Comments on: "We are all the other now"

By: KevinM

KevinM — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:48:45 +0000

So in German the euphemism for impotence would be "Hier stehe, ich kann nicht anders."

By: David Morris

David Morris — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:19:59 +0000

In one episode of the British political satire "Yes, Minister", the civil service bigwig is shocked when one of his circle is revealed as spying for the Russians. He says "But he was 'one of us'. If 'one of us' can be 'one of them', then … 'all of us' could be 'all of them'".

By: richard howland-bolton

richard howland-bolton — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:52:43 +0000

the sexual euphemism

By: richard howland-bolton

richard howland-bolton — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:51:59 +0000

I've usually heard sexual euphemism (60's, 70's: southern England) as "a bit of the other", "getting a bit of the other".

By: Alex Boulton

Alex Boulton — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:48:54 +0000

Another snowclone which has been discussed here before I think, "X is the new Y".
The clothing manufacturer Morgan has a series of advertisements with "happy is the new chic"; you can see lots of examples if you put this in inverted commas in Google Images.
What's interesting is that this poster campaign is used heavily in France… in English (with the obligatory asterisk and tiny translation hidden somewhere in the photo).

By: Saskia

Saskia — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 02:13:36 +0000

Someone who is completely excluded has been utterly othered. A cow who has been completely excluded, udderly othered.

By: Philip

Philip — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:59:45 +0000

Don't forget the punning possibilities with "utter" and "udder."

By: Rubrick

Rubrick — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:10:53 +0000

That British usage is new to me. Makes this sort of survey question rather intriguing:

Sex:
1. Male
2. Female
3. Other

By: Mike G

Mike G — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 21:06:35 +0000

Perhaps othering only happens to someone else, but we're all someone else to someone else.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 21:00:27 +0000

The other of my other is my brother?

By: Morten Jonsson

Morten Jonsson — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 20:43:47 +0000

We have met the enemy and he is us.

By: Cameron

Cameron — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 20:26:30 +0000

In philosophy, much of the discussion of The Other derives (these are often lengthy and circuitous derivations to be sure) from the work of Emmanuel Lévinas. Translators of Lévinas have had to deal with the distinction he is able to draw on in the French language between l'autre and l'autrui. Various conventions have been used to convey this distinction . . .

By: Brett

Brett — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 19:56:48 +0000

@Kasper: That euphemism came up in John Mortimer's "Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow," in connection with a prostitution ring. When I saw the television dramatization rebroadcast in America, I thought it was a very odd way for the undercover cop character to proposition the woman giving him a massage. It makes a lot more sense if "the other" was an established expression. [(bgz) OED has the sexual euphemism from 1922, in two quotes from Joyce's Ulysses: "They would be just good friends like a big brother and sister without all that other" and "Bit light in the head. Monthly or effect of the other." It's also in Lady Chatterley's Lover: "She loved me to talk to her and kiss her... But the other, she just didn't want."]

By: Kasper

Kasper — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 19:03:29 +0000

In the UK, if you're over a certain age, 'the other' means 'sexual intercourse' (originally 'the other thing'.) This could lead to some interesting conversations between visitors & locals.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 18:56:50 +0000

@dw:

Imagine the possibilities of this verb:

"I tried to say hi to this girl but she was like totally othering me."

I don't think you quite understand. This is already standard usage, at least within the humanities. Google "othering" and it immediately reveals hits like:

"How does othering constitute cultural discrimination?"
"Othering - Geek Feminism Wiki"
"Othering and being othered in the context of health care services."
"Impacts of Othering - Dismantling Arab Stereotypes"

The possibilities have already been well and truly imagined.