I agree with my esteemed brother above: Would you call your country a "c***"? Didn't think so. :) Don't call the fraternity a "frat". It's true - some find it offensive.

Different note: I was a junior transfer when I pledged. Age doesn't matter really. As long as you can handle being instructed by people possibly younger than you and showing respect to those guys because they have been there.

Good luck, man. Keep your eyes open. Use this semester to check out the scene and see what the fraternities are really about judging by their actions, involvements, and events on and off campus this semester. You may find something better for you simply by observing. Besides, you rushed to meet some folk - re-rush EVERYONE and meet more guys. It can never hurt!

I'm curious: why does the term "frat" have such a negative connotation for NPCers?

The negative connotation that has become associated with "frat" due to society's misconception of Greek life. "Frat", in a lot of circles, conjures images of "drunks, womanizing, stupid, classless, sexed up, etc." Just something I was kind of trained to avoid - using frat - because of pop culture, basically.

I absolutely hate that saying because it is nonsensical. Make your argument but not with stupidity.

Besides it would be a "count" which isn't bad at all.

Because you live in the "count"ry of the United States, right? No ma'am, this is your "cunt"ry, phonetically speaking, of course... It's all phonetics, my friend... That's why it makes sense.

There are ways to get the point across without being crass. That's much more important that the phonetics of itn

"Would you call your father fat?" or "Would you call your mother moth?" is the "clean" alternative.

I cringe everytime I hear the word fraternity shortened to "Frat". It just seems so condescending to shorten it like that. Sort of like a "bad" word is being said. The the word is usually followed up by some news story about how the "frat" members broke the law.

no... those don't follow the phonetic rules of "identical sounding first syllable". try again.

maybe "would you call your toilet a toy?" but that's lame.

If this is your logic, then "frat" doesn't work, either. Most people say fruh-TER-nity, so if you're using phonetic rules, you're offended only when people call your brotherhood a "fruh". :rolleyes:

You're fighting a losing battle with this analogy.

You made me chuckle. Thanks, Syd.
I surrender. But I will still use my statement because I haven't found a better one. :)

Fair enough, but you really don't need to take it as far as you did. I grew up with my brothers espousing the same philosophy, they hated hearing the word "frat" and they used the same analogy, but they would limit it to "Would you call your country a... ?" -- people are smart enough to connect the dots. You don't need to actually SAY that word and you certainly do not need to WRITE that word. It's truly offensive and it makes you look crass and unintelligent. Be more clever and trust your audience to get your drift.

I have seen far too many inappropriate posts on GC to be worrying about offending someone with use of a synonym. If you were offended, I'm sorry you took offense, but just move on to the next post, man...

If you have to say "but" -- you're not really sorry. :)

Note: I didn't say I was sorry for typing what I did. I'm sorry they took offense. :)