Swearing and/or offensive language

[All uphill]

For me swearing is the open use of "forbidden" words. Words can only be forbidden within a group or society, usually with the consent of its members.

Again for me "f*ck " isn't a swear word; and any impact depends on tone and body language. A raging car driver saying he is going to f*ck with me raises my adrenalin. A friend saying " f*ck you" when I beat him at chess doesn't.

I'm not so relaxed when people use "c*ck" or "c*nt" as insults because I'm rather fond of genitalia and don't see the link. I much prefer Fart, pi55 and poo, because they are unpleasant and nicely childish insults.

What about you?

 

[AndyRM]

Pertinent topic, I like it!

I agree with your comment about genitals and language. But personally I've never linked the words to the genitals. They are just words to me.

Language for me, is an ever evolving, beautiful and wonderful creature. Limiting it is unnecessary I think. And narrow minded.

 

[Beebo]

Swearing is all about time, place, company and context.

What works in one setting doesn’t in another. Christmas dinner with my parents is very different to 10pm in the pub.

I do struggle with people who swear for no reason around children.

I am a coach for young boys at sport. It’s very obvious which children are exposed to unnecessary swearing on a regular basis.

 

[mudsticks]

For me swearing is the open use of "forbidden" words. Words can only be forbidden within a group or society, usually with the consent of its members.

Again for me "f*ck " isn't a swear word; and any impact depends on tone and body language. A raging car driver saying he is going to f*ck with me raises my adrenalin. A friend saying " f*ck you" when I beat him at chess doesn't.

I'm not so relaxed when people use "c*ck" or "c*nt" as insults because I'm rather fond of genitalia and don't see the link. I much prefer Fart, pi55 and poo, because they are unpleasant and nicely childish insults.

What about you?

I'm not such a fan of c*nt, if it's usually used against unpleasantly behaving people..

As I think using our largely blameless magnificent lady parts as a comparison is unfair in that context.


I know some people use it as a term of affection..
So then maybe it's ok, but as per it's how you say it, not what you say..

As for c*ck well it's often for a bloke acting like one..

ie either a noisily crowing one, or a d*ck swinger - so perhaps more apposite, given that penisses can be weaponised too..

And are not nearly so blameless, out in the world. .

I'm a bigger fan of the gender neutral @rshol, or sometimes bell*nd .

I said b*llox on a public stage, in a roomful of reasonably* civilised people the other day, and nobody seemed to mind ..

*Mind you that was Somerset. 😇

I was speaking on Sky news yesterday for smthng or other, i don't think I released any profanities, but I never watch stuff like that back, so I can't be totally sure 🤔

I expect I'll be informed by one of my handlers, if I went too far... 😊

As Julia said on t'other thread , it's all about context, and intent..

Not always 100% easy to read with strangers on t'internet..

 

[AndyRM]

Swearing is all about time, place, company and context.

What works in one setting doesn’t in another. Christmas dinner with my parents is very different to 10pm in the pub.

I do struggle with people who swear for no reason around children.

I am a coach for young boys at sport. It’s very obvious which children are exposed to unnecessary swearing on a regular basis.

Totally agree with you on the swearing around children thing. I've never understood that.

Although I suppose that raises a different point - they're going to hear profanity at some point. Where's it best to come from? Parents, friends, TV? Tough call.

 

[Ian H]

Taboo words change over time, but Rochester got banned from court for this.
https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/satire-charles-ii

 

[mudsticks]

Totally agree with you on the swearing around children thing. I've never understood that.

Although I suppose that raises a different point - they're going to hear profanity at some point. Where's it best to come from? Parents, friends, TV? Tough call.

A dear friend - who didn't have kids as early as me - taught my kids the A-Z of swear words .

Hilarious 🙄


Once she did some breeding I though "brilliant - time for payback"

When I suggested this 'fun' educational exercise to her boys, they responded..

