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Saturday, March 31, 2012

Toward a Lexicon of Nonsensical Epithets

Playing online competitive video games introduces you to a fascinating array of epithets.  These mostly have to do with sexual orientation, but some folks are creative enough to involve cognitive ability, geographical location, immediate ancestry, and gender stereotypes.

But they're just plain tired.  They perpetuate a mindset of xenophobia, but more importantly they encourage a lazy mediocrity of communication skills.  Kids, you're better than this.

Aargh! Squid-texted again!?
Let's inject a more creative, less antisocial alternative .. a new vocabulary.  This is not just a code that maps "dirty" epithets to "secret" ones.  And it doesn't initially need to indicate in what situations a phrase is most appropriate.  Language evolves .. new phrases will live or die .. the winners will find themselves framed in a consensus-built context.

I'll get the ball rolling, next round of the game, with these:
  • Snuggle-shoe
  • Orange-pan
  • Flaxen-apostrophe (use sparingly)
  • Pose a mango
  • Pander to trollies
  • Fly the baby carriage
Together, we can change the world into a more harmonious, playful place for anger and conflict.  Si, se piña!

1 comment:

  1. Haha, squid-texting conjures up hilarious and squishy imagery. Pandering to trollies sounds too coherent though, like feeding the trolls. Pandering to "trolleys" would be a bit more Carrollian, but I doubt you'd be able to hear the difference over the choruses of "OMFG GO TO HELL U DUMBA$$!!1! UR MOM IS GAY!!" ;)

    What were you guys playing, anyway?

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