"Just because facist dictators happened to like referring to themselves that way doens't irreprably change the connotation of the word."

Yeah, it does. "Connotation" is what people think of when they hear a word. As long as people think of fascist dictators when they hear the word, the connotation is changed, at least as long as people remember Hitler.

Denotation is just connotation hallowed by time in English. Look at the OED and how words change. In fact, here are the quotes from the OED for Fuehrer, designed to show how the word is used and what it means:

1934 N. & Q. CLXVII. 254/1 Since the Führer refuses permission for this, it is thought probable the German stamps will show the swastika.
1936 A. HUXLEY Eyeless in Gaza viii. 91 Stupidity has come back, as a kingno; as an emperor, as a divine Führer of all the Aryans.
1937 Ends & Means v. 34 They yet persist in taking the same roads as are taken by the Duces and Fuehrers.
1943 ‘G. ORWELL’ in Partisan Rev. JulyAug. 347 Some..declare that he has a ‘fuehrer complex’ and..would split it rather than share authority.
1944 H. G. WELLS '42 to '44 183 Galton had the mental disposition of a Fascist and was all for fuehrers and duces.
1948 E. E. CUMMINGS Let. 24 Sept. (1969) 186 Presently a smallish mob of muckers..materialized, & their führer-commissar suggested a friendly snowfight.
1959 Sunday Times 14 June 22/5 The cold and pointless ferocity of the gang fights came out vividly in interviews..with two or three young fuehrers.
1967 Spectator 29 Dec. 819/3 Mr. Gordon Walker..issued his führer order that the Bloomsbury site be scrapped.

Clearly it means more than just "leader," translated into German. You can only really make the claim that Fuehrer lacks all those added meanings if you're willing to ignore the last 80 years.

We are too politically correct these days. (At least here in America) He has the right to name himself after the Nazis. Is it in poor taste? Yes, it is. But he has that right. If you don't like it, than simply don't play a game with him. I know I would not willingly join a game with him due to his name. But he does have that right.

@Maximus: Hear! Hear!

Why do people keep saying he has the right to the name? Has anyone claimed otherwise? That was never a question.

@DIngleJ:
"Why do people keep saying he has the right to the name?" because we are a step ahead of those who think that.
"Has anyone claimed otherwise?" not in this thread, but you know some of them are thinking it.
"That was never a question." Nor was that.

Diplomat, then why do people keep saying it, other than for straw man reasons? If we are going to bring random facts into threads, then I wish people would state more important and relevant facts, like that red Froot Loops taste much better than yellow ones.

Amused by this thread....particularly the question (either in this thread or a linked one) that asks - if dingleberry is that little piece of shit stuck in your ass hair, what does "jones" add to the name???

By the way, DJones - congrats on keeping your job. I'm very happy to hear that!

"Whatever the case is, million people from my country died by the hand of Waffen SS. He could have choose something less offending to other people."
Millions of people in my country died by the hand of the English. We could start speaking a language less offending to other people. I suggest Lobjan. No Lobjan has ever been guilty of killing more than half a dozen people (and then mainly from boredom except for that one incident).

Ah. I did not see the "name change thread"

threadID=570809

I would like to apologize to The Prussian (formerly known as SSReichsFuhrer).

I would also like to say that I never said he had no right to the name... I just wanted a detailed explanation as to how he decided on it.

Oh and I also agree with the "connotation" camp. You can't say that just because a word doesn't *strictly* mean something, that you can use it however you want.

When Ludacris calls someone women "hoes" do you really think he's comparing them to garden tools? Really?

@Maximus,

Whether or not he has the right is imho irrelevant. This is a game of DIPLOMACY and if you choose a handle so inflammatory that people won't work with you, that is your own fault. If his name doesn't affect people in game, then it really is a non-issue.

@DJ: it is highly likely that some think SSRF does not have the right to chose that name. Those of us who think he does are stating it before the anti's. Such rights are important and are not diminished by repetition. It is clearly relevant to this discussion, your problem with Froot Loops is not.

Diplomat,
I really don't believe it is. If someone was claiming the Mods should step in, by all means, defend his rights, as would I. The resulting discussing seems to be about the derivation of the word, and whether choosing such a name is 1) hateful 2) inflammatory and 3) douchey, not about whether he had the right. No one claimed otherwise, so it would seem there is no issue there.

".particularly the question (either in this thread or a linked one) that asks - if dingleberry is that little piece of shit stuck in your ass hair, what does "jones" add to the name???"

Hmmm, i missed that in whichever thread it was in. I believe 'Jones' means a craving. LOL, that was quite an unfortunate last name then.

Has anyone seen Kyle? He's about this tall.

@DJ: we are in danger of violent agreement.

Both of us, and Maximius at least, think that he has the right to use the name, whatever it's merits. It seems our only difference is that you think that (re-)stating that right is irrelevant. I suggest we go down the pub and discuss this over a pint.

@Ursa. I have seen Kyle of Lochalsh, is that who you mean?

And we both like red Froot Loops.

@DJ: not me, horrible things in any colour.

but I respect your right to think otherwise.

Well now you're just talking some crazy stuff

Wow a thread about me. Im not really flattered as It is a controversial thread. Let me say this, I am sorry to those who lost their lives to the nazis. Let me also say i am not one. I do not condone racism in any of its forms and i do get a lot of crap about my name. Which is reasonable..........as its named after a group of bigoted racist assholes. In fact im changing my name because of the poor choice of name. Let me say it one last time, the title ReichsFuhrer just sounds like a cool title and name. I threw the ss in their because i figured it made it official sounding. My new name in a month will be The Prussian. I have an affinity for German millitarism and have no love for nazism. My belief is they destroyed eveything that made germany great.

Its just personal taste as German titles sound cool. Kaiser sounds cool, Obergrouppenfuhrer sounds cool. If thats spelled right......theres a whole bunch of german titles and they all sound cool. Cooler than Le Dirigeant anyways.....Il Duce is cool sounding but it was taken already.

SSReichsFuhrer, you're right. The Nazis were bad people, but damn they had good taste in names and clothing (except they destroyed the swastika).

Yea the swastika had at one time was for good luck, fertility, and creation in many cultures.

nick name

@SSReichsFuhrer - clearly Germany is still great, the Nazi's were just a gigantic PR fumble. ;-)