The English language is full of pitfalls.
The word “rooster” has come to replace the older word “cock,”
meaning “male chicken”; the older (and perfectly respectable) word is now a vulgarism,
although it still shows up in contexts like “fighting cocks” and
“cock-a-doodle-doo.”
You have to watch your language.
I was putting together a bicycle rack the other day out of
the sidewalk. It was fairly straightforward – just simple nuts and bolts. But
one of the nuts jumped out of my hand. As I walked back and forth looking for
it, our mailman came by. “Looking for something?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m looking for my – um – “ (Now, think
about how ridiculous I would have sounded if I’d finished the sentence with the
right word. So I was a coward and decided to use the wrong word.) “Bolt,” I
said. “I dropped a bolt.”
He pointed at the bolt I’d just put down. “Is that it?”
“Nah,” I said. “Different one. I’m sure I’ll find it. It
must be around here somewhere. It probably just rolled away. I’ll just buy a
new one.”
Just imagine if I’d used the right word, kids. Just imagine!
