More or Les (was Bloody Plurals)

[mkenuk]

 the word that i am questioning is " indie " fromWednesday's standard game.
It came up as a common word with the definition of an independant publisher.
I feel that this particular abbreviation should be reclassified as rare.

Les, I think the word indie is more often used, especially by young people, for indie music, especially rock music by artistes who are not tied to one of the major record labels.

It's also used in the same way of Independent film-makers, ie those that are not tied to one of the Hollywood moguls.

[Les303]

Thanks for that explanation Mike but I do maintain that this particular abbreviation is not commonly known.
No doubt, our friends in America & England will offer an opinion.

[Linda]

Very common over here.  I love a bit of indie music. 

[anona]

Pat re FGM and Teresa May: thank you, Pat. I didn't know about her refusal to meet with the charity, and find that really weird. It isn't as if there are pros and cons to it.

Though I saw that in 1993 some London Borough Council had a debate about whether it should be offered on the NHS to those of African backgrounds, and a woman councillor who opposed it was threatened with mutilation herself.

[mkenuk]

It's illegal in UK and has been since the 1980s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_mutilation_in_the_United_Kingdom

Any doctor using NHS facilities to carry out this barbaric practice would  risk criminal proceedings and action from the GMC.

Unfortunately, as with abortionists in earlier times, this has led to a growth in backstreet clinics, where standards of hygiene may be less than adequate.

[anona]

UK FGM illegal 1985 - I didn't know. Rhetorically: so what the heck were Brent doing even debating the motion in 1993? It can't have been anything to do with taking the girls abroad to have it done (still legal until 2003) because of the mention of using the NHS. Bonkers.

[Ozzyjack]

When I get time I'll discuss the difference between assimilation, integration and Multiculturalism.

Let's just say the attached cartoon doesn't describe integration, multiculturalism or real tolerance.

[TRex]

I hate having a conversation with somebody who is dressed from head to toe in black & all I can see is their eyes.

Here's some history. Fourth century Christian theologians developed the concept of person from πρόσωπον (adopted by Latin as persōna) which originally meant 'mask' as worn by actors and had already taken on the meaning of 'face'. Before then, individuals were seen as instantiations of the Ideal, but not as fully complete in and of themselves. This developed into a theology which says I look on your face and recognise you as a person, not an abstraction and not an object. And although it may be possible to recognise some people by their build or gait, we humans typically recognise others by their face.

When one can only see eyes and not the face, it isn't possible to recognise a human person. Heck, I don't know how one could recognise the human you talked with yesterday is the same one today if all one can see is the eyes.

I think such attire literally de-personalizes the wearer.

[yelnats]

Hobbit - only eyes visible: I agree with you and find it disturbing, too - although I haven't yet sorted out in my head the clash with how far we would allow personal choice of clothing of a less sinister type.

I find it strange those who wish to ban the hijab (hair covered with only face showing) when I can remember nuns dressed like that.

[TRex]

I find it strange those who wish to ban the hijab (hair covered with only face showing) when I can remember nuns dressed like that.

I agree.

[mkenuk]

It's not just Middle-eastern ladies, of course, who prefer to keep their faces covered in public!

Now this is scary

[Alan W]

The second picture was apparently staged, featuring a Trump impersonator - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-kkk-cross-burning/

[mkenuk]

I wondered about that;
You're probably right, Alan.
It's the first one that is scary, though. The Nazi salute. You can almost feel the hatred in the eyes.

[yelnats]

The KKK outfits and the Spanish Holy Week processions seem to be too close to be coincidental.



Does anyone know if there is, or what is the connection?

[anona]

KKK much more scary, I agree, because the sole reason for wearing the outfit is hatred, and known to be.

Being unable to see the hair doesn't in itself interfere with recognition or interpretation (apart from making it more difficult to see the scalp going back, of course), so I have no problem with the hijab or the nun's coif and wimple.

Before yelnats mentioned nuns, I had wondered whether some covered their faces, but couldn't remember ever seeing this and probably never have in the flesh. If I'd googled "nuns eyes only" I'd have found the images for strict orders - most like a niqab in effect.  And some Victorian widows wore heavy black veils, obscuring the eyes as well - so more like the burka!

If all but the eyes is hidden, does the niqab-wearer develop more fully other ways of adding nuance to speech or showing what they feel (with no speech) and would I adjust and tune in to these. Possibly, with time.

I've never spoken with someone wearing the full burka, so I have no idea about that. The resemblance to a black Dalek is unfortunate but I hope unintentional on the part of the Dalek designer.