Forbidden American English [antikvár]

TO THE USER Why a Dictionary of This Type? Within the last thirty years, the restrictions on the kinds of vocabulary, visual imagery, and subject matter that can be presented to the public have been reduced considerably. Films, television (especially cable television), the stage, print media, and even radio no longer avoid offending the most hypercritical segments of society. At the same time there are still major areas of American society where there are significant restrictions on the vocabulary that can be used in everyday social interactions. This dictionary has been prepared for persons who seek guidance in avoiding giving offense with potentially offensive vocabulary. Included among such persons are nonna-tive speakers within the U.S. and the foreign consumers of exported U.S. entertainment, especially films and television. The Point of View Expressed in This Dictionary American society has always been pluralistic. For that reason, it is not now, nor has it ever been, possible to make general and accurate statements about American tastes, values, and behavior. Forbidden American English, as the title indicates, presents a specialized vocabulary from the point of view of persons whose tastes and values cause them to avoid or renounce the use of these expressions. There are, of course, other points of view. One view might be that none of the expressions in this dictionary ought to be forbidden. Another view might consider the sexual expressions to be harmless and the racial epithets to be unspeakably vile. This dictionary does