In making a comment or describing an event, the use of terms or words with negative connotations (aka pejoratives) are usually greeted with derision by those being described or with cheers by those who agree with the opinions expressed.
Jane Doe has strong opinions*
Jane Doe is opinionated**
Jane Doe is a b itch***
= little emotional content, ** = some emotional content, *** = laden with emotional content
Personally, I am more likely to respect the opinions of people who don't resort to pejoratives but have to admit to being swayed a time or two by flaming rhetoric.
I have trouble thinking of anyone who hasn't resorted to pejoratives on occasion. I think it can be hard to be measured when one feels strongly about something and that has to be taken into account.
Also, your scale can go the other way - emotional content can be strongly positive as well as strongly negative. In describing someone's positive attributes, a person can go overboard to the detriment of their credibility.
I adore words! Think about the difference between being called "childlike" and "childish". Also, there's a rather wierd, small story in the Old Testament in which some children tease one of the prophets and call him "Baldy." Well, good old Baldy sends a she-bear to eat the children, which I suppose indicates that words can, indeed, hurt, and than one should mind his tongue.
23 Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him. ?Go away, baldy!? they chanted. ?Go away, baldy!? 24 Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them. 25 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel and finally returned to Samaria.
2 Kings 2:23 (King James Version) King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain [A Public Domain Bible] [KJV at Zondervan] [Zondervan]
23And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. 25And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
OK lol, we must have missed that bit. In our cold dormitories we were made to pray and read the bible. I quite thought we had found all the 'good' bits, but I guess not. I must send that bit to my old friend and ask her how we missed it :) (rare smiley)
Aaaarrgghhh! I've been looking for that story for years and years! Mary, I don't suppose you can give me any more information about it? Like the Biblical reference, maybe? :-D
YES!!! That's it! Should've finished reading the thread before I posted. THANK YOU for that! Long story short: my DS is bald and from time to time I have been known to have a go at him, saying 'go up thou baldhead'. He thinks it's hilarious, but I haven't been able to point him to the story so he can read it for himself. Now I can.
You've just solved a forty-year-old mystery for me! Happyhappyjoyjoy! :-D
ah, you know that most of the really fun bits are not in the lectionery! Bratty children, naughty women----the church does try to pretend they don't exist. Would make for much more interesting sermons listening to some earnest vicar trying to explain them.
Dawne, who sat through a long long looong sermon this morning by a bishop who was actually heckled--good naturedly--during it
I didn't mean to imply that pejoratives can't or shouldn't be used when expressing strong beliefs; they're excellent clues to true feelings. Similarly is 'damning with faint praise.' I'm sure someone here will be able to attribute the quote. It can be deadly dull and boring if one uses words of more than one syllable or just recites facts.
Ah yes -- hyperbole or hype as it's been shortened in modern vernacular
Since this thread is about Words at least write the Place `s proper name Beth EL ,,, Also you didn`t mention that he was a Healer and a prophet and the the pupil of Eliyahu Hanavie [ prophet] . mirjam
Sorry. It's too risky asking you anything, Mirjam. You're far too ready to take offence, find fault, assume meanings that aren't there and basically cause threads like this one that go on far too long. You've offended me once too often and I don't want to talk with you any more.
Tottaly your loss because i Know MY TANACH IN THE original version , i know where Beth El is , i live on mount Carmel ,,,, As to who offended who we might differ. But since you never asked in all those years,,, it is tottaly your loss .. mirjam
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