Each of you can remember the recent events in Paris where blood were shed by politically manipulated, rootless young people who might had no idea on the essence of the faith they referred to. Words and drawings became dangerous when some can argue only with Kalashnikovs and knifes.

Dear All,

Regarding the example of Nelson, you can find here some details:

https://pinoria.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/racist-rants-and-the-university-of-oklahoma-getting-it-wrong/

Dear All..

In Malaysia, youngster is "TABOO" to criticism the oldest, event though the oldest makes mistakes.  The normative, was strength developed. Therefore, the local student more passive comparing international students........ 

Dear Bimo,

Your URL represents only lack of some sexual taboos.

There are many questions about this topic such as: 1) Who decides that this or that is taboo?

2) Who will convince the ordinary persons to be careful about the language they use? 3) How can the language of some sectors of the population be changed when they are used to it for so long?

4) Will taboo & censorship be selective or not? 5) Will there be courage to call a spade a spade?

There are many variables involved. Language and culture are inextricably interconnected. Language is also powerful and shapes our reality. Taboos are embedded in our ethical concerns with moral righteousness, and may be perceived differently by different people of different cultures or even within the same culture. When we were growing up in the 90s, the words 'hot' and 'gay' in our culture and within the domains of second language learning, only referred to weather conditions or states of cheerfulness. But language evolves, and do people and cultures. Power relations in society often influence the sort of social constraints that gain popularity and then get consolidated. The main idea is not to blindly accept or rebel but to question its existence, and critically engage with it through socio-linguistic lenses, before we choose to agree or otherwise.

In TamilNadu, speaking in Tamil Language itself has changed styles. Every sentence has a mixture of English and other languages mixed. People feel that speaking english represents them as learned; and sprinkle a few words in tamil so that the understanding gets better reached and reinforced.

Youth often cite music television comperes as exemplary users of Tamil-English hybridized slang (“Tanglish”) and fashion, both of which they typified as status (“style”).

https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Frepository.upenn.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1247%26context%3Dedissertations&ei=XBQBVdyuGoa6uATazYLAAg&usg=AFQjCNGWbuYJnNbVKTZyRSTQGXvlDGcmTw

Taboo is a Polynesian word ("sacred, forbidden"), often, but improperly, pronounced in Italian "tabù", which originally designated a ban on ritual objects or people lined sacredness; the term has acquired through a wider meaning, referring, also in common usage, the different spheres of human affected by bans, that the prohibition of use.

Not sure what to say..

Dear all,

Your response to my question was encouraging.

Thank you

Dear Roland,

I feel the same. I really enjoy been here at RG. Unfortunately I don't have always enough time to follow all posts and participate. 

Thanks once again