Barriers To Genealogy In The Future

[majm]

So Andrew, dismissing your other controversial post, are you now saying that people should just have to put up and shut up, when verbally insulted, harassed in the workplace etc etc. or otherwise offended by others?

Not necessarily.  I would prefer to say (trying to put it delicately) that some people may feel offended too easily, often by trivial things.  I don't suppose I am much more or much less offended than other people, and I don't go out of my way to be offensive.  But at my time of life I take a few minutes to cool down and usually decide that it's healthier to do that than make waves.  So many issues are often not that important in the grand scheme of things.

This whole tiff began when I used a fairly common phrase to which a few Chatters took exception.  From my angle that amounts to their telling me what language I should use - which in this particular instance was not directed personally at anyone.  I don't find that 'offensive', just a bit patronising.  Sorry.

Andrew, may I mention that "up the spout" is not a phrase that is commonly used within my circle of friends.   The word 'pregnant' is not too 'clinical' for any RootsChat thread.  I chose to use the word 'derogatory' in my first response.   To me that can include such actions as denigrading, belittling, slighting,   and of course, to me those actions are offensive. 

Guy, may I mention that my use of the expression 'French Letters" was not using slang, but as standard words as my later post noted.   

The word condom was used in his Sex Education Classes when my son started at Secondary School in the early 1980's.

It may surprise some that the word condom (spelled condon) was used in a 1666 birth rate report and by the early 18th century was in common use, but it is not certain if the primary use of condoms in those days was for prophylaxis or for contraception.

Even today however many people seem to be too timid to use the word and avoid using the name in favour of one of the many slang terms for it.
Cheers
Guy

To many of my generation, living all our lives in Australia, the word Condom is simply another standard word for French Letters.

Children like all young animals learn by example, if the parents are secretive the children become secretive as a result they will get hurt in the long run.

Up to a point everyone, not just children, learns by example, but many don't accept everything they are 'told', and only learn by experience and making painful mistakes (as you pointed out Guy) and sometimes not even then ....

The obvious example in the context of Family History is the number of girls who get 'up the spout' despite being instructed how to avoid it ?

I think that is a rather derogatory remark Andrew.

Andrew,

I simply do not see it as a trivial thing for a female to be pregnant and to carry the baby for nine months and to then be the primary care giver for say eighteen more years or more.   The obvious example in the context of Family History is the number of girls who get 'up the spout' despite being instructed how to avoid it ?

Perhaps the differences between Britain and her former colonies are continuing to increase, even to the meanings of the words used.

Cheers,  JM

 

[majm]

duplicated post, sorry.

[Andrew Tarr]

I simply do not see it as a trivial thing for a female to be pregnant and to carry the baby for nine months and to then be the primary care giver for say eighteen more years or more. 
Cheers,  JM

Of course that is not a trivial thing - I'm not sure how you assume that my remark sought to trivialise it.  I used a fairly harmless phrase (it's in my Longmans dictionary as 'slang') which someone on the other side of the globe disliked.  My next post started 'Apologies ...', but that was not enough, I had to be a misogynist.

I joined Rootschat to discuss Family History, not to go way off topic.  The mods will tell me if I overstep the mark.  Correspondence closed.     Andrew

[KGarrad]

I can't remember the last time I heard the phrase "French Letters" used in conversation?!
Probably when I was a pre-teen!
Such a quaint old-fashioned phrase?

In my experience we always used the word condom, or the brand-name Durex.

[DavidG02]

Durex was the popular name for a brand of sticky tape in Oz

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01h01/

[majm]

Durex 

Yes,  in broad daylight, Monday to Friday, everyone knew how to apply it to just about everything.  I recall it well.     It was perhaps one of the more expensive brands.   Then it became BEAR TAPE
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/199224210  25 July 1952
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/48655176 20 Sept 1951 .... Durex, endorsed by the POST OFFICE .... excellent for parcels except for registered parcels   

There's also the Durex factory that made fireplaces.... in Queensland.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/50561703  Courier Mail 30 March 1953

And Durex as Wall panelling back in the 1930s
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/22015147 9 Sept 1932

So another barrier to genealogy in the future will be the differences in meaning to the words used.

So back to NSW Australia and the 1810s, 1820s.... land for sale at UPSET prices.  Land title searches are a significant part of family history researching in NSW.  civil parish maps can provide details of title holders, mortgages, neighbours, and in 19th century it is a grand way to seek out females, as they were entitled to own land in their own name from first settlement days.     (Today we would write land for sale at SETUP prices.... )

Cheers,  JM

[pinefamily]

Will language itself become a barrier to family history in the future? We can't assume that English will always be the dominant tongue in the UK, USA, or even Australia.

[DavidG02]

Interesting question. My initial thought would be no. We would adapt - or be forced to adapt- to the new language and records would continue in that language.

Maybe those from an eastern Bloc country can comment. I know the Russification of languages AND History really upset those ''satellite countries''

I agree with mam that the differences in English will be a barrier.

[Andrew Tarr]

I can't remember the last time I heard the phrase "French Letters" used in conversation?!
Probably when I was a pre-teen!  Such a quaint old-fashioned phrase?

As this thread has drifted into the terminology of contraception, may I just add that in my earlier ill-fated post that topic was not uppermost in my mind.  I was thinking of a time when such methods were not available to the majority, who had to rely on abstinence or guesswork.  As a result girls did indeed get 'up the spout' for simply not doing what their mothers (probably) told them - 'don't let him get his hands on yer'.  And of course there was much more stigma to live with.