[Publib] inappropriate language

[Bruce Brigell]

If you want to check on curse words en Espanol;
 
There are many Spanish to English slang dictionaries online like:
http://www.languagerealm.com/spanish/spanishslang.php
or a short list of juicy terms at
http://www.livingspanish.com/slang-sexual.htm
For a resource that lists the Spanish versions of English cuss words
definitions of English slang terms including the 7 words you can't say
on television are included in the English-Spanish dictionary at:
http://www.wordreference.com/
 
Bruce Brigell
Coordinator of Information Services
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton Street
Skokie, IL 60077
847/324-3142
847/673-7797 [fax]
bbrigell at skokielibrary.info

	-----Original Message-----

	From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Mark Arend

	Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:30 PM

	To: publib at webjunction.org

	Subject: [Publib] FW: inappropriate language

	 

	Good afternoon, 

	 

	One of our member directors has asked me one that has me
stumped.  How do you deal with inappropriate language when you can't
understand the language being spoken?

	 

	Here's how she states the problem:

	 

	 

	> Has anyone in the system, ever compiled a list of Spanish
swear words?

	> I have a list from a local year round Spanish speaker, but she
is

	> already a generation removed from the most current slang, so I
need

	> something more.

	> 

	> Here is why:

	> 

	> Just last week, a teen boy was being rude to our staff. Beside
using

	> English swear words, he also used Spanish swear words he
learned from

	> some of the migrants last summer.  While talking to my staff
about

	> this, I discovered that these same migrant teens were saying
these

	> things to our teen student worker. It was confirmed by another
patron

	> who heard this. (I kicked him out for a year.)

	> 

	> I have several concerns and need help.

	> 

	> I would like to prevent it from happening again. I plan on
taking the

	> online Spanish class which starts the beginning of each month.
But

	> there is no live person, and I inquired about Spanish swear
words, and

	> Anna Palmer directed me back to my board, my system and the
police.

	> 

	> If our student worker is getting verbally harassed while in
the

	> library, what are the issues if she walks out of the library
at the end

	> of the day going to her car and the same boys, or anyone
really,

	> confront her in any way outside of our building--are we
responsible for

	> her protection just to the door, her car? We only have city
parking, no

	> library parking.

	> 

	> When the Spanish words were said in English I would think they
would

	> constitute sexual harassment, disorderly conduct, at least. So
I can

	> kick them out for sure. But what if we don't know what they
are saying,

	> and we smile sweetly and ask if they need help.... we are so
lame!!!

	> 

	> Or should we just smile and let it go.

	 

	 

	 

	-------------------------------

	 

	Mark W. Arend, Assistant Director

	Winnefox Library System

	106 Washington Ave.

	Oshkosh, WI  54901

	(920) 236-5222           fax: (920) 236-5228

	 

	mailto:arend at winnefox.org
http://www.winnefox.org/

	 

	 

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