Subject:
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Re: Swearing?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.fun
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Date:
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Sat, 8 Jan 2000 18:11:32 GMT
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Viewed:
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1375 times
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John Neal wrote:
> Mr L F Braun wrote:
>
> > John Neal wrote:
> >
> > > > Mr L F Braun wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > -I still
> > > > > get essays from college students where they refuse to spell out "God" and will
> > > > > write "G-d".
> > >
> > > That sound you hear is me weeping for the future. From where does *that* kind of
> > > nonsense come?
> >
> > Which nonsense, my feeling that it's unusual or the practice of eradicating the "o"?
> > If the former, it's because I'm a Unitarian, and because most of the essays I get
> > don't shy away from capital-G God in expository writing. (And no, I *never* under
> > any circumstances hold the "G-d" iteration or any expression of religious devotion
> > against a student--if they know their material, they know their material, and that's
> > that.) If it's the latter, I presume it's based on the Hebrew precedent of never
> > uttering or writing the "true name" of God, which is why it was so often YHWH (which
> > has been loosely transpronounced as "yahweh" or the Europeanized "Jehovah").
>
> Ah, I see. I thought it was because of an unbelief in God:-p It is confusing because,
> as you say, the Hebrew name for God as written in the OT is YHWH (however it's
> pronounced, no one knows for sure). So to spell the generic word for God (which is
> what It *is*, not Its name) "G-d" seemed odd to me.
This was a common convention before the late 19th century, as well--but it was
context-sensitive too; for example, when using in an admonishment or a swear, you would -
the "o" (along with the "am" in d--n, much later), but in theological texts it would be
spelled out.
> I have stopped weeping and am now scratching my head;-)
You and I both. I guess that since the born-agains feel they have special privy to God's
wishes, they feel it's OK to name him/her/it.
best,
Lindsay
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Swearing?
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| (...) Ah, I see. I thought it was because of an unbelief in God:-p It is confusing because, as you say, the Hebrew name for God as written in the OT is YHWH (however it's pronounced, no one knows for sure). So to spell the generic word for God (...) (25 years ago, 4-Jan-00, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)
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