Swearing

[EternalUniverse]

Why are some people offended by words? Not how the word is used, but just the word itself. It's often said that people who swear have a limited vocabulary; that's bollocks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3460123.stm

Ever notice how swear words deal with biology in one way or another (excluding "dam" which I don't consider to be a swear word)? Perhaps that's why some may feel that swearing is unimaginative, to say the least.

One function of swearing is to insult. Perhaps it is time to invent better swear words! One comedian tried this, but only went as far as coming up with words that sounded like cuss words (like "muselage"). Using words that refer to human biology to insult only goes so far. Perhaps words that refer to the supposed feckless nature of the person being insulted can be more effective than simple reference to biology.

 

[TheBoyPaj]

The example which caused the original news story was one of the funniest things I have seen on TV this year. I expect that John knew exactly what he was doing, probably had a good idea that the show was not being broadcast with delay, and sought to take advantage of the programme makers' error.

I agree that people who swear in every sentence are simply tiresome, but a well-placed word can do wonders.

 

[Monketi Ghost]

I recently had an argument with someone about this very subject.
He'd objected to my use of the f-word in a sentence, claiming that since I had a strong vocabulary I shouldn't need to swear, and that I ought to use "acceptable" words.

"Why should I have to use another word, when f*** does the job I want it to so well? See, if I want to add emphasis to what I'm saying, there's a perfect word for doing so. You've heard the word, you know what it means. That's true for everyone in this room. It's a well-known word, in the English language. Simply because you don't like that word, I should alter the way I express myself? Here's something I think is far easier: stop being so touchy and offendable."

"Acceptable" words... *grunts, annoyed by the concept*

 

[Soapy Sam]

"Dam" is not a swear word.
"Damn" is.
Personally, I usually say "Dam".

(And occasionally, for emphasis, "Damme!")

 

[epepke]

Re: Re: Swearing

Ever notice how swear words deal with biology in one way or another (excluding "dam" which I don't consider to be a swear word)? Perhaps that's why some may feel that swearing is unimaginative, to say the least.

"Defecate," "fornicate," "excrete," "feces," "smegma," etc. all deal with "biology" in the same sense, yet they are not considered swear words.

Swear words tend to be profane, scatological, or sexual, but that is not a sufficient condition.

"Jesus darned my socks" is profane, but it is not considered a swear.

 

[Checkmite]

I don't like to hear kids swearing, it makes them look immature, not cool.

Scarlet would probably have smacked me if she was around when I was a kid...

 

[MLynn]

For years and years, everyone thought I was a prude because I didn't swear...at all (for all they knew). Then, last year I learned the joys of letting a good swear out. I was repressing myself and expending too much energy on finding proper words to express how I felt.

Those of us that know when to use a swear are fine, its just the people that say it all the effing time, public, in front of children, in front of seniors; they're the ones that need to build a better vocabulary.

Dear Kilted, you said it best -

 

[HarryKeogh]

still trying to figure out why you can say crap on tv (or this forum) but not $h!t.

just two 4 letter bits of slang.

I curse like a bastard but much less around ladies (and never around mom)

and as for one's level of intelligence and use of cursing being linked? no way, i'm reel smart-like.

 

[TheBoyPaj]

still trying to figure out why you can say crap on tv (or this forum) but not $h!t.

In my opinion the twisted logic of your TV censorship is beyond reason.

Last time I was in the states I tuned into a cable TV channel which was showing Robocop at 3 in the afternoon. They showed all the scenes of ED209 pumping bullets into that OCP executive, blood spurting everywhere, without a single cut.

Then they went and dubbed the word "◊◊◊◊◊◊◊" into "airhead".

Freaking melonfarmers.

 

[tim]

Personally I believe people should limit their use of curse words, but they are just words and they are not hurting anyone so I don't see the big deal.

We have a reason for asking people not to swear on the forum. If too much of that gets by we are going to end up getting banned from schools and libraries. Not good for an educational foundation!

 

[epepke]

We have a reason for asking people not to swear on the forum. If too much of that gets by we are going to end up getting banned from schools and libraries. Not good for an educational foundation!

Fair enough, but I wish "you" (they?) would stop calling such words obscene when they are merely indecent.

Flagrant official illiteracy isn't so hot from an educational foundation, either.

 

[sorgoth]

Fair enough, but I wish "you" (they?) would stop calling such words obscene when they are merely indecent.

