Definition: "Squick"?
Tech Reader
context, but this isn't always completely accurate. I've seen the word
"squick" (and variants) used with some frequency of late, and have deduced
that its meaning is essentially negative; but to what degree? I'd appreciate
some help here. As you might have guessed, www.m-w.com is unhelpful.
Which of the following is closest in meaning to "squick"?
a. somewhat unpleasant
b. distasteful
c. repellent
d. repugnant
e. abhorrent
Feel free to suggest your own synonyms or definitions.
Thanks.
--
"France has neither winter, nor summer, nor morals. France is
miserable because it is filled with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen
are miserable because they live in France."
-- Mark Twain
Tesseract
just adding {curlies} so the more intelligent and well informed can
see this query. -- Tesseract
Deana Johns
its
> context, but this isn't always completely accurate. I've seen the word
> "squick" (and variants) used with some frequency of late, and have deduced
> that its meaning is essentially negative; but to what degree? I'd
appreciate
> some help here. As you might have guessed, www.m-w.com is unhelpful.
>
> Which of the following is closest in meaning to "squick"?
>
> a. somewhat unpleasant
> b. distasteful
> c. repellent
> d. repugnant
> e. abhorrent
>
> Feel free to suggest your own synonyms or definitions.
>
As I gathered when I first saw the term several years ago, kind of a cross
between c & d.
To be squicked is to be turned off or offended by something.
D.
Denny Wheeler
On Thu, 19 Jun 2003 04:54:51 GMT, "Tech Reader" <techr...@attbi.com>
wrote:
>I'm normally fairly good at deducing the meaning of an unknown word from its
>context, but this isn't always completely accurate. I've seen the word
>"squick" (and variants) used with some frequency of late, and have deduced
>that its meaning is essentially negative; but to what degree? I'd appreciate
>some help here. As you might have guessed, www.m-w.com is unhelpful.
Even www.onelook.com isn't much good, though there's one reference.
(m-w.com accesses one dictionary; onelook accesses dozens of them)
First: squick is used both as a noun ('this is one of my squicks') and
a verb ('finding an unexpected scat scene in a story will squick me')
>Which of the following is closest in meaning to "squick"?
>
>a. somewhat unpleasant
too mild
>b. distasteful
closer
>c. repellent
>d. repugnant
>e. abhorrent
any of the three would be in the target zone.
>Feel free to suggest your own synonyms or definitions.
Oh, I always do. :)
But here I'll cite two people who have been regulars in this here
Funhouse (to which I welcome you, by the way) and hopefully will be
again.
(The first part here, set off with >s is from Joyce Melton aka Erin
Halfelven aka Morgan Preece)
> Precise? No, since the definition varies by user but squick means to
> disgust you in such a way as to cause you to lose interest in the
> eroticism, or even to doubt the existence of any erotocism.
(and this is from Antaeus Feldspar aka jc)
Hmmm. I've always found the most useful definition of
"squick" to be "evoking a visceral reaction of revulsion but not
necessarily connoting moral disapproval." A particularly useful term
in our field, since it allows us to distinguish between acts that
"disgust" us (which may mean we don't think *anyone* should be allowed
to do them) and acts which "squick" us (meaning that we don't have any
objection to them, as long as we don't have to see, read, or hear
about it.)
<quoted material ends--though if you care to read the thread, which
was in 1999, you can. go to groups.google.com--->Advanced Groups
Search, and put (not using the quotes) "alt.sex.stories.d" into the
Newsgroup(s) box, and "squick definition" into the "with ALL of the
words" box. This particular post/thread should be the 4th one in the
list.>
I've seen 'squick' (the verb) used in both the manner Joyce describes,
and the one jc describes. ('squick' as a noun is 'something which
causes a person to be squicked')
(this is by no means the last word on that word)
--
-denny (curmudgeon)
"I'm full of good answers--sometimes it's the question that's wrong."
Miss Behavin'
RodR
> context, but this isn't always completely accurate. I've seen the word
> "squick" (and variants) used with some frequency of late, and have deduced
> that its meaning is essentially negative; but to what degree? I'd appreciate
> some help here. As you might have guessed, www.m-w.com is unhelpful.
>
> Which of the following is closest in meaning to "squick"?
>
> a. somewhat unpleasant
> b. distasteful
> c. repellent
> d. repugnant
> e. abhorrent
>
> Feel free to suggest your own synonyms or definitions.
>
> Thanks.
Hey Tech,
Welcome aboard. Are you a writer or just a fan of erotica?
I know others will give their take on the meaning, but heres mine:
All of the above with the exception of 'a'. Squick is a definite turn
off to the umpteenth degree. It's what will make you stop reading an
otherwise good story or not read a story that has a code you find
repellent. Some people squick on incest, some on rape, others (me) on
beastiality. I'll read a story that's coded ws or scat if it has other
codes that I find enjoyable even though I find both of them somewhat
unpleasant.
Squicks are one reason that accurate story codes are important if you
write a story that is anything beyond M/F, Rom.
Rod
Tech Reader
So I guess my original guess wasn't so far off after all.
