iPhone Dictionary: Homophobic Or Just Poorly Planned?
The iPhone's keyboard has been the subject of much debate. Is it easier or harder to use than a normal cell phone keyboard? That question has been debated over and over again on the internets, but I think it's more of a personal choice issue. I've gotten use to the keyboard, personally, and it's mostly because of the superb predictive and corrective text features. Essentially, the iPhone's predicative text works much like other phones, offering suggestions as you type of words it thinks you are trying to spell. The corrective text works very similarly, but in a different manner, such that when you are finished spelling a word and hit space, it will insert the word it assumes you are trying to spell based on what you have entered unless you go out of your way to tell it not to. "Hallo" often gets turned into "Hello," for example.
Normally, the system works well. If I don't want the word the iPhone is suggesting, I simply hit the x on the suggested word and move on. Yes, it can be annoying, but I live with it. For me, it's particularly annoying, because I communicate with friends using words some would refer to as vulgar (if you've listened to any of our podcasts, you'll understand... it's just a natural part of language for me). I'll make the warning now though, if you are one that is offended by "bad" language, this post may not be for you, as I will need to use many vulgar words to illustrate my point. So, basically, from here on out, the post is NSFW, so hit the jump to catch the rest of it.
To start, it's pretty well known that most phones that use predicative text do not include "swear" words in their dictionaries. Most people have to add the words to make them show up, if that's an option. So far, I haven't seen that option on the iPhone. Nor have I seen it learn my language and texting patterns to adjust to the fact that I use the words "fuck" and "cunt" a lot. Too much probably, but what can I say.
Today, I was texting with my boyfriend and talking negatively about certain persons that happened to be in my vicinity at that time, and started typing something to the effect of "these fucking bastards...," but instead typed "these fegk..." or something similar. Normally, when I type "fucking" or "fucked," I get "ducking" or "ducked." I tap the little x to shoo away the animal references and send off my angry rant. However, on this particular occasion, I was greeted with the predictive text of "faggot."
I paused for a moment, looked at the suggested word, then shrugged it off as a random occurrence. After all, there is no way Apple would have programmed "faggot" into their dictionary of terms on the iPhone. That would be an obvious oversight and a huge slight to, as far as I can tell, one of Apple's largest and most loyal customer bases. The idea that Apple would preprogram "faggot" into their phones simply floored me though, and I had to test it.
I opened up a new message and started typing, and this picture is what I saw. Just typing "fagg" prompts the phone to think I'm typing "faggot." Un-fucking-believable! It's true then that Apple programmed the word "faggot" into their predicative text dictionary, so that anyone, kids, parents, me, my great-aunt Cecilia, anyone could conceivably have "faggot" thrust at them for misspelling a word. Unacceptable. Only, that's not the whole truth.
To further test the point, I tried typing in my normal word "fuck." As you can see, I was able to type "fuck" out completely, and the phone still suggests that I must be meaning "duck." "Fuck" is apparently just too vulgar, who in their right mind would ever want to use that word, right? Is that the assumption behind why that word is not included in the dictionary? I think that's fairly safe assumption.
Now, from what I've read, and learned about the iPhone's text feature is that it "learns" from your typing and tries to emulate that. Say for example you use "mr" a lot. Normally, the phone would recommend "me" when you type "mr" because it thinks you just hit the wrong letter. But if you tell it no enough, the phone will eventually realize that you are meaning to type "mr" a lot and not change or suggest a change. Smart.
However, in this instance, I will say that something is absolutely fucked. Er... sorry, screwy. I use "fuck," "fucking," and "fucked" all the time. They are part of my everyday vernacular. However, the phone refuses to accept those words as acceptable alternatives to "duck," ducking," and "ducked." Ah, but if I use the term "faggot" enough, that can be added to my dictionary just fine? Is "fuck" really worse a word than "faggot?" Of course, that's a subjective stance, and many people would say I'm causing a stink about nothing, but substitute the "N" word for "faggot" here and then think about it. The "N" would doesn't suggest itself in my phone, but then again, I've never used it in my texting. If anyone has experience with that, feel free to share.
