SteveStrummerUK
 
I'd love to know what a 50 year-old grown man calls 'it' when he's talking to a medical professional.
 
50 yogm: Well Doc, I've got a bit of a bruise on me winkie.
 
Medical professional: "Winkie"? What are.... like 5?

Yes, sometimes not using the correct word can indeed cause confusion.  A bit like when I took my pet swan Matilda to the vet for a check up and had to see a new trainee instead of the usual experienced veterinary. He insisted on referring to Matilda as a cob. I let it go the first couple of times, but eventually felt the need to point out his error to save him from making the same mistake in future. " But I thought that the cob was the female of the species ?" he said. "No" I said, "the pen is". 

paulo

SteveStrummerUK
 
This is where the moderation in here is all wrong.
 
In ye good olde days, I could have simply typed ***** and left it at that.
 
Now that such simple one-word expressionism is verboten I have to use complex arguments and well-reasoned statements to get my point across.
 
Maybe if I don't use too many ***** insertions I might be allowed a little one every now and again.

The problem is that the written word, even a single one, can be very wounding indeed. One might think that a mere written (or typed) word would pale into insignificance when compared to, say, being assaulted by a large steel blade, but the fact is that a common saying usually becomes a common saying for good reason...because it's true. The pen is mightier than the sword!

Well done!

I'm a racist.  The Human race all the way baby!  E.T. can just go home.