Word of the Day: Scrotum

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
In the normal course of writing a children's book I just can't think of how the word would even come up.

It's a part of the english vocabulary.

[Kuciwalker]

So is antidisestablishmentarianism.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Combat Ingrid
Some do.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
So is antidisestablishmentarianism.

And it's not inconcievable that that should apear in a childrends book. Although scrotum would probably be statistically more likely.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by General Ludd
And it's not inconcievable that that should apear in a childrends book.

You have a strange definition of a children's book.

[General Ludd]

If by "strange" you mean open minded, yes.

There is a world beyond Barny, thankfully.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
In the normal course of writing a children's book I just can't think of how the word would even come up. (Though Spiffor answered it.)

Actually, the article mentioned it. The book's hero is in the process of growing up, and she has to know body parts to that effect. She's introduced to the "scrotum" by the story of a dog that gets bitten there.

[Sandman]

'Scrotum' is completely harmless. What about all the dark fantasy violence that kids novels have these days?

[Kuciwalker]

I didn't say it was harmful.

[Elok]

Harmful? No. Bizarre? Yes. The scrotum part is not central to the anecdote recounted (the dog could have been bitten on the leg), and the book deliberately dwells on the word. Judging by the author's reaction, though, I don't think it was shock value so much as thoughtlessness. "Wow, the technical term for a guy's ball-sack is such a funny-sounding word! I'd better include it in my children's boo--Hey, what are you people yelling about?"

In any case, I lament the lost opportunity for thousands of fourth-graders to point the word out to each other clandestinely and giggle. Now they'll have to settle for getting in trouble by looking up curse words in the dictionary and showing them off, like I did when I was a kid (the funny thing about that incident was that, after being caught, I was grilled by the teacher on what words I'd looked up, and she mentioned several that I hadn't even heard before; good job, ma'am!).

[ColdPhoenix]

How strange?! What are they worried about? That a child learns the correct name for a bit of skin that's connected to an organ that's used for making babies?!!? Shocking! The author should be strung up!!

At least she didn't use "ballbags" or "dicksacks"....

[Sandman]

Harmful? No. Bizarre? Yes.

Bizarre compared to what? Yu-gi-oh?

[Kuciwalker]

We expect Japanese stuff to be weird.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Elok
Harmful? No. Bizarre? Yes. The scrotum part is not central to the anecdote recounted (the dog could have been bitten on the leg)

"Leg" does not sound to like something green that comes up when you have the flu and cough too much.

Without having read the book and knowing the entire context, from what I do know it is safe to say that the signifgance of the word scrotum is that it is a word which is at once familiar, but probably unknown to children and has a peculiar sound to it.

If, through the process of reading this book, a new word is added to their vocabulary, I see no reason to be shocked. It's better off they learn the terminology in a book than from Ali G.

I learned what a prostitute was while my mother was reading Don Quioxote to me. Similiarlly, I had learned about human anatomy and reproduction through an illustrated childrens book (that some would no doubt have burned as pornography or something ) Before even going to school. It's better that my mother tought me these things than I learn about it on the school yard from other children who don't really know what they are talking about, and are prone to exageration, teasing, ect...

[Kuciwalker]

It's better that my mother tought me these things than I learn about it on the school yard from other children who don't really know what they are talking about, and are prone to exageration, teasing, ect...

Why?