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I see in many movies bad words are censored or simply replaced by a beep sound. But the expression what the heck is not censored and you can hear it clearly.

You can also see that this expression is used in many conversations on online forums and Q&A websites. It seems to me that this expression is used widely enough to not to be considered that bad anymore.

Am I right?

Also I see a new trend in small free service-based websites which tend to use more vernacular language like:

Guys, don't let us think of what you want to send. Just do it right, right?

and this expression seems to be used more and more. My question is, am I right about what I think of it? Can I use this expression to denote a more user-friendly website?

Update: The main question here is, can I use this expression in a website, magazine, newspaper, or any indirect written media without offending readers or users?

Saeed Neamati
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  • This may be a bit too localized. –  Aug 30 '11 at 04:37
  • @simchona, how it can be too localized? Expression usage is not localized at all. :) – Saeed Neamati Aug 30 '11 at 04:45
  • You're asking specifically in the context of creating websites. –  Aug 30 '11 at 04:46
  • Well, if that makes it too localized, then I'll update the question. I meant indirect communication, as websites, magazines, newspaper, etc. – Saeed Neamati Aug 30 '11 at 04:47
  • @Saeed: Thank you. I think it's much more applicable to others now –  Aug 30 '11 at 04:51
  • 1.As @FumbleFingers puts it follow your natural inclinations, paying some attention to the things you see others write*.2. It depends how you say it-an angry "what the heck" is different than a humorous one. 3.And other observation: "what the heck" in movies could be superimposed on other more profane expressions, so it has the same function as beep, but the movie flows better. – Bogdan Lataianu Aug 30 '11 at 05:07

1 Answers1

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It's unprofessional. There are quite a few websites which use this more casual, personal tone and sometimes it is much appreciated by the viewers. In other situations it could be viewed as immature and inappropriate. Know your audience and the tone you wish to present.

colechristensen
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