bowdleriser
Definition
Noun: A bowdleriser is a person who edits a written work by removing or modifying parts considered vulgar, obscene, or otherwise offensive. This practice is named after Thomas Bowdler, who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare's works intended for family reading.
Usage
The term is used to describe an editor or censor who sanitizes texts. It often carries a critical or pejorative connotation, implying the removal damages the artistic integrity or original meaning of the work. * The editor acted as a bowdleriser, replacing all the strong language in the novel with milder alternatives. * Critics accused the publisher of being a bowdleriser for altering the controversial passages in the classic text.
Advanced Usage
- The act of editing in this way is bowdlerisation (UK) / bowdlerization (US).
- The film underwent severe bowdlerisation to secure a lower age rating.
- The verb form is to bowdlerise (UK) / bowdlerize (US).
- They bowdlerised the old folk tales to make them suitable for children.
Variants and Related Words
- Bowdlerizer (noun): The standard American English spelling of bowdleriser.
- Expurgator (noun): A formal synonym for a person who removes objectionable content from a text.
- Censor (noun): A broader term for an official who examines material and suppresses unacceptable parts.
Synonyms
- Expurgator
- Censor
- Sanitizer
Antonyms
- Uncensor
- Preserver (of original text)
Noun
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a person who edits a text by removing obscene or offensive words or passages
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Thomas Bowdler was a famous expurgator
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