Stop Defining Others

[Nat]

8 hours ago, Elfking said:

We use "sweets" instead of "candy"... We share the word chocolate, otherwise yes there are lots of little differences. The word is context sensitive as I have always tried to say. If you say "I have a fetish for computing" most people here would assume you mean you really like computers as a hobby. If you said "I have a fetish for women's panties" then people would assume sexual. Then of course there are some that could go either way.

I think it is roughly the same in USA and UK where both definitions are legitimate but the second definition is just not a way a lot of people use the word. Doesn't make it any less correct but it is the less used definition.

(By the way, I know I suggested we don't talk about this but it seems everyone else thinks that is a bad idea so I will talk about it too)

[rusty pins]

My thoughts.

[Dill_Pickle]

On Saturday November 21, 03:29:56 GMT-0500, Dirty Diaper/Maxipad Lover said:

[rosalie.bent]

1 minute ago, Dill_Pickle said:

[spark]

On 11/20/2015, 4:27:13, BriGuy said:

I don't understand, huh? What do I refuse?

I'm going to hit on this one because it's a lot funner talking about bullying than arguing about the definition of a word.

[Baby Brian]

On Sat Nov 21 2015 03:29:56 GMT-0500, Dirty Diaper/Maxipad Lover said:

It's definitely a location thing, and I'm guessing it's a US (North America?) vs. UK thing at that. If someone said "what's your fetish with computing" around here, the person the question was aimed at would almost invariably respond along the lines of "I'm not sexually attracted to computers!" I'm convinced most people don't even know the current dictionary definition of the word, and suspect it'll soon be listed as an archaic term rather than a current one, at least on this side of the pond. It really is just one more example of Sir Winston Churchill's great quote about America and the UK being two countries "separated by a common language." I'm guessing it's no different than people in this country being unfamiliar with the term queue as opposed to line, or people in the UK using "sweets" instead of "chocolate." Dialect is probably where the confusion stems from, as even though the term is technically correct, it's not indicative of the way that people actually speak or interpret the word in at least on region of the world. "Obsession" or even "hobby" or "fascination" would be more appropriate terms in areas where "fetish" is distinctly used in a sexual sense. The real issue here is ambiguity with the word though. For example, if I say "diaper" and you say "nappy," we both know what the other is talking about without any ambiguity. However, if I say "fetish" and someone else says "fetish," and we can't agree on what the word actually means, that's when messages get muddled and confusion occurs. Just my thoughts on the subject.

That's a good observation. Yeah that would be incredibly odd to hear someone in the US say they have a computer fetish. (Ooh, your cover is off and your "hard drive" is showing).

[rosalie.bent]

4 hours ago, Baby Brian said:

That's a good observation. Yeah that would be incredibly odd to hear someone in the US say they have a computer fetish. (Ooh, your cover is off and your "hard drive" is showing).

[Elfy]

I mean... It would still be rare to hear here, but I have heard it used a few times.

[rosalie.bent]

1 hour ago, Elfking said:

I mean... It would still be rare to hear here, but I have heard it used a few times.

It is now a more dated expression, but not that much. The americanisation of TV and books etc has helped reduce the difference, but it is just one of those examples of our shared language and how the Americans have brutalised it. I take great delight in using english spelling in all of our books and articles. I'd use the term nappy more often except half of America wouldnt know what I was talking about.

[Baby Brian]

8 hours ago, rosalie.bent said:

It is now a more dated expression, but not that much. The americanisation of TV and books etc has helped reduce the difference, but it is just one of those examples of our shared language and how the Americans have brutalised it. I take great delight in using english spelling in all of our books and articles. I'd use the term nappy more often except half of America wouldnt know what I was talking about.

My understanding as a learned

[billy1234]

10 minutes ago, Baby Brian said:

My understanding as a learned

[Baby Brian]

1 minute ago, billy1234 said:

Actually diaper is old English and means a square of linen cloth and was included in a Shakespeare play Nappy is a derivative of the word Napkin which is modern English for the same thing a square of linen cloth, so it can be assumed that Nappy came about to differentiate between a napkin for normal use from a napkin used on babies. in broad terms Diaper is probably the closest to original in both use and name

Oh god, let's not get into The really old

[Elfy]

I think what I am saying is being blown out of proportion...

People are using it now to explain a difference in what a word means when that isn't what I was saying at all. I was just using it as an example of the way fetish CAN be used. In reality 95% of the time someone says it it is still the sexual/kinky meaning. It isn't like we use the word all that differently from Americans at all.

I never meant to imply that it was normal for everyone here to use its non-sexual meaning all the time, it is only rarely that someone will. I wasn't clear enough with that obviously. Scrolling up I can see I gave the wrong impression.

But my point was that even if a word is used one way 95% of the time and used another way for the other 5%, it doesn't invalidate the lesser used definition.

I just don't want people to latch on to an idea I may have accidentally given them that we go around saying fetish this and fetish that over here, because that definitely isn't the case.

As for the nappy vs. diaper thing... Disposables or cloth or whatever else is referred to as a nappy over here all the time. I think diaper actually came before nappy (or so I've heard) and you kept the word and we changed it but I can't be sure about that.

[billy1234]

37 minutes ago, Baby Brian said:

Oh god, let's not get into The really old

[rosalie.bent]

4 hours ago, Baby Brian said:

My understanding as a learned

[freswith]

Diaper, strictly speaking, refers to the pattern on the surface of the cloth.

In heraldry "diaper" refers to a pattern of diamonds in

[DL4LIFE]

P.P.E.

[Baby Brian]

When I'm purposely trying to be low key about them I may just say my diapers are "medical supplies", which is still completely true.

[Dill_Pickle]

How about these words/euphemisms for diaper:

MAG (nasa -- Maximum Absorbency Garment)

Padding

Protection

Incontinence Pants (as used by Futuro, circa 1975)

Protective/absorbent underwear

Waterproof pants

And of course, brand names: Depends, Attends, Molicare, Abena M4s, Bambinos, etc! (But not Poise--that's garbage!)

[Maxxy]

EXTREME DERAIL!!!

[Elfy]

Now that's a post I can get behind.

[rosalie.bent]

5 minutes ago, Maxxy said:

EXTREME DERAIL!!!

[Maxxy]

I know right... what a waste of a perfectly good train.

[rosalie.bent]

Just now, Maxxy said:

I know right... what a waste of a perfectly good train.

[Maxxy]

1 minute ago, rosalie.bent said: