At the risk of being crude, would anyone object to using the form
"motherf----r" rather than spelling out the potentially offensive word? (I
hope this passes the fraud detection test.)


On Thu, Feb 15, 2018 at 5:38 PM, Gregg Camfield <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> When my orthodox Jewish students quote passages that use the word "God,"
> th=
> ey write "G-d" because they believe they are not to use the name of the
> lor=
> d.   I don't object.  Similarly, I would not object to someone who had a
> pr=
> incipled belief that they shouldn't use any number of objectionable words
> b=
> ut were willing to use ellipses or dashes or asterisks as placeholders. =20
>
> Twain would probably make fun of the practice, as his repeated use of
> "Hali=
> fax" as substitute for "hell" in his early writings suggests, but he
> capitu=
> lated to the editor's blue pencil quite often.  Plus ca change . . . .
>
> Gregg =20
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ladd,
> Barbara
> Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2018 3:27 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: I failed a "fraud detection" test for previous post on quoting
> sen=
> sitive material from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
>
> I just posted a question about quoting from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
> =
> =3D and apparently my post "failed a fraud detection test."
>
>
> I am myself.... not a robot or phisher.... I'll try again.
>
>
> a question for teachers in colleges and universities and people in
> publishi=
> =3D
> ng:
>
>
> --I cannot find anything in the Chicago Manual of Style or the MLA Style
> Gu=
> =3D ide (or through Google) that deals with the use of the n-word in
> writte=
> n qu=3D otations from literature (in academic papers written by students).
> =
> My posit=3D ion has always been that one quotes verbatim provided the
> quota=
> tion is esse=3D ntial to the argument. I am very uncomfortable with
> student=
> s using "n****r"=3D  (which they do) or using brackets or ellipsis to
> avoid=
>  typing out the word=3D  in a quotation from Twain or any other writer. I
> t=
> ell them that if they ob=3D ject to typing out the word in their papers,
> th=
> ey may summarize the content=3D  of the quotation in their own words, but
> i=
> f the quotation is essential to =3D what they are arguing, they need to
> typ=
> e the passage as it actually appears=3D  in the text.
>
>
> A search for the subject online just shows articles and blogs and so on
> dea=
> =3D ling with the use of the word in speech, but not in academic writing.
>
>
> I'm curious about how others deal with this.
>
>
> Barbara Ladd
> Professor of English
> Emory University
> Atlanta, Georgia 30322
> tel: 404 727-7998
> fax: 404 727-2605
> Office hours:  Mondays and Wednesdays 10-11 a.m.; and by appointment.
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the
> =
> intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged
> informati=
> on. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are
> he=
> reby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this
> messa=
> ge (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited.
>
> If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by
> re=
> ply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message
> (includin=
> g attachments).
>



-- 
William B. Robison, PhD
Department Head / Professor of History
Department of History and Political Science
Southeastern Louisiana University
SLU 10895
Hammond LA 70402
985-549-2109 phone
985-549-2012 fax
[log in to unmask]
http://www.selu.edu/acad_research/depts/hist_ps/index.html
http://www.tudorsonfilm.com/
http://www.impairedfaculties.com/

History teaches students to read intelligently, think analytically, write
clearly, accurately assess past trends, rationally predict future
developments, and understand the real world. Now *that* is workforce-ready!

History does offer us very real lessons, but they are seldom simple and
straightforward. To understand and benefit from them, you have to know your
history very well. That is why history matters as much as math, science,
technology, or any other subject.

"A young horse is fast, but an old horse knows what's going on." – Muddy
Waters