"RodR" <rod_r...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:7b47a54.03061...@posting.google.com...
> "Tech Reader" <techr...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:<vmbIa.25625$hz1.43901@sccrnsc01>...
> >
> > Which of the following is closest in meaning to "squick"?
> >
> > a. somewhat unpleasant
> > b. distasteful
> > c. repellent
> > d. repugnant
> > e. abhorrent
> >
>
> Hey Tech,
>
> Welcome aboard. Are you a writer or just a fan of erotica?
Just a long-time reader. Shoulda used </LURK> and <LURK> around my
message, I guess!
Thanks.
Elf M. Sternberg
> "Tech Reader" <techr...@attbi.com> wrote in message news:<vmbIa.25625$hz1.43901@sccrnsc01>...
> just adding {curlies} so the more intelligent and well informed can
> see this query. -- Tesseract
>> Which of the following is closest in meaning to "squick"?
Squick: unimaginably repellent.
The term was coined to represent the sound effect one hears
while fucking the eyeball socket of a still-warm corpse. If that isn't
repellent, I don't know something that is.
Elf
Shalon Wood
> (and this is from Antaeus Feldspar aka jc)
> Hmmm. I've always found the most useful definition of
> "squick" to be "evoking a visceral reaction of revulsion but not
> necessarily connoting moral disapproval." A particularly useful term
> in our field, since it allows us to distinguish between acts that
> "disgust" us (which may mean we don't think *anyone* should be allowed
> to do them) and acts which "squick" us (meaning that we don't have any
> objection to them, as long as we don't have to see, read, or hear
> about it.)
That is, in fact, pretty much the definition that STella gave when
coining the word.
Shalon Wood
Eli the Bearded
> Thanks for the feedback; the 3 responses so far are essentially unanimous.
> So I guess my original guess wasn't so far off after all.
By the way, Elf's etymology jibes with the one I have heard and
believe to be correct. So two votes for onomatopoeic skull-fucking
as the source.
Elijah
------
has seen ascii art renderings of that act
Frank Downey
> > Hey Tech,
> >
> > Welcome aboard. Are you a writer or just a fan of erotica?
>
> Just a long-time reader.
But a very astute one. Tech is in my Good Feedback Hall Of Fame <G>
--Frank
Jack C Lipton
> Curlifying, and adding.
> Tech Reader wondered:
A most cogent response.
I've never hunted far, it's just that I'm squemish about a *lot* of
things and my image is feeling it and saying, in a loud voice:
ICK!
But that's just me. Elf's definition, while, well, icky, does bring
the visceral response to mind.
--
Jack C Lipton | cupa...@softhome.net | http://www.asstr.org/~CupaSoup/
"Do these pants make my penis look small?"
mat twassel
> Squick: unimaginably repellent.
Except, if it's unimaginably repellent, it isn't repellent at all.
>
> The term was coined to represent the sound effect one hears
>while fucking the eyeball socket of a still-warm corpse. If that isn't
>repellent, I don't know something that is.
Point of view is everything. Does the sound differ if the socket belongs to
someone still alive?
And the thing is (I bet), it's not the sound at all that bothers anyone.
A real-life sound I'd go to great lengths to avoid is chalk scritched across a
chalkboard. But I can't imagine even the best author writing about that sound
in such a way as to cause the real-life reaction (unless he chalks it upon a
chalkboard). And since it's unimaginable, it isn't repellent at all?
Squick in fiction, I believe, is more a fiction than female ejaculation.
--Mat Twassel
Mat's Erotic Calendar at http://calendar.atEros.com
David Formosa (aka ? the Platypus)
> I'm normally fairly good at deducing the meaning of an unknown word from its
> context, but this isn't always completely accurate. I've seen the word
> "squick" (and variants) used with some frequency of late, and have deduced
> that its meaning is essentially negative; but to what degree? I'd appreciate
> some help here. As you might have guessed, www.m-w.com is unhelpful.
>
> Which of the following is closest in meaning to "squick"?
>
> a. somewhat unpleasant
> b. distasteful
> c. repellent
> d. repugnant
> e. abhorrent
>
> Feel free to suggest your own synonyms or definitions.
To me "squick" is the logical oppisit of "kink". Abhorrent while
capturing some aspects of what you feel when exposed to your squick,
doesn't capture the indiviguality of it. For example "Its one of my
squicks" implies that its not a universel property, just like "Its one
of my kinks" carries with it that not all people would like it.
--
Please excuse my spelling as I suffer from agraphia. See
http://dformosa.zeta.org.au/~dformosa/Spelling.html to find out more.
Free the Memes.
Shalon Wood
Er. Actually, that's the definition some people on alt.tasteless came
up with. To quote from a STella post:
From: ste...@links.magenta.com (STella)
Newsgroups: soc.subculture.bondage-bdsm
Subject: Re: sub gets squicked: hygiene
Date: 21 Jul 1999 00:55:26 GMT
Message-ID: <7n35pu$e2l$1...@links.magenta.com>
In article <7n12h2$im9$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
perversia <perv...@my-deja.com> wrote:
>Ok, well thanks Dave to both you and John for answering that for me:)
I hope "John", whose post has not arrived at my site yet, got it
right.
David seems to have only heard the tertiary definition.
I shall pontificate from the position of having introduced the word to
usenet and to asb. <climbs onto, appropriately enough, hir soapbox>
>In article <37933171...@grin.net>,
> David Weinshenker <daz...@grin.net> wrote:
>> It's a generic term for running up against a limit - something that
>> bothers you, something that you just couldn't even think of
enjoying.
Well, not exactly.
In article <7muomp$n4a$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
perversia <perv...@my-deja.com> wrote:
>Pardon my ignorance, but what is a squick, or getting squicked? I
keep
>seeing "squick" in posts on this list, and I can tell it must be
>something bad but I'm not sure what.
Exactly so. YOU got it!
Something bad, but you don't know what....
The usage of squick in this thread is, in fact, only a tertiary usage
at best, because when squick was first introduced to asb, it meant "to
exercise a hot button that was neither predictable nor previously
disclosed". There had been a long thread about the problem of hitting
a hot button, and I decided it was important to stress that some of
the worst hot buttons were the unpredictable ones that weren't known
to be loaded. So I looked for a term that could mean "hitting a hot
button that you had no special reason to think WAS a hot button".
And I recalled a friend of mine's having told me about being in bed,
half asleep, when the latest litter of kittens discovered how to climb
up the hanging bedding, and visit the people. He was wakened to
discover that there were kittens nursing on his moles, his pithair,
the space between his little and ring toes, etc. The nurselings were
making a noise as they did, a sort of squick-squick kinda noise, and
thus, he gave voice screaming "These damn kittens are squicking me!"
Who would have guessed that waking up with a flock of kittens visiting
you would be a cause of great and vocal distress? SURPRISE!!
A person with rancid pits, reeky sneakers, and a severe beano shortage
would not be squicking; such olfactory assaults may be expected to
repel most people with nominal acuity.
Being hit upside the head with a rotten bat is not, properly,
squicksome, because most people would prefer NOT to be slapped with
overly-ripe carrion.
But if I come up to you at a munch and say something innocuous, such
as "And how are YOU today", and it pushes all kinda dark buttons for
you, because it reminds you of a bad time in your life, THAT would be
a squicking point -- I would have had no reason to expect that "and
how are YOU today" would elicit such a reaction, but I'm still up
against someone who's just been severely upset. And I'm still
clueless as to why....
During the original thread where I launched the word, I did not define
it for a few days, since I wanted to stress the idea that it was
hitting a hot button that you didn't KNOW was there, and that you
would not expect to BE a hot button. I wanted to stress that it was
an UNKNOWN, but apparently, I waited too long, because others defined
it to suit themselves. Oh, well. My bad.
In this context, if you maintain reasonable hygiene, but your personal
smell offends an individual, either because sie's very sensitive to
smells, or because you smell like the funny uncle she left home to get
away from, THAT would be a squick. But merely smelling bad, that's
just unpleasant to revolting, or gross.
Which leads me to wonder if this gentleman has been poorly served by
his friends, and interpreted Leona's complaint as a squick because few
of his friends had ever suggested to him that he was malodorous to the
point of offense. That would certainly explain the mismatch remark,
and suggest that his friends might take a deep breath, look him in the
eyes, and tell him "it's not just her, hon." (The preemptive remarks
on dentists and deodorant suggest I'm being overly charitable, but
<shrug> I do that once in a while.)
(Just for completeness's sake, the secondary meaning of squick,
created by the denizens of alt.tasteless after a day or so of
speculating what it meant, is to have carnal knowledge of an eyesocket
or hole drilled in a skull. Onomatopeoic, it derives from the
notional sound of such intercourse, a slooshy squick-squick kind of
noise. (Kinda harking back to those damn squicking kittens, come to
think...)
What I consider the tertiary meaning of squick has, alas, become most
common in this newsgroup -- but since the language has a NUMBER of
ways of saying "grossed out", I don't see that using squick to mean
merely and predictably grossed out is very useful.)
STella, editing and saving this as squick.faq becuase rewriting it
once a year or so is getting ... old
oosh
> The usage of squick in this thread is, in fact, only a tertiary usage
> at best, because when squick was first introduced to asb, it meant "to
> exercise a hot button that was neither predictable nor previously
> disclosed". There had been a long thread about the problem of hitting
> a hot button, and I decided it was important to stress that some of
> the worst hot buttons were the unpredictable ones that weren't known
> to be loaded. So I looked for a term that could mean "hitting a hot
> button that you had no special reason to think WAS a hot button".
It's always a very emotional moment to witness the birth of a new word!
But, as so often, there was a bad fairy at the christening.
O.
smilodon
I'll keep an eye out for you in future!
smilodon
"Elf M. Sternberg" <e...@drizzle.com> wrote in message
news:m3smq62...@drizzle.com...
Denny Wheeler
<smilodo...@postmaster.co.uk> wrote:
>Elf,
>
>I'll keep an eye out for you in future!
8888888888888888888!!!!!!!!