11 July 19

Honoring the debut (in 1914) of baseball great George Herman "Babe" Ruth. Today is also called "Bowdler's Day," for the birthday of Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825). He is most famous for his "bowdlerized" editions of Shakespeare's plays. That adjective might remind you of bawdiness, but it actually is just the reverse -- Bowdler produced "family-safe" versions of the plays "in which nothing is added to the original Text: but those words and expressions are omitted which cannot with propriety be read aloud in a Family." Bowdlerization is one form of censorship, changing the author's intended tone and style to impose prudery. I much prefer understanding why the author uses bawdy language -- or else simply finding something else to read.