In yesterday’s post on regrettable news leads, I said that one reason not to affect bogus King James English was to avoid giving offense to the godly. One reader commented: “I don't think the danger of offending th godly, or anyone else for that matter, is a good reason not to write something, or do anything really.”
On the contrary, when one is writing for publication, there are excellent reasons not to *** READER ALERT: VULGAR LANGUAGE PENDING *** piss off the readers.
In some articles, on some occasions, for some audiences, one avoids certain references or certain kinds of language — profanity, for example, or ethnic slurs. Among the things to take care with are religious references, because people’s religious beliefs and associations are held profoundly. (I myself, as by adult profession a high-church Anglican, understand all too clearly the danger of hinting that other people’s beliefs and practices are silly.)
If you are going to give offense to the godly, you had better do so for a good reason — to assert, for example, that, contrary to Scripture, the earth revolves around the sun, that it came into being much earlier than an October morning in 4004 B.C., and that its human inhabitants descended from more primitive forms of life, are points of established scientific fact, rather than to adapt the language of their sacred texts merely for some cheap and transient effect.
(I'm sure this will offend some) Amen, brother.
ReplyDeleteAmen, John! Imitation of the language of one form of the poetry of the ages does nothing to address the issue that some take that poetry literally and, in doing so, miss its deeper, figurative, permanent — and crucial – truths.
ReplyDeleteFor example, Genesis might well be telling us, "Earth is a special place. If it is not unique in the Universe, then the nearest place like it may well be too distant to do us any good. Early on, we made a big mistake in caring for it. Let's not mess up again."
Being not of a particularly godly persuasion, it would never have occurred to me that imitation King James English could be offensive. Poorly executed -- which it virtually always is -- it can offend the language-attuned*, but King James English doesn't belong solely to the King James Bible.
ReplyDeleteBut, as noted, I am not sensitive to such things.
* If only, if only we could pass ordinances against commercial enterprises that use the word "Ye" or that decorate their names with vestigial e's. (Kidding. I do not favor language legislation. Still.)
I try not to use the word scientific fact when referring to theories even ones that are logical and well established.
ReplyDeleteIf you're offended, be offended. A blunt style may work to bring in readers or lose you readers. If you feel uncomfortable writing things then don't, if you can then do.
ReplyDelete