need some advice.... - Page 2

ealymc · #1 10-02-2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugar08

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.

Drolefille · #2 10-02-2007, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ealymc

I agree with my esteemed brother above: Would you call your country a "cunt"? Didn't think so.

Don't call the fraternity a "frat". It's true - some find it offensive.

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.

ealymc · #3 10-02-2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

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.

Senusret I · #4 10-02-2007, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ealymc

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

33girl · #5 10-02-2007, 12:23 PM

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

Drolefille · #6 10-02-2007, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ealymc

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.

No, it doesn't make sense because what I call my country has nothing to do with what I call a fraternity. The two have nothing to do with each other, it's just an excuse to be crass.

ealymc · #7 10-02-2007, 12:34 PM

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.

SydneyK · #8 10-02-2007, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ealymc

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

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".

You're fighting a losing battle with this analogy.

ealymc · #9 10-02-2007, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SydneyK

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".

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.

nittanyalum · #10 10-02-2007, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ealymc

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.

MysticCat · #11 10-02-2007, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiMuFriend

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.

Is it condescending when people shorten "dormitory" to "dorm." Is it disrespectful to a refrigerator to call it a "fridge"? (Yeah, I know, a fridge doesn't have feelings and isn't the same as a fraternity.) Is it disrespectful to call the United States of America "the States," or for a vet to talk about "'Nam"?

We do it English all the time, often to indicate affection or loyalty. Look through old (pre-1960s) fraternity writings and I'm betting you'll come across quite a few references to "the dear old frat" and the like.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

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.

If there were one thing I would ban from all Greek discourse, it would be this so-called analogy.

Of course you wouldn't call your country a ________, because the resulting word is universally (at least within the English-speaking universe) considered very, very obscene. I don't think I've ever heard anyone claim that "frat" is obscene. This is just a stupid, stupid analogy. It has nothing to do with why many consider "frat" offensive; it's just something "funny" (or shocking) some guy came up with along the line to try and explain why the word "frat" shouldn't be used.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ealymc

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.

This is the reason many avoid the word frat -- because of the "Animal House" connotations it carries with some people and in some circles.

We lose credibility if we say you shouldn't call your fraternity a "frat" because you wouldn't call your country . . . . We maintain credibility if we say you shouldn't call your fraternity a "frat" because "frat" may carry connotations that we do not think apply to us and do not want associated with us. It really is that simple.

ealymc · #12 10-02-2007, 01:07 PM

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...

Senusret I · #13 10-02-2007, 01:08 PM

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

Sugar08 · #14 10-02-2007, 01:13 PM

I have to say, ealymc... using the word you did to prove your point about saying "frat" vs "fraternity" fits the definition of why you say the term is offensive.

Quote:

...womanizing, stupid, classless, sexed up...

I'm not particularly offended, but I just thought I'd point that out.

nittanyalum · #15 10-02-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ealymc

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...

Don't worry about me, I was just trying to give you helpful feedback about how you might consider representing yourself in the future. You're not doing yourself any favors currently.