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It is an immense loss to have all robust and sustaining expletives refined away

English translation: It's too bad we have to give up on good robust swearing

01:22 Nov 10, 2007
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / literature
English term or phrase: It is an immense loss to have all robust and sustaining expletives refined away
“What an awful pity it is that you can’t say damn.” I agreed with her from my heart. It is an immense loss to have all robust and sustaining expletives refined away from one! At such moments of trial refinement is a feeble reed to lean upon, I wonder, whether, if I had had any education I should have been more, or less, of a fool than I am.
Thank you very much for your helping me
fuegoardiente
Selected answer:It's too bad we have to give up on good robust swearing
Explanation:
"Damn" is very mild, thus refined, and despite its mildness we can't even use it even in a time of trial (let along the stronger, more vulgar ones).
Selected response from:

NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 09:39
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +4It's too bad we have to give up on good robust swearing
NancyLynn
3 +2what a pity it is to lose [repress] our staple and heartiest swearwords!
Terry Burgess
3it's a pity all the strong and enduring filler words are being cultivated/cultured away
Bernhard Sulzer


  

Answers


24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
it is an immense loss to have all robust and sustaining expletives refined away
It's too bad we have to give up on good robust swearing


Explanation:
"Damn" is very mild, thus refined, and despite its mildness we can't even use it even in a time of trial (let along the stronger, more vulgar ones).

NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 09:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 75
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tatiana N. (X)
1 hr
neutral  Shera Lyn Parpia: "refined" was not used as as adjective in the original text.
4 hrs
agree  Jack Doughty
5 hrs
agree  Sheila Wilson: good paraphrasing
6 hrs
agree  V_Nedkov
1 day 17 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
it is an immense loss to have all robust and sustaining expletives refined away
what a pity it is to lose [repress] our staple and heartiest swearwords!


Explanation:
Another option:-)
And it truly does feel good to swear, on occasions:-)
[and I don't mean on the Bible!:-)]

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-11-10 03:49:14 GMT)
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"Staple Swearword" See:
http://venialsinner.blogspot.com/2006/01/speaking-freely.htm...
Also:
http://scoradh.livejournal.com/114952.html

Terry Burgess
Mexico
Local time: 07:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Patricia Townshend (X)
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Patricia:-)
agree  Shera Lyn Parpia
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Shera Lyn:-)
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15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
it is an immense loss to have all robust and sustaining expletives refined away
it's a pity all the strong and enduring filler words are being cultivated/cultured away


Explanation:
would stress that the "fillers" are not totally taken away but cleaner, more acceptable versions of them are created. Darn!

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Note added at 15 hrs (2007-11-10 17:20:59 GMT)
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or better: it's a pity all the strong and enduring filler words are being replaced by cleaner/finer/more cultivated versions.

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Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2007-11-11 07:56:42 GMT)
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...cultured versions



Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 09:39
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 8
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