Time to test the talk

TERRENCE HONORE

AS TRINIS, we love a good ole talk, but some people continue to push the limits of fair speech with the type of words being uttered in Parliament and in public. The recent, much-talked-about exchanges between two leading politicians have drawn comments from all sides. Given all that has transpired, I think it’s time for us to test the talk that reaches our ears and steers our hearts.

Some speakers show good sense in their utterances, but there are others who continue to fill the airways with “out-of-timing” words and phrases. Bad words can have dangerous consequences.

The seriousness of what we say does not only relate to what is recorded in the Hansard in Parliament, or the copious notes taken in the public courts, but to all the talk we talk. We will all have to be judged one day for all we say.

As Jesus Christ said, “…everyone will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every empty word they have spoken (Matt. 12:36 NIV). It’s a tough thought, but till then we must responsibly test everything we say, privately and in the public domain.

We must practise word usage but avoid abusage. We are told that English is a hard language to learn and even harder to understand. Sometimes the idioms get in the way, but often it’s the idiots who make it difficult to comprehend. Some people “populate” the social media with hyped talk, the kind that flows freely, like flatulence after a chataigne feast.

Now, with the inflation and unbearable increases in food and other consumables, it’s reassuring to think that talk remains cheap. But we must be mindful that the courts of law have frequently ordered people to pay high prices for defamatory remarks. Sometimes the law seems to rule in favour of people offended by some “true true fatigue,” but generally the legal system compensates victims of vicious talk.

There seems to be too much character assassination in the nation. That’s another aspect of the violence that we are experiencing. Recently, the tone of our talk seems to have worsened. Many words have been “coloured” by the kind of talk that would cause some groups in the society to stop talking to each other…to put it plainly.

So, if the talk elicits a response to hate or kill, then it’s not acceptable. The Bible gives speech the highest rating in relations, and psychologists and sociologists would agree. What is said could cause grievous harm to others – words can cut like a knife. Just to say, even bad grammar would “harm” you. As my experienced journalist friend said to me the other day, “green verbs are painful to the ear”

But how can we really test the talk? There must be a yardstick to measure the intent and extent of words uttered.

So, it’s time for the etymologists, linguists and cultural conformists to come forward as experts, to set up a matrix, to ascertain when asinine statements are uttered. And if they are worth being weighed on the scales of good sense or jurisprudence. People should not be able to “get away” when they deliberately utter words that sicken the society.

No special freedoms and concessions must be given to people who seek to “murder with their mouths.” In the old days, the use of “bad words” made parents want to wash out their children’s mouths with soap.

Maybe we need some modern detergent as a deterrent for people with foul mouths, who think they are free to attack others with impudence.

The laws of Trinidad and Tobago include the obscene language/profanity laws which consider provocation and “breach of peace, or to the annoyance of any resident or person in [public] use of obscene or ‘foul language’ as a criminal act.” Notably, there is a fine of $200 or imprisonment for 30 days. Not much of a deterrent.

Many consider the law to be oppressive, but we need to give serious consideration when such speech “can be oppressive to incite or has the potential to incite violence,” according to our Constitution.

Wicked words must be expunged from our vocabularies. What we need is a comprehensive published list of “bad words” to measure malicious intent. Even the internet giant Google has a listing of 1,730 words that it considers abusive. But such words are different with each country. We should have our own set of Trini words to be tested.

But Creole cultural norms be damned. We cannot hide behind idioms and ole talk to cowardly hurt others, brandishing wicked words like cutlasses in the midday sun. The instances of verbal violence have gone deep in the psyche of our people and our leaders must not be allowed to escape with ambiguity of meanings when they speak.

I recently learned that a group of scientists from the International Journal of Advance Scientific Research and Engineering Trends in India (Akanksha Gajbahar et al) proposed a paper titled “A method for abusive words detection using machine learning framework.” That’s a real consideration for the academics. But very damning word must be tested.

There should be added penalties of expulsion for abusive words in Parliament, where the bruising dialogue tends to exploit parliamentary privileges and the sensibilities of others. But if our leaders cannot get away with vile utterances in the House, they should not be able to escape unscathed in the public domain. It’s time to “lock them up,” Madam Speaker!

So, this is where we reach in the land of free speech, when people take liberty to poison our minds with words that divide us and distort the vision of our destiny. Sadly, our children hear and take to heart the divisive talk that tears us apart.

It must be made clear to all that if we abuse, we all lose, especially with words of hate or discord. So, let’s have more common sense in our utterances and save ourselves, our children and our nation from decadence.