First-
I know there's a lot of people who think it's 100% improper to say 'gauging' ears.
Anyone else get the feeling that 'gauging' is just regional slang, particularly in the Midwest U.S.? I think everyone agrees that 'stretching' is the proper word, and that the jewelery shouldn't be called 'gauges' unless it is indeed a device that measures something with a needle and numbered scale. But considering the amount of people who say they "gauge" their ears, and their geographic location, we should cut them slack. Maybe it's a pop/soda/coke thing?
Second-
What is your etiquette when someone uses improper terms, IRL (not on the internet, way to easy to snark)? Do you snark IRL? Do you just continue using proper terminology and hope they pick up on it?
Normally when someone uses incorrect terms during a conversation I'll use the terms correctly. It's their choice if they want to sound like idiots using slang terms. Most of the time if they state that it's slang it makes me think that it's just as easy to say it properly so that you sound like you have better understanding to the whole thing.
I don't think it's just based on location, I think it's based on people not seeking the proper knowledge on it. If they aren't willing to accept proper corrections then they shouldn't really be doing anything to their body that could potentially hurt themselves in the end.
In this forum, we don't tolerate the words "gauges" or "gauging" and we never will. It's not slang, it's wrong. We actually have a rule against these terms and we certainly won't cut anyone any slack with them.
In real life, I absolutely correct people. I also lose respect for them the minute the word's out of their mouth. I also lose respect for them if they're wearing a taper as jewellery or any kind of plastic. I walk away from conversations when these people claim to know "a lot about mods".
I generally subtley inform them that instead of a "4 gauge" I have a "4 gauge barbell, cbr, ring, plug" whatever. The gauge is the size of the jewelry, based on American Standard Wire Gauges. It's only acceptable if I ask "What size is ___".
There are only two things that are set by fate: Life will be hard and you will die.
And it must have felt like you'd been violated, right?
Seriously, it's like the Body mods community is becoming some sort of nascent religion, and this is the sort of mad dogma that causes bloody conflict for centuries, like the strife over the correct dating of Easter.
The way I see it, if you're not willing to put in the required research and learn the terminology for any form of modification, you shouldn't be getting modified. It irks me to no end.
You don't tend to hear it much in Aus, but being on forums and such, I hear it enough.
Verm, it's more that these people are altering their bodies, potentially permanently, with no idea what they're doing. The words demonstrate a level of ignorance that can be dangerous to the whole community, 'cause these idiots do something wrong and wind up needing medical treatment, and the reputation of the community goes down that little bit more.
No one around my parts say stretched. No one. Unless theyre heavily modded. Its always "yeahhh, i used to have my ears gauged" etc.
It annoys the shit out of me and I always say "you mean stretched. Gauge is the size." It just...irks me. At the same time I have no idea why I give a shit. Its seriously stupid but it still drives me up the wall.
i always assumed it was an american thing only. because, no harm to anyone, but americans come out with the daftest things
i've never heard anyone say gauge in that sense in the UK!
Is it possible that you can fully research these things and still use "guage" instead of "stretch"? Let's face it, everyone's going to understand them.
See the post above, for example. I'll occasionally use "ain't" myself where the situation demands it, and I'm certainly not uneducated.
Is it possible that you can fully research these things and still use "guage" instead of "stretch"?
Not really, no. It's universally hated by the industry, so doing even a modicum of research would mean learning not to say "guaged". It's not really the same as using slang like "ain't". I mean I'm a grammar whiz and I sometimes say "ent", which for the non-brits in here is the next step down from "ain't" :P The understanding across the entire industry is that "guaged" isn't slang, it's wrong. It's more like "alot" or using the wrong your/their/to than saying "ain't".
It's a huge pet peeve of mine when someone calls it'gauging' or says 'gauges'. I always correct them. I have always called them plugs/tunnels, etc and stretching.
