Hello everyone! We at Local Lingo have recently received the following email message: ===== I have just been notified that the word "Robertek" listed on your page of diminutives has a very negative meaning. I have confirmed this with a native speaker and have looked up the meaning of the word online. I would suggest that the term be removed or another one sought. Thank you. ===== Unfortunately, the sender did not include a return email address (or a name for that matter), so we have no way of replying to him/her, but we find the topic too interesting to pass up and leave unaddressed. Just for clarification, the word "Robertek" appears in the nameday section of our website under diminutives of male names on this page: www.locallingo.com/countries/czech_republic/culture/name_days/names_dimm.html The reason why it is there is because it IS a diminutive of the name Robert. As the Czech native speakers among you know, the word also has another connotation in Czech that some are not even able to spell out... Without any further beating about the bush, the word "Robertek" also means a "vibrator" in Czech. Now, does this automatically give the name a "very negative meaning"? Moreover, how do we seek a different "term" to replace this version of a relatively common Czech name? Names are not terms, names are names. What do you think? Should the name Robertek be banned from the Czech language as a dirty word and removed from our website? If so, what should be done with all the Dicks and Dickies out there?
It seems this topic has not gained much attention from the forum members over the past 2.5 years Just my 2 cents though. It is not a question of whether this word should be removed from the website (I see it's still there), it is about whether "dirty talk" should be considered part of the language or not. For my part, Local Lingo should set up a whole separate section for dirty words in Czech. I'm sure there'd be many language learners interested in this. Even though some people may not like it, dirty words have a purpose in a language and they are being used all the time.
I think that the context of the word should dictate whether it is considered a vulgarity. In this instance, it is correctly being identified as a name and as such, it belongs on the list. If it were being used in it's secondary or slang meaning then it would not be appropriate to post. It is only vulgar depending on the context of it's usage. Think about this, what if your own name were to be turned into a dirty word some day. Would you like the board to strike your name? I think not. Just my opinion.
I completely agree with you. I just don't see any need to be "afraid" of dirty language on language learning sites as long as the words and expressions are identified as such and their different meanings explained. These words are an integral part of any language, even though they may not appear in dictionaries (all the more reason to educate people on sites like Local Lingo).
Actually, online dictionaries (e.g. slovnik.atlas.cz) contain the word "robertek". While they also contain all the dirty words I was able to recall, they mark such words as "vulg.". However, the word "robertek" is not marked as such, which is correct, I think. Robertek is actually a more useful term than vibrator. Firstly, the word "vibrator" does not sound too good (think terminator, predator, alternator, generator). Secondly, there are "vibrators" that do not vibrate. The other meaning, diminutive of Robert, is used very rarely. People who are aware of the term robertek try to avoid using Robertek as diminutive as much as they can (not giving the name Robert to their babies inclusive).
My delightful wife wanted to call our baby girl...when we have her....Megan but is put off because of the possibility she could be mistaken for a French car and the conotations this may have when she is at school in CZ. Mal PS I think this is off topic.
Hi-new poster in this section. Boure v sklenice? Vibrator a dirty word? That seems an odd discussion. It's a thing, an object. That' like saying maybe, for instance, condom is a dirty word. Me thinks not.
You're right, the "dirty word" label was uncalled for. Let's stick with the sender's original classification of the word as one that has "a very negative meaning". :wink:
