Does groping in the dark have negative (sexual) connotations?
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty{ margin-bottom:0;
}
I am writing a blog tentatively titled "Particle Filters: Groping in the Dark for Robots". It struck me that groping has a strong sexual connotation too, so I researched if the idiom groping in the dark also has a negative connotation too. I asked an editor friend and she suggested changing the title because non-native speakers who are more familiar with groping (in the sexual sense) and may not be familiar with the other meaning of cluelessnes may take offence to the title.
I would like to understand if there are any such connotations in modern usage and whether using the title has even the slightest chance of being offensive.
idioms connotation
asked 2 days ago
farhanhubblefarhanhubble
1284
add a comment |
I am writing a blog tentatively titled "Particle Filters: Groping in the Dark for Robots". It struck me that groping has a strong sexual connotation too, so I researched if the idiom groping in the dark also has a negative connotation too. I asked an editor friend and she suggested changing the title because non-native speakers who are more familiar with groping (in the sexual sense) and may not be familiar with the other meaning of cluelessnes may take offence to the title.
I would like to understand if there are any such connotations in modern usage and whether using the title has even the slightest chance of being offensive.
idioms connotation
asked 2 days ago
farhanhubblefarhanhubble
1284
5
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something, literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the argot to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
@HotLicks please convert your comment to an answer, I will accept it.
– farhanhubble
2 days ago
@HotLicks Or more?
– Tuffy
2 days ago
add a comment |
I am writing a blog tentatively titled "Particle Filters: Groping in the Dark for Robots". It struck me that groping has a strong sexual connotation too, so I researched if the idiom groping in the dark also has a negative connotation too. I asked an editor friend and she suggested changing the title because non-native speakers who are more familiar with groping (in the sexual sense) and may not be familiar with the other meaning of cluelessnes may take offence to the title.
I would like to understand if there are any such connotations in modern usage and whether using the title has even the slightest chance of being offensive.
idioms connotation
asked 2 days ago
farhanhubblefarhanhubble
1284
I am writing a blog tentatively titled "Particle Filters: Groping in the Dark for Robots". It struck me that groping has a strong sexual connotation too, so I researched if the idiom groping in the dark also has a negative connotation too. I asked an editor friend and she suggested changing the title because non-native speakers who are more familiar with groping (in the sexual sense) and may not be familiar with the other meaning of cluelessnes may take offence to the title.
I would like to understand if there are any such connotations in modern usage and whether using the title has even the slightest chance of being offensive.
idioms connotation
idioms connotation
asked 2 days ago
farhanhubblefarhanhubble
1284
asked 2 days ago
farhanhubblefarhanhubble
1284
asked 2 days ago
farhanhubblefarhanhubble
1284
asked 2 days ago
farhanhubblefarhanhubble
1284
asked 2 days ago
farhanhubblefarhanhubble
1284
1284
5
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something, literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the argot to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
@HotLicks please convert your comment to an answer, I will accept it.
– farhanhubble
2 days ago
@HotLicks Or more?
– Tuffy
2 days ago
add a comment |
5
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something, literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the argot to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
@HotLicks please convert your comment to an answer, I will accept it.
– farhanhubble
2 days ago
@HotLicks Or more?
– Tuffy
2 days ago
5
5
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something, literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the argot to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something, literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the argot to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
@HotLicks please convert your comment to an answer, I will accept it.
– farhanhubble
2 days ago
@HotLicks please convert your comment to an answer, I will accept it.
– farhanhubble
2 days ago
@HotLicks Or more?
– Tuffy
2 days ago
@HotLicks Or more?
– Tuffy
2 days ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something", literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the vernacular to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
answered 2 days ago
Hot LicksHot Licks
19.5k23777
Yes, but are you sure the groper is grasping for something ‘aimlessly? Perhaps ‘feeling your way in the dark’, gets the point without the unwanted potential for misunderstanding. Now ‘groping in broad daylight’ might really give the wrong impression!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
@Tuffy - While in the literal sense the groper may be moving methodically, the sense of the idiom is "aimlessly". When you lose something the floor of your car while driving and you reach for it, the idiom does not apply until you can't find it in the obvious places.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
For the car floor groping, I should say ‘blindly’ - the police officer who scrapes my car off the central reservation might say ‘recklessly’!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
add a comment |
Groping someone (no preposition) can have a sexual meaning; it generally implies unwanted sexual touching. However, we can innocently grope, in literal or figurative darkness, for a sought thing, solution, answer, pathway, etc.
answered 2 days ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
6,66511120
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f492845%2fdoes-groping-in-the-dark-have-negative-sexual-connotations%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something", literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the vernacular to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
answered 2 days ago
Hot LicksHot Licks
19.5k23777
Yes, but are you sure the groper is grasping for something ‘aimlessly? Perhaps ‘feeling your way in the dark’, gets the point without the unwanted potential for misunderstanding. Now ‘groping in broad daylight’ might really give the wrong impression!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
@Tuffy - While in the literal sense the groper may be moving methodically, the sense of the idiom is "aimlessly". When you lose something the floor of your car while driving and you reach for it, the idiom does not apply until you can't find it in the obvious places.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
For the car floor groping, I should say ‘blindly’ - the police officer who scrapes my car off the central reservation might say ‘recklessly’!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
add a comment |
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something", literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the vernacular to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
answered 2 days ago
Hot LicksHot Licks
19.5k23777
Yes, but are you sure the groper is grasping for something ‘aimlessly? Perhaps ‘feeling your way in the dark’, gets the point without the unwanted potential for misunderstanding. Now ‘groping in broad daylight’ might really give the wrong impression!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
@Tuffy - While in the literal sense the groper may be moving methodically, the sense of the idiom is "aimlessly". When you lose something the floor of your car while driving and you reach for it, the idiom does not apply until you can't find it in the obvious places.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
For the car floor groping, I should say ‘blindly’ - the police officer who scrapes my car off the central reservation might say ‘recklessly’!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
add a comment |
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something", literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the vernacular to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
answered 2 days ago
Hot LicksHot Licks
19.5k23777
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something", literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the vernacular to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
answered 2 days ago
Hot LicksHot Licks
19.5k23777
answered 2 days ago
Hot LicksHot Licks
19.5k23777
answered 2 days ago
Hot LicksHot Licks
19.5k23777
answered 2 days ago
Hot LicksHot Licks
19.5k23777
19.5k23777
Yes, but are you sure the groper is grasping for something ‘aimlessly? Perhaps ‘feeling your way in the dark’, gets the point without the unwanted potential for misunderstanding. Now ‘groping in broad daylight’ might really give the wrong impression!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
@Tuffy - While in the literal sense the groper may be moving methodically, the sense of the idiom is "aimlessly". When you lose something the floor of your car while driving and you reach for it, the idiom does not apply until you can't find it in the obvious places.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
For the car floor groping, I should say ‘blindly’ - the police officer who scrapes my car off the central reservation might say ‘recklessly’!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
add a comment |
Yes, but are you sure the groper is grasping for something ‘aimlessly? Perhaps ‘feeling your way in the dark’, gets the point without the unwanted potential for misunderstanding. Now ‘groping in broad daylight’ might really give the wrong impression!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
@Tuffy - While in the literal sense the groper may be moving methodically, the sense of the idiom is "aimlessly". When you lose something the floor of your car while driving and you reach for it, the idiom does not apply until you can't find it in the obvious places.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
For the car floor groping, I should say ‘blindly’ - the police officer who scrapes my car off the central reservation might say ‘recklessly’!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
Yes, but are you sure the groper is grasping for something ‘aimlessly? Perhaps ‘feeling your way in the dark’, gets the point without the unwanted potential for misunderstanding. Now ‘groping in broad daylight’ might really give the wrong impression!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
Yes, but are you sure the groper is grasping for something ‘aimlessly? Perhaps ‘feeling your way in the dark’, gets the point without the unwanted potential for misunderstanding. Now ‘groping in broad daylight’ might really give the wrong impression!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
@Tuffy - While in the literal sense the groper may be moving methodically, the sense of the idiom is "aimlessly". When you lose something the floor of your car while driving and you reach for it, the idiom does not apply until you can't find it in the obvious places.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
@Tuffy - While in the literal sense the groper may be moving methodically, the sense of the idiom is "aimlessly". When you lose something the floor of your car while driving and you reach for it, the idiom does not apply until you can't find it in the obvious places.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
For the car floor groping, I should say ‘blindly’ - the police officer who scrapes my car off the central reservation might say ‘recklessly’!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
For the car floor groping, I should say ‘blindly’ - the police officer who scrapes my car off the central reservation might say ‘recklessly’!
– Tuffy
2 days ago
add a comment |
Groping someone (no preposition) can have a sexual meaning; it generally implies unwanted sexual touching. However, we can innocently grope, in literal or figurative darkness, for a sought thing, solution, answer, pathway, etc.
answered 2 days ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
6,66511120
add a comment |
Groping someone (no preposition) can have a sexual meaning; it generally implies unwanted sexual touching. However, we can innocently grope, in literal or figurative darkness, for a sought thing, solution, answer, pathway, etc.
answered 2 days ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
6,66511120
add a comment |
Groping someone (no preposition) can have a sexual meaning; it generally implies unwanted sexual touching. However, we can innocently grope, in literal or figurative darkness, for a sought thing, solution, answer, pathway, etc.
answered 2 days ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
6,66511120
Groping someone (no preposition) can have a sexual meaning; it generally implies unwanted sexual touching. However, we can innocently grope, in literal or figurative darkness, for a sought thing, solution, answer, pathway, etc.
answered 2 days ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
6,66511120
answered 2 days ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
6,66511120
answered 2 days ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
6,66511120
answered 2 days ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
6,66511120
6,66511120
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f492845%2fdoes-groping-in-the-dark-have-negative-sexual-connotations%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
5
"Groping in the dark" is a long-established idiom for "aimlessly grasping for something, literally or figuratively. It could be used (with a wink) to imply something sexual, or it could be misinterpreted by someone not familiar with the argot to imply something sexual, but it is not (in the US, at least) a term one must avoid in general writing or speaking, where context might not imply a sexual meaning. After all, probably about 20% of English words might be used with a sexual connotation.
– Hot Licks
2 days ago
@HotLicks please convert your comment to an answer, I will accept it.
– farhanhubble
2 days ago
@HotLicks Or more?
– Tuffy
2 days ago