Terrorism and our language

[xtheunknown0]

Other than add new words (Al Jazeera, Taliban, Al'Qaeda), what has terrorism (eg. 9/11) done to the English language?

[Austin25]

How do you mean?

[MasterNetra]

Other than add new words (Al Jazeera, Taliban, Al'Qaeda), what has terrorism (eg. 9/11) done to the English language?

dictionary.com
-Terrorist- (As a noun)
1.
a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.
2.
a person who terrorizes or frightens others.

3.
(formerly) a member of a political group in russia aiming at the demoralization of the government by terror.
4.
an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France.

I don't think 3. and 4. are truly valid for what is suppose to be a more generic word

Interesting thing by definition that would make a number of politicians and well pretty much anyone that instills fear for any reason a terrorist. Parents who tell their children if they don't/do X a monster will get them or tell them if they don't/do X they will get a spanking or whatever, instill fear, so I guess it makes them terrorists too. Also little pranks that are meant to scare someone for fun are acts of terrorism too apparently. Wow the world is sure filled with terrorists ...

Theres some food for thought.

[Austin25]

Well the word "terrorist" has come to mean someone who kills random people because the hate people, when really it means anyone who causes fear and uses it to their advantage. Microsoft is terrorist with fud, and the US is terrorist with our army and nuclear weapons.

[Elfy]

Discussions on religion and politics are not allowed, except for politics directly related to free and open source issues. Watching this ...

[MasterNetra]

Watching this ...

Watching you... :p

[Elfy]

Watching you... :p

If that is you - will you please dress, Thank You :p

[hhh]

What's a piskie? Is that something like pasghetti?

[Austin25]

What's a piskie? Is that something like pasghetti?
lol

[xtheunknown0]

How do you mean?

Are there any patterns in new phrases (eg. 'war on terror') that are part of English now because of terrorism?
Has the way we talked or written changed because of terrorism (because of forums we can frame our responses by quoting each other)?
Have some words become obselete because they have been replaced by terrorism words?

These sort of questions (for example :)) related to linguistics.

[Dayofswords]

Are there any patterns in new phrases (eg. 'war on terror') that are part of English now because of terrorism?
Has the way we talked or written changed because of terrorism (because of forums we can frame our responses by quoting each other)?
Have some words become obsolete because they have been replaced by terrorism words?

These sort of questions (for example :)) related to linguistics.
new phrases, "War-on-BLAH" seems more common

how we talk, lol no. other than it is a great topic for fox news

words rarely become obsolete, so none i can think of

BTW Al Jazeera is a legitimate news organization, they report on terrorism as other news outlets do but themselves have no part in it what so ever. They actually tend to report more neutrally than other mainstream news

[Oxwivi]

The phrase 'war on terrorism' was definitely increased exponentially in the political world.

[blueturtl]

Freedom fries!

Too bad we only have big brother fries here in Finland. ;)

[the8thstar]

I think words like Jihad, mujahideen, and countless names of islamic-related terror groups have become more common to the ears of the American public.

Here in France we have heard these words for decades though.

PS: according to wikipedia, there are about 480 words of Arab origins in the French language:

http://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cat%C3%A9gorie:Mots_fran%C3%A7ais_issus_d%E2%80%99 un_mot_arabe

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mots_fran%C3%A7ais_d%27origine_arabe

[the8thstar]

Here it is for English :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Arabic_loanwords_in_English

[Nick_Jinn]

Watching this ...

So this gets a pass, but asking if people have any tattoos (on a non topical board) is going too far? Im starting to feel a little singled out.

Anyway, if you want to talk about language and terrorism, Noam Chomsky is the person to talk about. He wrote some books on 9-11 and also spends a lot of time talking about how the media changes the definition of words to manipulate minds and information.


Originally, 'terrorism' was about 'spectacle'. Its about using tactics to induce fear, often including tactics that harm civilians, burn down symbols, make people feel unsafe....something that is meant to be psychologically powerful and get peoples attention.

However, now when people think of terrorism is just means 'poor person engaging in asymmetrical warfare'. Insurgents are not necessarily terrorists, though they may or may not choose to use 'spectacle'.

[spupy]

Other than add new words (Al Jazeera, Taliban, Al'Qaeda), what has terrorism (eg. 9/11) done to the English language?

These are names, I wouldn't call them new words. When I come to USA, will my name become a new word?

What it has made to your language is that it's not safe to say words like bomb in a airplane.
(I'm joking.)

(I hope I'm joking, you tell me?)

[grahammechanical]

You do not hear much talk about "freedom fighters" any more. To those living in a town or city that is being fought over it does not make much difference who is blowing you up. Bombs dropped to "liberate" you must be just as terrifying as bombs dropped to "oppress." History is written by the victors.

I have just thought of a some expressions. Radicalise. Then there is insurgent. How about the different twist on fundamentalist? Or Democracise? (spelt wrong, sorry). Regime Change. Surge. Counter insurgency. Is there a difference between a "surge" and an "insurgency?" They seem to be related words. What is the term of getting out of a country without admitting that you cannot win? Handover?

Regards.

[the8thstar]

"Enemy combatant" is the best one I've heard so far. Just as dumb as 'bright day' or 'dark night'...

[MasterNetra]

** Merged with post 21 **

[MasterNetra]

If that is you - will you please dress, Thank You :p

But I am, I just like wearing skin colored jumpsuits. :p


These are names, I wouldn't call them new words. When I come to USA, will my name become a new word?

What it has made to your language is that it's not safe to say words like bomb in a airplane.
(I'm joking.)

(I hope I'm joking, you tell me?)

Well you shouldn't yell bomb or say you have one. And some truck driver was arrested for jokingly saying he had a bomb in his truck when he was asked what was in it by some facility guard.

[Nick_Jinn]

"Enemy combatant" is the best one I've heard so far. Just as dumb as 'bright day' or 'dark night'...

I suppose you could be an enemy non-combatant. Wage war against the common people?

[Johnsie]

I've seen alot more use of the following:

Islamofacism
Islamophobia
Warmonger
Durka Durka Durka
Freedom (most abused word)
Guantanomo Bay
beheading
captives
truck bomb
suicide bomber
naked body scanner
no fly list
watch list
butt pyramid
torture
extraordinary rendition
hooded
waterboarding
'liberation'
mission accomplished
troops (in the UK it was always soldiers/armed forces before)
infidel
extremist
shock and awe
civilian casualties
ramadam
nuke the middle east

[KiwiNZ]

As this thread has been marked "solved" it is time to close.