We often wonder why people have to use vulgar language, yet at times we catch ourselves spouting it too. It may be because we are angry or maybe even because we think it's cool to use it. It's not surprising to know that many people associate such bad or foul language with gangsters and hooligans. But one thing's for sure...you would never have expected a teacher to use vulgar language in a classroom. So you can imagine the class's shock when the English teacher, Mr. O, starting using vulgar language one day.Here's a student's account about the experience.
It was one of our usual English lessons on a lazy afternoon. Most of my classmates were either chatting away and laughing loudly or sprawled in various positions across thier desks, trying to catch forty winks before the next class. Just then, Mr. O walked into the calssroom and stared at us. Before the class monitor could react and get the class to stand and greet him, out came a string of expletives from his mouth!
"What the @#** do you think you guys are doing? @%%$^&*, you have no respect for your teachers, right? You just can't be $@#@$# bothered with school and your work!" We were all stunned into silence. Mr. O continued to hurl vulgarities at the class for the next few minutes, even when our class moniter tried to apologise. Never before have we heard Mr. O use such language! I mean, vulgarities are commonplace in school, with some students so used to spouting obscenities that it seemed like second nature. But a teacher using vulgar language? It was almost unthinkable.
We were all shocked and dumbfounded. The first thing that ran through my mind was, what was wrong with Mr. O? Was he in some kind of trouble over our misbehaviour in class? Was this an evil side to him that we've never seen? Or did he take the wronf medicine? Even so, why did he have to use vulgar language? Couldn't he have put the same meaning across in a different way? All these thoughts were whizzing through our minds and all of us were scared, puzzled and a little angry. I personally felt that the way he spoke to us was a little ridiculous. No matter how nonchalant we were about school, he didn't have to use such vulgarities on us. In that split moment, I realized that my impression of Mr. O was going to change. He wasn't Mr. Nice and Intellctual guy anymore, but a closet "Ah Beng" behind those deceptive glasses.
Our impression of him took another turn, however, when Mr. O started laughing. This time we really thought he was mad. The class was starting to get worried when he explained, "Today's lesson is about the unnecessary use of vulgar language. Now I'm sure you understand why I stepped into class and started shouting at you that way." What a relief! So it was all for a good reason. It was sure a good way to get all our attention. "How did you feel when I shouted at you this way?" Mr. O asked. "Do you think it was unnecessary?"
Everyone started talking at once. To my surprise, even some of the students who were normally reserved in class spoke up and laughed about how exploited they felt. Simone said, "Normally, if someone on the streets used vulgar language, we would just look away or pretend we didn't hear it. Sometimes I think that these people are 'daring' or 'rude', but since I already have a bad impression of them, I just leave them alone." Steve added, "But we never expect someone like a teacher to use vulgar language, that's why we were so surprised!" The class laughed.
"Well," smiled Mr. O, "That's exactly my point" He went on to explain that the use of vulgarities gives others the impression that you are not educated nor refined. Later on during the lesson, the the class was made to write down how we felt when vulgar language was used on us and whether there was another way in which Mr. O could have expressed his feelings. The exercise made us brainstorm on the alternative words we could use when we are on the verge of using vulgar language as well.
From that lesson, I really felt that I learnt a lot, because one of my bad habits is to swear whenever things aren't going well. From what I learnt in Mr. O's class and being able to experience it myself, I have to agree that vulgar language isn't at all necessary. In fact, it looks bad on the person and it is torture on othereople's ears too. The lesson was fun and educational, and even many weeks later, we were still laughing about the day Mr. O used vulgar language. Mr. O's unique and interesting way of getting us to experience this ourselves made the lesson more exciting. However, come to think of it, that will probably be the first and last time I will hear a teacher use vulgar language in the classroom.
P/S: What would you feel if the person you respected, be it a teacher or a senior at your workplace or maybe a respected family member, started using vulgarities in a everyday normal conversation?