"Oh no, we don't like swearing"

🙄

 

[Deleted member 49]

Totally agree with you on the swearing around children thing. I've never understood that.

My partners Irish and it goes with the territory....my kids have been brought up around the word "feck".It's not like they don't hear it outdoors or on the internet anyway.Doesnt bother me.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

I used to swear a lot until we had a child, now we make sure we don't around him. He's more likely to hear swear words from others than from us.

Having said that, I didn't realise "bloody" was considered a swear word until my son got an "amber warning" from school aged 5. We blamed the Grandads 😁

 

[All uphill]

My partners Irish and it goes with the territory....my kids have been brought up around the word "feck".It's not like they don't hear it outdoors or on the internet anyway.Doesnt bother me.

Same here. Took me a while to realise "feck" isn't swearing with my Irish in laws, and that "kont" is a baby word for bottom with the other branch of the family in the Netherlands.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Language for me, is an ever evolving, beautiful and wonderful creature. Limiting it is unnecessary I think. And narrow minded.

I think that it can be beautiful and wonderful, but it can also be the opposite.
I agree with the last two sentences.

 

[AndyRM]

I think that it can be beautiful and wonderful, but it can also be the opposite.
I agree with the last two sentences.

You're not wrong, it can be ugly and hideous. I guess my favourite example would be Irvine Welsh. That dude can twist words around in ways I have never imagined.

 

[winjim]

I'm not remotely bothered by sexual or scatalogical words themselves, as was pointed out it's the context and intent that matters. However I understand that these words are taboo and can be offensive so I try to limit their use depending on circumstance. I use different language and tell different jokes in the pub with my mates than I do at home or at work. Same thing online, if I use swears it's usually to add emphasis to a point rather than being directed at someone or intended to cause offence.

It's perfectly possible to be absolutely gratuitously offensive without using any bad language at all so I don't think that just because one doesn't swear that one's conduct and rhetoric is acceptable by default. And provoking someone into swearing or arguing also doesn't do anything to demonstrate the validity of one's argument. Finger pointing is not a good look.

Where I do draw the line and what I do think is unacceptable is language based on demonisation and gratuitous offense of minorities and other marginalised members of society. Racist, homophobic, anti-disabled etc, the N word, the P word, the F word, the R word. I don't think those type of words should be used at all, or more specifically maybe in some circumstances and by members of those groups themselves but not as part of general discourse. Sexist words are a grey area and can sometimes be appropriate as banter but again it depends on context and intent.

As in most things just follow Wheaton's law really.

 

[jowwy]

You're not wrong, it can be ugly and hideous. I guess my favourite example would be Irvine Welsh. That dude can twist words around in ways I have never imagined.

now we know were you get it from......

 

[AndyRM]

I'm not remotely bothered by sexual or scatalogical words themselves, as was pointed out it's the context and intent that matters. However I understand that these words are taboo and can be offensive so I try to limit their use depending on circumstance. I use different language and tell different jokes in the pub with my mates than I do at home or at work. Same thing online, if I use swears it's usually to add emphasis to a point rather than being directed at someone or intended to cause offence.

It's perfectly possible to be absolutely gratuitously offensive without using any bad language at all so I don't think that just because one doesn't swear that one's conduct and rhetoric is acceptable by default. And provoking someone into swearing or arguing also doesn't do anything to demonstrate the validity of one's argument. Finger pointing is not a good look.

Where I do draw the line and what I do think is unacceptable is language based on demonisation and gratuitous offense of minorities and other marginalised members of society. Racist, homophobic, anti-disabled etc, the N word, the P word, the F word, the R word. I don't think those type of words should be used at all, or more specifically maybe in some circumstances and by members of those groups themselves but not as part of general discourse. Sexist words are a grey area and can sometimes be appropriate as banter but again it depends on context and intent.

As in most things just follow Wheaton's law really.

I had to look up Wheaton's Law. Excellent!