Why is "frat" supposed to be anywhere near as crude as the country example?

It's hardly comparable, it seems to me. One abbreviates a word; the other changes the word to one of the most vulgar words in the English language.

I don't get it.

That's because you are trying to make sense out of something that is senseless. ;)

That's old. I know that. Sometimes I think you rode the short bus most of the time when you went to your poor inner-city school.

I consider the word frat to be equivalent to the n-word to some degree.

Serious question--who made it that way and why?

BTW, in the NPHC just as sorority sisters refer to each other as soror, fraternity members refer to each other as frat. Nothing crass or disrespectful about that.

I know we all just love to mix it up and argue, but why is "frat" a bad word?


Do you seriously believe it's anything like the N-word, or are you just talking crazy for fun, the usual greekchat way?

No. But I would call my refrigerator a "fridge," epinephrine "epi," and Papanicolau "pap."

Sorry about those last two, I'm a med student.

See, idiots DO exist!!!!

Who really cares? I say frat all the time, and bob dole is pretty fratty.

Hook'Em

It's funny that a lot of the people that complain about "frat" are the very people who exemplify "frat boys"

alphatau87, it is NOT effective. The first time I heard a guy use this year ago when I first went greek, I was horrendously offended. (Note, I'm Northern, not easily offended and can have a potty mouth of my own). People who use that phrase exemplify what a "frat boy" is. Crass, ill-mannered, offensive and immature. Someone who is truly a "fraternity man" or "fraternity gentleman" would never use what is probably the single most derogatory word in the English language. Someone who is a "fraternity man" would honor and respect the females in their life and NOT use that word.

Stereotypes exist for a reason in many cases. Someone may be a fraternity man and strive to negate the stereotypes of a frat boy, but there are plenty of frat boys out there keeping the stereotype going.

In our pledge book it said the fraternity was to never be referred to as a frat

Nate,

Are you offended when other people call it a frat?

I can remember being instructed in preferred nicknames for groups, but that didn't mean that you were supposed to be insulted if called a different one.

Only when people in my own orginization use it, because it shows their lack of knowledge about our pledge book.

There are certain Terns used and then not others or not!

I know where this term I think is coming from, but there is a difference between Fraters as opposed to others.

Is this the question?

Mr. Earp, I usually understand your point, but you lost me in the second part here.

well...
 

honestly there are other words more crass in the english language, i think that because you are a woman you think that "cunt" is the most crass language in the english language, because it is derogitory to a woman(and yes my spelling is wack). Just like homosexuals would think slur words were the most offensive words in the english language to them. Don't you think that dude of Grey's anatomy had the same thing to say. There are many other words that rival that. that word is no different then "bitch," and "hoe." The things that women call eachother and allows most of the male species to call them. I mean if you want to start a feminist movement start with those words. Its an expression, not a representation. And I find it offensive to say that just because you curse makes you not a "fraternity man." Just like just because you have sex on a regular basis gives no one the right to assume and call someone a whore. There personal definitions to everyone. Anyway with reference to the NPHC reference to Soror, thats an organization prefrence, that is what you call eachother with respect. Some of my greatest friends are AKA's and Zeta Phi sooo sweet. Anyway I know people must be tired of talking about this, but if people still do it then its still a problem.