Talk:Obscenity
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The following was removed from the article, because Wikipedia is not a dictionary:
It is defined by the public domain 1913 US Webster's Unabridged Dictionary as:
- Obscene: (adjective)
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- Offensive to chastity or modesty; expressing of presenting to the mind or view something which delicacy, purity, and decency forbid to be exposed; impure; as, obscene language; obscene pictures.
- Foul; fifthy; disgusting.
- Inauspicious; ill-omened.
Wikipedia may not be a dictionary, but there is nothing wrong with including a definition within an article! Ortolan88
Indeed, Wikipedia articles should begin with a good definition. Ideally it should be written as a plain English prose sentence, and not contain dictionary-only stuff like parts of speech, extraneous senses, old usage citations, and such. --LDC
Wikipedia is not a dictionary, so a sentence copied and pasted tel-quel from a dictionary, with or without the mention of the source, sounded little elegant to me, unappropriated. Of course, that content can still be included, if coherent, in the article; we should try to explain the concept and not the word. --Gianfranco
- Well, I know that, so rewrite it then! Ortolan88
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[edit] Dubious etymology?
From the etymology:
- (originally ob scenus—literally off the stage)
Cite please?
[edit] A better etymology?
Numerous sources give something on the lines of: from the Latin word obscenus, meaning "foul, repulsive, detestable", and possibly derived from ob caenum, literally "from filth". So I'm using that. -- The Anome 17:59, 17 Jul 2004 (UTC)
[ http://www.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Latin/]
defines- scaena, scena : stage or tent, even foliage
This has always been my preferred etymology as it takes some of the issue away from the issue and allows one to refer to materails intended for discreet consumption by individual self-determination. this obviously has liuttle to with the traditional legal defintion, but i think it's the real definition intended by Petronius, Pliny et al.
[edit] Greek etymology?
From the article:
- Obscenity and its parent adjective obscene take their derivation from the Greek terms ob skene, which literally means "offstage".
I'm no expert in Greek, but AFAIK, "ob" is not Greek, either in prepositions or prefixes. Here's a search of the Perseus database. Using omega instead of omicron doesn't show anything either. And here's a list of Greek prepositions, although it's Koine (a.k.a. "New Testament") Greek, I don't think it's too different from classical (Attic, among other dialects, which would be more appropriate ... time period if the phrase is in reference to a Greek theater) as far as prepositions go. Anyways. I can't find any online etymologies that goes as far back as Greek, but I'm going to be back in town in 3 days (where I have access to OED), and I'll check/change it then. novakyu 21:38, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
[edit] Corrupting Youth
In the Timeline of Ancient Greece it states that in 399 BC "Socrates, Greek philosopher, condemned to death for corrupting youth." And in modern times there are still laws against it, i.e.:
- 18 USC Sec. 1470
- Transfer of obscene material to minors
- Whoever, using the mail or any facility or means of interstate or
- foreign commerce, knowingly transfers obscene matter to another
- individual who has not attained the age of 16 years, knowing that
- such other individual has not attained the age of 16 years, or
- attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not
- more than 10 years, or both.
--Jbergquist 04:33, 9 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Removed unfree picture of Pete Rose
I've removed a photo of Pete Rose grabbing his crotch because it does not meet our Fair use criteria for use in this article. FreplySpang 23:38, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Royal Mail
From the article:
"It is still an offence to send obscene material by the Royal Mail [1]."
The link given does not mention the Royal Mail specifically. If this were the case, then it would presumably be legal to send such material by any other courier. What the news link actually says is that it is illegal to sell adult-only videos and DVDs by mail order. I have for now changed the article to reflect this, does anyone have a source specifying Royal Mail specifically? boffy_b 00:38, 16 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Worldwide view
The article is currently about the US. There is some stuff on the UK and obscenity/indecency on Censorship_in_the_United_Kingdom but I'm not sure how we should handle this. Secretlondon 18:50, 31 March 2007 (UTC)
- The article would grow to excessive listings if the explicit details of various nations were to be included in full detail.
- I suggest that only an explanation and reference links to the more detailed pages within that specific nation's own page should be maintained as done with the United Kingdom who already has listed articles on their government's policy of obscene acts.
[edit] Removal of link to U.S. v. Extreme Associates
I have removed the link to U.S. v. Extreme Associates from the sentence, "The Supreme Court has ruled that it is constitutional to legally limit the sale, transport for personal use or other transmission of obscenity, but that it is unconstitutional to pass laws concerning the personal possession of obscenity per se." because the Supreme Court has not ruled on Extreme's claim that it can legally sell/transport obscene material interstate. Extreme has made that claim in its defense, and a panel of the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals overturned the trial judge's dismissal of charges against Extreme, which the Supreme Court refused to review; however, Extreme has not yet been tried, and the Supreme Court has not made any definitive statement regarding interstate transportation in the Extreme case. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Markkernes (talk • contribs) 22:09, 7 April 2008 (UTC)
