How do you tell a death threat from the common or garden phrase "I'll bloody kill [insert name of person who has annoyed you here]"?
"Kill" has been for aeons a synonym for "will express my extreme irritation at". Exactly the same way that "starving" is a synonym for "quite hungry and would like to eat something soon".
No-one rushes food aid convoys to places where people have said to/texted/tweeted their mates "I'm starving". Why should we rush the police to them when they say "I'll kill..."?
As to the celebrating celebrity/politicians' deaths - again it is hyperbole. Of the many thousands of people who said they'll celebrate Mrs Thatcher/Paris Hilton/Mr Blobby's death... most won't. They'll hear it on the news many years after they said it and think "Meh, whatever." No street parties, fireworks displays, etc.
The English language contains exaggeration for the sake of effect. Legislation will not alter this.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2012-08-01 02:15 pm (UTC)"Kill" has been for aeons a synonym for "will express my extreme irritation at". Exactly the same way that "starving" is a synonym for "quite hungry and would like to eat something soon".
No-one rushes food aid convoys to places where people have said to/texted/tweeted their mates "I'm starving". Why should we rush the police to them when they say "I'll kill..."?
As to the celebrating celebrity/politicians' deaths - again it is hyperbole. Of the many thousands of people who said they'll celebrate Mrs Thatcher/Paris Hilton/Mr Blobby's death... most won't. They'll hear it on the news many years after they said it and think "Meh, whatever." No street parties, fireworks displays, etc.
The English language contains exaggeration for the sake of effect. Legislation will not alter this.