Word: porsena
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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This, on the testimony of Robert Graves (in 'Lars Porsena' or The Future of Swearing and Improper Language), is an antipodean ballad in which is celebrated Australia's addiction to a certain adjective which goes as profanity in Britain, i.e., "bloody." The lines more or less tell the story of Rogue Yates, a relentlessly robust novel in a little-known genre-the Australian western. Author Ronan's sunburnt bloody stockman is a dwarfish near-albino of repulsive appearance and character, named Tony Yates. His father, an ex-convict, used to beat his gin-sodden mother with...
Best of the lot is the long essay " 'Lars Porsena,' * or the Future of Swearing and Improper Language." "Keep obscene or indecent language as a last resort," warns an ancient but sensible Chinese handbook on swearing etiquette. "Avoid reflections on the chastity of your opponent's female relations or on any physical infirmity from which he may be suffering. Once you have gone so far it is impossible to retrace your steps and resort to minor forms of vituperation. Never shout ... Be calm . . . Begin with a great show of courtesy...
...Lars Porsena of Clusium
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