Swearing

[Ronni]

Well yeah I don’t swear in public either. I assumed, apparently incorrectly, that that was understood. But around friends and family, and some clients? All bets are off.

Also, I have a decent command of the English language, and a fairly extensive vocabulary, so swearing isn’t a substitute for a lack of the appropriate words either. Sometimes it’s just the most expedient and descriptive way to express a thought.

And just as a comment on language in general, at what point do certain words become offensive? The word “bitch”
literally means a female dog and has meant such for centuries, but it’s also become a pejorative slang word for a person — usually a woman — who is belligerent, unreasonable, malicious, controlling, aggressive, dominant etc. ... and is one of the most common curse words in the English language.

 

[Glowworm]

Here in Sweden the F word seems to be very popular but I think that's most probably because people here don't know the meaning. My oldest grandson used it once and I told him exactly how bad it was. He hasn't said it since.

 

[Pepper]

People have gone to jail for our right to say the F-word. Show some respect, or I'll &%^$@#%^*(

 

[RadishRose]

We give these words power when we ban them.

That's why it feels so good when we shout #@&%(*&)@@#! after stubbing our toe.

I love that Shakespearean Chart btw. No rank, onion-eyed minnow better cross me today!

 

[Geezerette]

I grew up in an environment where swearing was absent. (Except when my father referred to “that G D Roosevelt!”) When I heard people use certain words I thought they were just showing off, no desire to copy them. A deep breath & exhale serves me just as well in outside situations. Now in private I have my own special phrases for unpleasant occurrences, like when I dropped some wet coffee grounds on the kitchen floor this am.

 

[RadishRose]

like when I dropped some wet coffee grounds on the kitchen floor this am.

I just did that the other day!

 

[Robert59]

I swear only in my house and not in public. I've been around people that swear every minute it's seams. I never use the GD or F words at all.

 

[Knight]

As ex Navy finding alternative words to express dissatisfaction about something most often "Darn It" just doesn't cut it

 

[chic]

Well yeah I don’t swear in public either. I assumed, apparently incorrectly, that that was understood. But around friends and family, and some clients? All bets are off.

Also, I have a decent command of the English language, and a fairly extensive vocabulary, so swearing isn’t a substitute for a lack of the appropriate words either. Sometimes it’s just the most expedient and descriptive way to express a thought.

And just as a comment on language in general, at what point do certain words become offensive? The word “bitch”
literally means a female dog and has meant such for centuries, but it’s also become a pejorative slang word for a person — usually a woman — who is belligerent, unreasonable, malicious, controlling, aggressive, dominant etc. ... and is one of the most common curse words in the English language.

@Ronni we know you're a classy educated lady. If people could hear the words that go through my head these days they'd be ********* shocked!

 

[Jeweltea]

I do swear but only at home and mostly when reading the newspaper or watching the news.

 

[Murrmurr]

I have a foul mouth but I only use my clean mouth among what my parents used to call "mixed company".

 

[OneEyedDiva]

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Tony

They should have kept him as the most interesting man in the world (or whatever title it was). The last guy I saw just didn't cut it. Anyhooo..

Re the OP: I don't swear often and when I do it's the less vulgar words. I hate the MF word and I don't take God's name in vain, so any curse word with His name attached is off limits. I also really hate it when I hear people say Jesus F...ing Christ. How disrespectful and sacrilegious! Over the past few years, it seems writers of T.V. shows think it enhances their shows to include the F word in every other sentence. I don't care how good a show is, I find it detracts from the content and it gets removed from my watchlist. I never would have cursed in front of my parents the way young people do today.

 

[molsongolden57]

It always seemed odd to me that "gosh darn it" is not equated with "God damn it", since they are the same thing and everybody knows it. I have commented on this in previous threads on the subject regarding words such as flippin, floppin, friggin, shoot, etc. Who are we kidding (or trying to kid)?

Tony

True but words only have meaning within the context of who is listening. If there's one thing the past year or two has taught us it's that any word (or idea, or photo, etc.) can be offensive to someone.

I'm alone most of the time and I talk out loud to myself and I swear a lot......the F word is sometimes as frequent as a punctuation mark.
However in company I seem to automatically shift into a reliably proper language mode with no profane words whatever.
I suppose that indicates some kind of compartmentalization of my identity or self image or something......I wonder which mode is more authentic, the vulgar alone me or the polite, articulate social me?

Like you, I clean up my language depending on the audience. When I am free to be myself, I speak as I am comfortable.

We give these words power when we ban them.

That's why it feels so good when we shout #@&%(*&)@@#! after stubbing our toe.

I love that Shakespearean Chart btw. No rank, onion-eyed minnow better cross me today!

This is so true! Forbidden fruit always tastes sweeter.