So why am I pissed off? There doesn't appear to be blatant discrimination here, or at least any that can't be swept under the rug. Am I just complaining for fun then? Far from it. The issue here is that a company like Apple has taken it upon itself to decide what is and isn't vulgar. "Fuck" and it's derivatives apparently are, but "faggot" is not. It appears that they have programmed a list of blocked words that the phone just won't accept. And if "fuck" is so horrible, why hasn't "faggot" been added to the list? There is no dispute about the vulgarity of the word, so why isn't it blocked as well?
Perhaps the better question is, why are any words blocked? It's a dangerous road to walk on, prohibiting some words and not others. Certainly, I can still type "fuck" all I want, but my phone refuses to "learn" that word. I've never once texted about ducks, I can guarantee that. But still, it persists that "fuck" is a bad word, meanwhile "faggot" is not. The judgment behind this decision is obviously erred, but the real question is whether they erred to cautiously or not enough?
According to the iPhone guide, each time I tap the x to say I don't want the suggested word, the iPhone should become less likely to suggest that word. If that's really the case, then why do I still get "duck" every single time? I know the phone learns new words, because a few of friends are not able to replicate the "faggot" suggestion, meaning that its picked that word up from me typing it a small handful of times.
Am I being reactionary? Absolutely! Is this a small issue? Maybe. Should this have been looked at better in development and does it deserve some explanation now? I think so.
Jesse James
Posted to Hot Stuff, In Your Pocket on 2 October 2008
· Comments (14)
Other stuff like this: dictionary, iPhone, NSFW, predictive text, vulgar
Within one hour of its unboxing, The One became the undisputed ruler of Tiny's entire home. Buy this or despair.
okay, here is my experience:
i got an iphone last year. a few months after launch. the first few weeks with predictive text was mostly training me and the phone both. fuck is a word i tend to use the way the french use "le" or "la". i have to say i was impressed. i had to say no to "duck" all of like four times then it said "okay you really like the word fuck, and dont talk about waterfowl all that often"
then i lost my phone. i got a new one, and the predictive text seemed to be back at square one for me. a couple of days later and it was well on its way to behaving exactly the same way.
NOW, the first time i tried typing faggot, on both phones, it really didnt seem to know what i was going for. but only the first time. after that it was good and ready to just lemme have the word. this also happened to other words. the local nightclub Elysium became a commonly used term as well. and i KNOW that it learned the word in its entirety from me because i went to the effort of capitalizing it the first time (and if you notice, i just dont cap anything normally); now every time i type "ely", it gives me "Elysium". with the cap.
here is where it got interesting. after an update, and i cant remember which, "fuck" became a nuisance to me. im THINKING it was sometime around 2.0, but i cant be sure. anyway, its been all this time and i STILL have to fight with "ducking" every time im trying to type out a sentence. faggot? well the story i related above about how it made it into my phone is exactly how it happened this time around.
what im getting from this? that apple tweaked the program a bit to try to censor out certain words. maybe to keep people from accidentally sending something rather vulgar on accident because the tend to have a sailors mouth normally. i admit it would suck to send something like that to my grandmother on accident. anyway, i personally get the feeling that "fuck" was a term on the list they tried to tone down. i think "faggot" wasnt because of many reasons. first, they didnt think it would really come up. second, its not a word i ever got an alternate spelling on before. so one would assume that if you are trying to type "faggot", you REALLY mean "faggot". at least, thats how i have felt about it so far. i could be wrong, but thats just the way the programming feels to me when i use it. a new, snuck in, slight censor on select commonly used vulgarities that may be accidentally predicted.
final note: i know many will say "but kyle, its not often the word 'duck' is going to be used. much less where it can be replaced with 'fuck' embarrassingly"
well, when i mentioned my grandmother, i wasnt kidding. she has ducks in her back yard. and i HAVE accidentally typed fuck (on and older phone) when having a conversation with her. maybe im one in two billion, but still, there is proof it could happen. (doesnt mean i dont want my damn phone turning down my cusswords all the time tho. i get annoyed at that on the iphone. as a personal note)
Faggot, means a bundle of sticks.
Read the dictionary.
Faggot, means a bundle of sticks.
Read the dictionary.
