Sceadwian said:
I get into tiff's with Nigel (a moderator here) relatively frequently due to differences of opinions, but I have no animosity towards him (and I hope he doesn't have any towards me) about those differences. Sometimes I'm wrong, sometimes he's wrong, sometimes we both have good points that the other doesn't want to agree with, but it's generally cordial.
It's one of lifes small pleasures!
But on differences in acceptable language, here's a recent true local story.
I live in North Derbyshire, which borders on South Yorkshire, and a common term of address from some is calling people 'duck' - as in "Hello duck", "How are you duck" etc.
Now this guy came from an area where this usage is commonplace, he is a Paramedic, and he was called out to a non-responsive lady collapsed in the street. As those of you who have done First Aid course know, you first try to attract their attention, to see if they are conscious or not, and he said "can you hear me duck" - to which she didn't reply. Anyway she wasn't breathing, he performed CPR, started her breathing again, and saved her life.
Next thing he knows, the ladies daughter has written an official letter of complaint to the Ambulance service about his "inappropriate behaviour" calling her mother 'duck', claiming it upset her greatly. This led to the Paramedic being suspended from work for a number of months, while it was investigated, and taken to court.
Eventually he was cleared, but he was suspended for months - I can only imagine the womans daughter was trying to get a cash payout from the Ambulance service?.
Incidently, I know of a similar case years back, I can't remember the exact circumstances, but a local Paramedic who saved a ladies life was accused of misconduct by her - leading to suspension, and it so destroyed the Paramedics life he tried to kill himself, by carbon monoxide poisoning in his garage. Unfortunately, his wife (who he wasn't expecting back till much later), came back earlier and found him - saving his life, but leaving him permanently brain damaged!