So did my dictionary get deleted? Admin attention please...

Question

I had posted a Puerto Rican dictionary to help with the flood of questions we usually get due to how slang based their language is, but now when I went to check on it, it redirects me to the "Answers" page. Now as far as I understood, it was going VEEeeerryyy well, and had lots of great feedback. I'm just wondering what happened? Admin please help...

Answer 1

I realize that we have some recent problems with offensive posts, and I fully support Nicole's recent comment about the need for us to stand up against disruptive and disrespectful contributions to our forum.

While I don't know whether the dictionary was removed for administrative purposes, I hope that we don't "throw the baby out with the bath water." (Is there a Spanish equivalent to that saying?)

Surely some posts are just meant to shock or offend, but other posts may be incredibly useful despite containing a naughty word or two. I'm all for protecting children's delicate sensibilities, but many (if not most) of us on this site are full-grown adults who can survive the occasional curse word, especially when it is sandwiched in such an informative resource. If some of DJ Huero's dictionary entries were inappropriate for the forum, I would prefer to edit out those particular entries, rather than eliminating the entire dictionary.

• Now what do I do with all the reggaeton music I purchased yesterday? No puedo entenderlo! - jrey0474 Oct 27, 2009
• jaja, thanks jrey - DJ_Huero Oct 28, 2009

Answer 2

¡Hola!, DJ_Huero :

I had an enquiry, by private message, just last night about another "disparacido" Post/Thread/Question. The topic looked completely harmless to me, even an interesting topic to some. It seems impossible it was deliberately removed, but, it was gone.

I wondered then if there is a computer glitch that caused it to disappear. Now, I also wonder about your entry.

Like you, I'll wait and see.

Recuerdos/Regards,

Moe

• Gracias por la informacion. - DJ_Huero Oct 28, 2009

Answer 3

Yes, I'd like the information because although I don't use offensive slang, I don't want to accidently say something wrong, especially at church. Because there is a lady I know from Perú. But I don't want it falling into the wrong hands....Oh well there's pro's and con's I guess!

Answer 4

Heidita, in the post you linked to ("A fine line..."), it appears that you were undecided as to how strict the profanity policy should be. You implored others to share their views in order to inform your policy decision, and mentioned how important it was to hear as many voices as possible. It looks like more posts supported a more liberal profanity policy (allowing limited profanity if for educational purposes), yet here we are.

I'm not questioning the ultimate decision, but I'm confused about the process. Does our input matter? Are we clearly decided against any and all forms of profanity and any inquiry into it?

Answer 5

DJ, I reposted the dictionary here, if you wish, just copy it and repost it yourself, I will then delete my thread. After all it was your work.

saludos

• Ok, thanks, but why did this happen? I'm just curious... - DJ_Huero Oct 28, 2009

Answer 6

Ok, well, I have my agreements and disagreements with the decisions made. But I think in conclusion i'll try and further edit the dictionary, although making sure it still makes sense and is a proper translation. But I think that most the people here understand profanity is part of life and it's better to understand it and learn it the right way rather than be fooled and put in awkward situations in public. I'm far from a rebel, and very much appreciate this site, but I would highly recommend an area where the adults could communicate. And to clarify, an adult section wouldn't be a place for mess or constant vulgarity, but it would be a place where adults could communicate adult language and situations and not have to filter it down to a high school level. I hope I'm addressing this fairly, because I really do have an immense appreciation for what SpanishDict does and it's admin, but I think there's needs to be some re-consideration established as to what we can do to avoid this topic in the future. As Heidita said this has been discussed before. Anyways, hopefully wisdom and positive feedback can be gathered from this and the right thing will be done.

Thanks for everyone's support and understanding my actions.

• Very well put DJ. I know when you have a large group of people, we will not all agree with each other. However, you have answered in a way that gets your point across, but also respects the administrators, their decisions and the site. - Nicole-B Oct 28, 2009

Answer 7

The equivalent Spanish saying to "Throw the baby out with the bathwater" goes something like:

Tirar las frutas frescas con las pochas.

As far as I can translate - to throw the fresh fruit out with the over-ripe ones. Please correct me if I am wrong but I have a book of idioms/proverbs called Hablar por los codos and this seems to be what it is.

• It makes sense to me, so I guess the issue is whether people would actually recognize the idiom. Thanks. - jrey0474 Oct 27, 2009

Answer 8

I'm not questioning the ultimate decision, but I'm confused about the process. Does our input matter? Are we clearly decided against any and all forms of profanity and any inquiry into it?

The input of forers always matters and is taken into account.

However, on the question of profanity or "unclean " posts I think the rules of the site are very clear:

1. Keep your content clean and appropriate

Do not post offensive material (language, videos, usernames, pictures, etc.). Questions or Answers with offensive content will be deleted as this is a "family-oriented" forum and should be appropriate for all age levels. If you feel that for a correct translation you need to use "certain" words, avoid being explicit and use symbols (@#¢) to avoid spelling the entire word.

• I think that's pretty clear. - --Mariana-- Oct 27, 2009
• I do too. - Goyo Oct 28, 2009

Answer 9

I am really trying to understand the process, and I promise that I am not trying to be difficult.

While I question whether the term "offensive" has the same clear meaning to all of us, I agree that the forum rules on profanity are as clearly stated as possible.

My confusion arose when I saw that, in the "A fine line..." thread, Heidita appeared to be earnestly soliciting forer input into where the profanity lines should be drawn. The majority of the posts were in favor of allowing some profanity for educational purposes, so after being directed to read that thread, I came away with the impression that some profanity would be tolerated. It's now quite obvious that that was not the message that Heidita intended me to come away with.

So that I understand; we are not to ask or answer any questions that use or pertain to profanity or offensive language. Forer input is important, but allowing any degree of offensive language is not up for discussion (anymore).

• Thanks for understanding...I added the thread to show people we do not want to go there, like in WR. - Heidita Oct 27, 2009
• What's WR? - DJ_Huero Oct 28, 2009

Answer 10

Hello There, I was wondering the same thing, why was my remarks deleted? It was not offensive, I did not call anyone names neither did I use profanity. What is incredible to me is that -name deleted by me- was confusing students and threatening people,he cause a good teacher to leave,yet he was allowed to go on and on,;-name deleted by me- he truly was offensive, not my entry to this thread. Such is life.

Answer 11

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

I have heard that the Italians have a similar saying and it translates as something along the followings lines.

"Por un garbanzo no se descompone la olla"

• The literal translation of that is, "Don't break the jar for one garbanzo"? No? Me lo gusta, gracias. - jrey0474 Oct 27, 2009

Answer 12

You're right, I don't see it anywhere (I did a search under your name and by the title).

Answer 13

Yeah, I can't find it anywhere either. There sure was a lot of effort on that work of yours, & it's a pity if it will get removed due to its content, which is indeed not meant to offend but to inform & educate. Hope you have it saved somewhere in your files, for it'll be such a hassle if a piece of work like that will just go to waste.

Answer 14

Fortunatly I copied all of it to a word document. If you want, D J, I can P M it to you.

Answer 15

Hi everybody, I deleted the post, sorry DJ.

I read through it and did not think it suited this site. We have to draw the line somewhere, on this dictionary of yours, like on all of them, there was more than one swear word, I am sorry, but this kind of post is not allowed on this site.

I just had a look at this thread again and I am not going to repost it.

Please have a look at this thread, we discussed this before. We do not want to go there, sorry.

A fine line between profanity and...

• I didn't read the text but I trust your judgment when you say it was inappropriate for the forum. Can he clean up some of the language and resubmit it for posting? - --Mariana-- Oct 27, 2009