Absolutely. That's all it means. It has absolutely no ulterior context. At all.
Look, there's a Rebel Flag, used by the Southern States in the American Civil War. It must stand for peace, happiness, and independence. There could be no other way to use that icon.
....
Yes even "articulate and clean" can be considered by some to have negative connotations
faggot as per sharolaid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd7z7n114FU
fuck as per dictionary
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fuck
fuck is slang so its natural to not be programmed. faggot in the deragatory sense is also slang but there is an actual word faggot which refers to a pile of sticks and meatballs in the UK so it would naturally be programmed in the device. It's just unfortunate that it is a natural homophobic response by you. All it says is that culturally the united states is so ignorant that the term has lost its meaning to the general population. Like you thinks of a dyke as holding water anymore.
We is ignant! That's it
This is not meant to offend if that is the way it come out
*rolls eyes* researched journalism is dead. long live knee jerk reactions.
I'm betting apple are serial homophobes allowing other degrogatory terms like fairy, dyke and poof into the dictionary too.
awareness of the proper english usage of words and an appreciation for the consequence of what you are saying, would you be happier if apple removed all potentially insulting / non-PC words from the dictionary?
Faggot is just another word for a cigarette in the UK.
The comments about "faggot" being another word are completely baseless, considering the iPhone and iPod Touch's language options.
In American English, "faggot" has really only one meaning in society, and Apple's programmers likely know that well enough. We don't use "faggot" in any other sense.
Sure, it's true that in the UK and other Commonwealth countries, "faggot" may be used in different ways and be completely innocent.
But, people, that's why there's an option in the language settings for either US English or UK English to be used, because of the differences in words and spellings between the two languages. Assuming Jesse James is from the US, he would not have the UK dictionary turned on.
I can't test this since I only have a Touch and so don't use the text messaging option, but I'd assume based on this that the protestations of "well faggot means a bundle of sticks too" are missing the mark entirely.
I love it how everyone is defending Apple.
I'm so sorry, but do you guys use it as a "bundle of sticks." Do you think the majority of the population uses it for that, no, please get with the times.
We all know it as an insult, and if you want to get all with semantics that's the thing they used to burn gay people with the last time I read about the word. Hence the slur.
This is annoying, & insulting. I don't want to put up with it in something that I enjoy.
Uh.. I dont know about the rest of you, but I tried spelling out faggot and my iphone did not recognise the word at all. could you possibly have spelled it out before and the dictionary learned it?
You know, I just tried it, too, and it didn't predict Faggot nor Fagot. Tried it several ways and it just wouldn't go. Mind you, it didn't see it as a misspelling either, but that's another question.
I agree with Boy and Gaymer, sorry - it didn't come up in my iPhone - it suggested Dagger. Anyway, supposing it was put in maliciously, I don't think it is fair to accuse all of apple for the fault. It might have been one bad guy and no one else thought for looking the word.
I think it's really way simpler and more innocent than a lot of people here think. Seems like this is all about two things that the iPhone does:
1) Some taboo words are placed into a 'censored' category (or something) in the dictionary, to prevent them from every being suggested by the phone's auto-correct feature.
2) The iPhone puts every 'new' word that you teach it (like 'Elysium' or 'Faggot') into the uncensored category, so it can become the first suggestion in some cases.
So yes, Apple decided to start preventing the iPhone from suggesting certain words at some point in the software evolution. Kyle's experience confirms this, and I'd imagine that the company got a lot of complaints from middle aged yuppies who typed 'fuck' a lot to their buddies and then got annoyed when the phone auto-corrected 'duck' to 'fuck' in a later message to, say, Mrs Yuppie. Censorship? Yeah, probably; they should at least give us the option to turn this feature on or off.
But totally separate to that problem is the fact that you typed 'faggot' into your phone a few times and the phone learnt it and, funnily enough, has no idea that this is offensive to you and so suggests it in some situations.
That's all there is to it. The only solution that still stops Apple getting sued for giving someone's Grandma a heart attack when her Grandaughter texts her with what Chinese takeaway she wants would be for the iPhone to ask every time you input a new word 'is this a curse word?', which would be a massive pain.