Let's Stop Using the Slang Word For Carabiner

Sloppy Second wrote:

If someone I was climbing with didn't like the usage of [an innocuous, commonly-used climbing term derived from the German word for mechanical spring that could only be interpreted as offensive by someone desperately wanting to be offended] 

...I would climb with someone else.

I don't let what people find offensive determine my entire perception of them or enjoyment of their company
 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

SOOOooo I asked a friend who's from Mexico about this. His reply was "What's a carabiner? Oh wait those key chains they sell at Home Depot?"

After two minutes of explaining he laughed.. at me.. and all of you.

Bill Kirby wrote: SOOOooo I asked a friend who's from Mexico about this. His reply was "What's a carabiner? Oh wait those key chains they sell at Home Depot?"

After two minutes of explaining he laughed.. at me.. and all of you.

Don't y'all think that the main issue is writing "beaner" instead of "biner" and not the homonym aspect?

Marc801 C wrote:

Don't y'all think that the main issue is writing "beaner" instead of "biner" and not the homonym aspect?

That's not really an issue because nobody writes beaner when they mean biner. 

eli poss wrote:

That's not really an issue because nobody writes beaner when they mean biner. 

You’ve been on MP long enough to know that’s false. Look at my link to an MP search way upthread. 

Marc801 C wrote: 

Don't y'all think that the main issue is writing "beaner" instead of "biner" and not the homonym aspect?

The issue, according article linked in the OP:

The "biner" slang word for carabiner can be offensive to people of Mexican  descent and heritage. While the spelling of the climbing slang term and racial slur are different, they are audibly identical. 

This is an article with the title "LANGUAGE MATTERS ..." where the author clearly does not understand that it s a rule of language that two words can be pronounced the same but have very different meaning, and that context is critical.

Quite possibly most obsurd topic I’ve read in long while ...
Just call carabiners ‘burritos’ and no one will be offended. Easy.

Seriously!  caraBINERS = BINERS

Marc801 C wrote:

Don't y'all think that the main issue is writing "beaner" instead of "biner" and not the homonym aspect?

Never seen it written that way without someone writing “its biner not beaner bro”. I think everyone’s doing a good job of keeping that at check.

Sloppy Second wrote:

The issue, according article linked in the OP:

This is an article with the title "LANGUAGE MATTERS ..." where the author clearly does not understand that it s a rule of language that two words can be pronounced the same but have very different meaning, and that context is critical.

Yes, for example, imagine a beautiful lesbian climber standing at the base of a very popular City of Rocks climb, about to start upwards.  A first time COR - visiting Geologist approaches the base and points at an equally beautiful granitic protrusion and yells "Look!  It's a dike!".  

Situations like this show that context IS critical.

Marc801 C wrote:

You’ve been on MP long enough to know that’s false. Look at my link to an MP search way upthread. 

fair enough, I stand corrected. I thought I learned my lesson about not underestimating how dumb people can be, but I guess not. People really are dumb. 

phylp wrote:

Yes, for example, imagine a beautiful lesbian climber standing at the base of a very popular City of Rocks climb, about to start upwards.  A first time COR - visiting Geologist approaches the base and points at an equally beautiful granitic protrusion and yells "Look!  It's a dike!".  

Situations like this show that context IS critical.

Yes, but if one is at the COR it would not just be a dike but an intruding dike. 

Isn't INTENT what's important?  If I say "Look at that filthy biner", but am pointing to a Latino, that would be bad, but if I am pointing to a carabiner that has been in the weather or dirt for a while, that would be OK.

Same as the word retarded. I worked with handicapped people when I was in college for four years, and during that time it went from SOP to use the word retarded (it was a technical term, like autistic) to being a slur???

It is because the intent of the people using the word "Retard" as a slur, not because the word itself is bad.

If I say retard in the context of spark ignition, is it a bad word?

phylp wrote:

, imagine a beautiful lesbian climber 

Buck Rio wrote: Isn't INTENT what's important?  If I say "Look at that filthy biner", but am pointing to a Latino, that would be bad, but if I am pointing to a carabiner that has been in the weather or dirt for a while, that would be OK.

Same as the word retarded. I worked with handicapped people when I was in college for four years, and during that time it went from SOP to use the word retarded (it was a technical term, like autistic) to being a slur???

It is because the intent of the people using the word "Retard" as a slur, not because the word itself is bad.

If I say retard in the context of spark ignition, is it a bad word?

Logically, yes. But apparently it's not about logic for the people who are trying to change the words.

Tim Lutz wrote:

Is Tim a homophone?

It depends on how you say biner..... if you say biner like a white man with no inflection, fine.   If you use your best and most exaggerated mexical voice.... ( like broadcasters you would never know they're Mexican until they pronounce something latin).... so like... beeaannneer... then no.   

Sarcasm doesn't come through the interwebs very good...

bruno-cx wrote: Look at all of the SJW trad dads debating the term "biner".  Nick and REI have got to be wondering what is wrong with this community.  ugh.

REI's climbing glossary: http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/rock-climbing-glossary.html