I really wish it were possible for this comic to use swear words. You really lose much of the impact with the boop references. I do understand that Erfworld is most likely a PG-13 comicstrip, so if it's not possible, it's not possible. But it's something I'd like (or wish) to see.
There's nothing "most likely" about it being held to PG-13.
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I note that it's only Parson who's ever attempted to say one of the words that comes out as "boop", which makes sense (it simply wouldn't occur to natives to think up words that literally can't be uttered in their world). It's a neat bit of local color, if nothing else.
I really wish it were possible for this comic to use swear words. You really lose much of the impact with the boop references. I do understand that Erfworld is most likely a PG-13 comicstrip, so if it's not possible, it's not possible. But it's something I'd like (or wish) to see.
Sebastian
The whole point of the comic is that everything is cutesy, even dragons, skeletons, "croakamancers," &c.
The boop reinforces this motif of the comic. Getting rid of it would undermine it.
The comic is primarily targeted at young adults, but the "game" it takes place in is clearly designed for kids (or possibly a Nintendo console), hence the censoring.
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You really lose much of the impact with the boop references.
Quite the opposite, actually. Swear words don't actually mean anything the way they're used these days, and the sentiments they express could be communicated just as well with a grunt or a boop. Censoring them doesn't do much (you can fill in the blanks handily) except express this fact quite effectively.
Plus, the choice of what to censor is rather comical. Parson can't say "screw" or "suck", but everyone else can say "crap".
My first impression was that since Parson is in an alternate universe the words he normally uses to swear don't exist in their language so it comes out as "boop." Or if they do exist they don't sound like swear words to the natives. Either way I enjoy it as a part of the comic.
It is possible that the words they curse with are entirely different (if they curse at all). Like in Ann McCaffrey's Pern series since the dragons are so important they curse using words like "shells," "shards" or "by the egg of Firlanth" etc. It took me a bit to figure out that that was their form of swearing because the words were not swear words to me.
Although the Erfites did complain about Parson using the word "boop", which signifies that they recognize it as profanity. "Boop" is their curse word. It just happens to cover all of the various descriptors that we (as non Erfites) have to choose from. They get the multi-purpose "boop".
Perhaps it's that all the curse words of earth are the same word in Erfeese. It's possible that more variety of Erf translations besides boop might fullfill the gap I experience. For me I don't feel Parson shouldn't be able to just say the words with which he is accustomed. It's the Erfworldians that should be confused about it. Though maybe in time there will be other words that just cannot exist in Erfworld and we'll see multiple iterations of boop then?
Perhaps it's that all the curse words of earth are the same word in Erfeese. It's possible that more variety of Erf translations besides boop might fullfill the gap I experience. For me I don't feel Parson shouldn't be able to just say the words with which he is accustomed. It's the Erfworldians that should be confused about it. Though maybe in time there will be other words that just cannot exist in Erfworld and we'll see multiple iterations of boop then?
I think it's clear that "boop" isn't a familiar word to Erfworld natives -- Stanley declared that Parson "doesn't even speak Language", apparently because about every third word he was saying was "Boop".
I always figured the idea was that Parson was censored because the world reflects a sort of all-ages MMO, which would filter out what he's saying. The joke is he's the victim of a word filter (just like those trying to type stronger words than "suck" and "screw" here).
And it's not hard to understand him. Replace the word "boop" with the expletive of your choice and it pretty much hits the target.
Perhaps it's that all the curse words of earth are the same word in Erfeese. It's possible that more variety of Erf translations besides boop might fullfill the gap I experience. For me I don't feel Parson shouldn't be able to just say the words with which he is accustomed. It's the Erfworldians that should be confused about it. Though maybe in time there will be other words that just cannot exist in Erfworld and we'll see multiple iterations of boop then?
I'd say all the curse words of Earth are the same word on Earth too. Different people may use different curse words in the same situation, but they all mean the same thing. It's what you use when your vocabulary fails you, basically. So it makes sense for them all to translate to the same word in Language.
Agreed. I was just think about that last night. Each curse word has a specific literal meaning, be it human excrement or explicit sexual actions or another, but rarely are they used as such. Mostly they are used as intensifiers or for shock value (which is quickly diminishing). Boop serves to the same effect, essentially, much like a string of askterisks have the same basic effect.
I always figured the idea was that Parson was censored because the world reflects a sort of all-ages MMO, which would filter out what he's saying. The joke is he's the victim of a word filter (just like those trying to type stronger words than "suck" and "screw" here).
And it's not hard to understand him. Replace the word "boop" with the expletive of your choice and it pretty much hits the target.
I hadn't considered that, but I like the idea that it might be a language filter like you suggest here. It makes more sense that way in the context of the story as it's presented. I can buy that.
PS - both "suck" and "screw" have been censored. I offer as evidence the following quotes:
"What the boop? That joke booped."
and
"I don't mean to say that I'm a boop-up and we're gonna croak."
My interpretation of this is that Parson has accepted that he can't swear and isn't trying to anymore. Those boops are actually him saying "boop" not f*ck (or suck) which is what he was trying to say when he first got to Erf.
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