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Political Correctness or just Madness?

(78 Posts)
Firecracker123 Mon 04-Jan-21 12:23:18

Dad's BARMY: BBC slaps 'discriminatory language' warning on film version of classic sitcom that refers to the French as 'frogs'

Dad's Army 1971 film now goes with a warning. You couldn't make it up could you.

Riverwalk Mon 04-Jan-21 13:14:11

Political correctness or just Madness

Neither - just modern day good manners.

Or shall we revert to calling our special-needs grandchildren as Mongs, Cripples & Backward?

Genty Mon 04-Jan-21 13:17:06

Total madness! It was all harmless fun in our day and we laughed, everyone takes offence so easily nowadays over the slightest comment! Political correctness has gone too far it makes no sense at all.

eazybee Mon 04-Jan-21 13:26:38

Rank stupidity.
How long do you think before special needs is deemed offensive?

kircubbin2000 Mon 04-Jan-21 13:29:45

eazybee

Rank stupidity.
How long do you think before special needs is deemed offensive?

I think it already is. I saw it referred to today as inclusive education.

LullyDully Mon 04-Jan-21 13:31:34

I have noticed that a special school is now a special needs school. Not sure why, it should be obvious I suppose.

Genty Mon 04-Jan-21 13:32:08

The OP is talking about a film!

Ilovecheese Mon 04-Jan-21 13:41:00

Just basic consideration for others.

EllanVannin Mon 04-Jan-21 13:45:00

Someone badly needs something to do ! ( rolls eyes )

EllanVannin Mon 04-Jan-21 13:55:39

What next ? An apology before every programme in case of offence ?

GillT57 Mon 04-Jan-21 14:09:43

Anyone else noticed that the ones stirring the pot about perceived racism or offensive language are the same people rejoicing about the hollow 'victory' of Brexit? Or is it just a co-incidence?

Lucretzia Mon 04-Jan-21 14:17:40

GillT57

Anyone else noticed that the ones stirring the pot about perceived racism or offensive language are the same people rejoicing about the hollow 'victory' of Brexit? Or is it just a co-incidence?

Who?

varian Mon 04-Jan-21 14:20:46

I would not support censoring outmoded language but I think the warning should be there.

Lucretzia Mon 04-Jan-21 14:22:19

A warning is pretty harmless

I always smile when I read mild peril on the children's films

M0nica Mon 04-Jan-21 14:29:00

'The past is another country, they do things differently there'

Has the BBC really not heard that sentence?

What about modern variations of language from one country to another? Some years ago I worked with an Australian girl who, when she joined the company, referred to sellotape as 'Durex' because that was the trade name of the main brand in Australia. We quickly took her to one side and told her what Durex was in the UK and the word she should be using. Then there was the American whose name was Randolph and aways called 'Randy' without problem in the US, but caused some problems in the UK.

When you consider the number of versions of English there are, what a state of confusion the BBC could be reduced to if everything they broadcast had to take into consideration the versions of English spoken in this very cosmopolitan of countries!

I relish the thought.

varian Mon 04-Jan-21 14:31:46

Good point Monica I well remember the reaction of an American student when a British student asked to borrow his rubber.

Lucretzia Mon 04-Jan-21 14:35:42

'The past is another country, they do things differently there'

Ah yes, MOnica Well remembered.

Fanny Bags are used in USA

Thongs in Australia ... flip flops here

Love the Durex story

GrannyGravy13 Mon 04-Jan-21 14:38:08

We still laugh about our first trip to Australia, when our hosts Father told one of our sons to go get his thongs on the look of horror on DC’s face was an absolute picture!

Thongs are what we in the UK call flip-flops

GillT57 Mon 04-Jan-21 14:45:41

varian

Good point Monica I well remember the reaction of an American student when a British student asked to borrow his rubber.

A colleague told me of her sister's experience of a teaching stint in the USA. She popped to the local Walmart to stock up on a few bits, and asked for 35 rubbers, the assistant almost fainted when Brit asked for "ones with goggly eyes if you have them, please" grin

Namsnanny Mon 04-Jan-21 14:47:13

GillT57

Anyone else noticed that the ones stirring the pot about perceived racism or offensive language are the same people rejoicing about the hollow 'victory' of Brexit? Or is it just a co-incidence?

Really where? Who? Why jump to this conclusion?

merlotgran Mon 04-Jan-21 14:49:10

Or asking your tennis opponent if they fancy a knock up?

Callistemon Mon 04-Jan-21 14:57:13

In Australia I might be asked "You a bloody Pom?" (asked in a friendly manner).

I'm not sure if I want to be called a Rosbif - it conjures up visions of a large red-faced man.
Or has that term been banned in France now?

Ellianne Mon 04-Jan-21 15:02:32

MDR
Are French kisses going to come with a warning too?

Doodledog Mon 04-Jan-21 15:07:32

I have no issue with warnings on anything. I can choose to ignore them if they don't apply to me, but have no wish to have others upset by something just because it doesn't bother me, or to inflict my sensitivities on others.

A word like 'frog' in a film about the war wouldn't offend me, but I would rather know in advance if a film had a graphic rape scene, for instance, so that I could be forewarned, as I would find that upsetting. Others might feel the opposite, and neither would be wrong.

I see it as no different from warnings about peanuts or flashing lights. Neither will affect me, but I don't think it's 'going too far' to let people know about them.

MamaCaz Mon 04-Jan-21 15:07:46

The BBC are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
No warning, and they will get letters of complaint about the use of the word in question. They give a warning and will no doubt get complaints about that instead.

Actually, I was corrected (by a young English lecturer) at university 25 years ago for translating les français as the French, on the grounds that it could be deemed offensive and I should have used the French people.
I have to admit, that did seem over the top to me at the time, and still does today.