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- Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
- Path: sparky!uunet!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!cs.utexas.edu!torn!watserv1!watdragon.waterloo.edu!violet.waterloo.edu!bbobak
- From: bbobak@violet.waterloo.edu (Brad Bobak)
- Subject: Re: About the 'F' in RTFM
- Message-ID: <Brqs71.KCs@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
- Sender: news@watdragon.waterloo.edu (USENET News System)
- Organization: University of Waterloo
- References: <1992Jul17.202448.19848@wyvern.twuug.com> <3122@dozo.and.nl> <1992Jul21.005916.22447@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu>
- Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 13:59:25 GMT
- Lines: 75
-
- In article <1992Jul21.005916.22447@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu>, dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Schaumann) writes:
- >
- > A frank discussion of the f-word below; those of tender constitutions may
- > wish to press 'n' now. Also, the discussion is related to C only by the
- > most tenuous of relations...
- >
- > In article <1992Jul20.162942.14863@mic.ucla.edu>, stephen@eggneb (Stephen Schimpf) writes:
- > >> > |Proposed change to 'standard' practice. 'RTFM' is now 'RTM'.
- > >> > |The 'F' does not relate to any known adjective for Manual.
- > >> > |'Read The Manual' should suffice.
- > >> >
- > >> > fabulous? famous? fancy? fantastic? fascinating? fateful? favourable?
- > >> > fine? forgiving? forgotten? formidable? funky? funny? ;-)
- > >>
- > >>fucking?
- > >
- > >YES! Finally! It's amazing to me how long it took for someone to write the
- > >word. It's just a WORD.
- >
- > "Just a word"? Just a loaded word. "Sticks and stones may break my bones,
- > but names will never hurt me" is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever
- > heard.
- >
- > Presumably, "f-ck" refers to the act of intercourse. Common usage, however,
- > tells us that this is not so. Those of limited vocabulary will also use it
- > to express the most powerful put-down they know (ie, "f-ck you", along with
- > assorted variations). It's also used to describe an extreme state of
- > non-functionality ("f-cked up"), as well as a plethora of other highly
- > undesirable states.
- >
- > I personally avoid using "f-ck" in my conversation; since it has such
- > powerful negative connotations, it cannot help but pull my own thoughts
- > in the same direction.
- >
- > Anyone whose ever been insulted (or praised) should know that words can have
- > a powerful effect on the human spirit. English (and, I suppose, every human
- > language) is full of such loaded words, both negative and positive. To claim
- > that any such word is "just a word" is to miss in a fundamental way what
- > words are all about.
- >
- > The fact that there is a reluctance to use it should be no surprise at all.
-
- This has nothing to do with C at all (well, except when theres a bug in
- your code ;) ), but I came across this, and thought it'd be neat to post.
-
- 311.() [~] webster fuck
- 1fuck \'fek\ vb
- [of Gmc origin, prob. fr. or akin to D fkken to breed (cattle), fr.
- MD, push, thrust, copulate; akin to Sw dial. fock penis]
- vi
- (15c)
- 1: COPULATE -- usu. considered obscene; sometimes used in the present
- participle as a meaningless intensive
- 2: MESS 3 -- used with with; usu. considered vulgar
- ~ vt
- 1: to engage in coitus with -- usu. considered obscene; sometimes used
- interjectionally with an object (as a personal or reflexive pronoun)
- to express anger, contempt, or disgust
- 2: to deal with unfairly or harshly
- :CHEAT, DO IN -- usu. considered vulgar
- -- fuck-er n
-
- 2fuck n
- (1680)
- 1: an act of copulation -- usu. considered obscene
- 2: a sexual partner -- usu. considered obscene
- 3a: DAMN 2 -- usu. considered vulgar
- 3b -- used esp. with the as a meaningless intensive; usu. considered
- vulgar <what the fuck do they want from me>
-
- >
- > --
- > Dave Schaumann dave@cs.arizona.edu
-
-
-