# 'fuck' - example sentences in the WordReference dictionaries



## alix2a

I looked up 'fuck' to see if there was any guideline for how it's used as an exclamation among seniors. I couldn't find any such definition of the swearword 'fuck' but where defining the verb I can find this: 

"This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm". 

- which I think is an inappropriate example according to a gender aspect. It plants the idea that a girl still in our days couldn't have a lot of sexual intercourse. I think WordReference should be more careful with the examples they choose to publish. Why don't have an example where both subjects of a sexual intercourse are mentioned? As for instance: "They slept with each other in the common dorm" or "Many students slept with someone from the same dorm". This to avoid that negative associations from pejorative words such as 'fuck' are spread to an act where a woman's part in it has become the emphasised information, as in the given example. Or, the other way round, if "her dorm" were changed into "his dorm" we would by using a double subject prevent old prejudices (often positive aspects) about a male's sexuality from being spread even further.


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## ewie

I don't follow what you're saying, Alix.

_This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm_.

'Dorms' are *generally *single-sex ... so 'she sleeps with all the girls in her dorm'.

*Or:*
It could be that 'this student' is *male* ... so 'he sleeps with all the girls in her dorm'.

I agree it's not a brilliant example, though.


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## TrentinaNE

The sentence cited by Alix2a is not a WR example, it comes from the dictionary supplier, WordNet 2.0 Copyright 2003 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

For what it's worth, I tend to find many of the WordNet examples less than illuminating. 

Elisabetta


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## alix2a

*Ewie and Trentina:* Thanks for your replies, 

*Ewie*, OK I have misunderstood the meaning then. It's good to hear that the example has a different meaning than I thought. I believe you're right in either one of your suggestions.

*Trentina/Elisabetta: * I'm happy to get sorted out where the examples come from; that the dictionary supplier is confirmed and created by (?) the Princeton University. Though some examples may seem a bit odd if they're being put in the wrong context. 

I am happy I was wrong this time, but would still like to encourage people to keep an eye on "hidden prejudices" embedded in language.


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## SDLX Master

Alix, I think you should not get so upset over given examples. If you strongly feel they are not appropriate, you can always bring up the subject to Mods and propose alternate sentences, don't you think? Just my two cents.


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## ewie

SDLX Master said:


> you can always bring up the subject to Mods and propose alternate sentences, don't you think?


Also, Alix: you can always click on the 'Suggestions' thingie on the left-hand side of any dictionary page (under 'Links') to suggest any improvements.  Those suggestions _do_ get looked at and acted on, though not necessarily immediately


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## mkellogg

For example sentences of common English words like that one, the French and Italian dictionaries should have a good list. (Scroll down in the pages.)  "Gender aspects" in dictionaries?  You will find that dictionary examples try to show typical usage that can be understood easily.  That is why the examples will often use the most typical situation (and pronoun) whether it is for ironing a shirt or racing a car.


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## TrentinaNE

mkellogg said:


> You will find that dictionary examples try to show typical usage that can be understood easily.


And yet the discussion here suggests that Wordnet has failed abysmally in this instance. 

Beyond that, it refers to the f-word as "slang" and makes no note whatsoever that (in many settings) it is considered one of the most vulgar words in the English language.  Failure No. 2.

I like IT-EN dictionary at WR very much, but I never use the English only as its presentation is very confusing.  The link to Merriam-Webster is much appreciated though!


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