Flagrant official illiteracy isn't so hot from an educational foundation, either.

Perhaps, but ask the schools and libraries which they would prefer.

 

[epepke]

Perhaps, but ask the schools and libraries which they would prefer.

I have a high regard for librarians and teachers (but not educators) and know many of them. Besides, I'm a certified teacher, and my girlfriend graduated in library science. I think they would mostly prefer the term "indecent" over "obscene" with respect to the words in question.

Do you think otherwise?

 

[tim]

I have a high regard for librarians and teachers (but not educators) and know many of them. Besides, I'm a certified teacher, and my girlfriend graduated in library science. I think they would mostly prefer the term "indecent" over "obscene" with respect to the words in question.

Do you think otherwise?

To be honest, I don't really care that much what you want to call it, epepke. I DO care if JREF gets banned from schools and libraries. From a pragmatic standpoint I therefore support the ban on those words, whatever you want to call them.

 

[Abdul Alhazred]

Why are some people offended by words? Not how the word is used, but just the word itself. It's often said that people who swear have a limited vocabulary; that's bollocks.

OK I've read down the thread before answering.

"Bollocks" doesn't offend me because I am an American, and that's just you Brits being quaint.

But in general, while my reaction does not rise to the level of moral outrage, and I occasionally use such words myself, I am irritated by cussing.

What the ◊◊◊◊ is the f**king point of using a f**king word to the f**king point that it f**king means f**king nothing but that a f**king noun or verb or adjective is about to be f**king said?

And I would definitely be offended if called a c*cks**ker, because that happens to be an insulting word, not because I think c*cks**king is a bad thing.

It may not be logically defensible, but it is a fact.

 

[epepke]

To be honest, I don't really care that much what you want to call it, epepke. I DO care if JREF gets banned from schools and libraries. From a pragmatic standpoint I therefore support the ban on those words, whatever you want to call them.

Well, I care, because there is a legal difference between obscene and indecent speech. Obscene speech, by judicial precedent, is not protected by the First Amendment.

The difference between "obscene" and "indecent" is the difference between watching FBI agents legally remove all copies of Catcher in the Rye and almost everything since then from public libraries and burn them, and not.

In my experience, librarians are aware of this. Furthermore, they are quite aware that the banning of JREF may have to be done on the basis of laws that they personally consider unconstitutional, and they don't like it.

I fully believe you when you say that you don't care. I would go further to say that you have the privilege of living in a society where people do care which gives you the right not to care.

In any event, although I have made satirical comments about it, I am not a detractor of JREF's policy. They have to play the same game as the libraries do.

I am a detractor of the way in which it is expressed officially. It seems to me a slap in the face, with skeptical imprimateur, to all of those who have fought for the First Amendment since Bowdler and Comstock. A hell of a lot of money and effort has been spent over more than a century distinguishing "indecent" from "obscene," and I have great respect for those efforts, even if you don't.

I do not know if you are able to grasp this distinction, but I have expressed it to the best of my ability.

[Edited to add "and not"]

 

[Schizobunny]

To be honest, I don't really care that much what you want to call it, epepke. I DO care if JREF gets banned from schools and libraries. From a pragmatic standpoint I therefore support the ban on those words, whatever you want to call them.

JREF is already banned from my school, because it talks about alternative religions and it has a message board. I know this because I tried to go this website after school, but I kept getting this thing saying I was not allowed to because of the aforementioned reasons.

 

[epepke]

JREF is already banned from my school, because it talks about alternative religions and it has a message board. I know this because I tried to go this website after school, but I kept getting this thing saying I was not allowed to because of the aforementioned reasons.

If you go to Our Lady of Perpetual Borderline Personality Disorder or some other Christian school, never mind.

But if not, can you access websites that talk about "non-alternative" religions, or websites that do have message boards? Do you have a school newspaper, or even a local newspaper? Smells like a story to me.

I'm still ticked off about when I was in school and we were forced to endure countless showing of Erich Von Danieken's Propellor Beanies of the Gods or whatever the hell it was called, and the time when there was a class trip to go see a Pet Psychic. We didn't have JREF in those days. (Wrapping my tongue around my teeth: "We had to make our own fun. We played video games.) But you do.

 

[Thanz]

Swearing is typically used to add emphasis to a statement without adding any actual substance. There are plenty of other words for most situations that convey the desired emphasis while contributing additional meaning.

I think that if you need to use swear words to give your statements extra weight and emotion, then maybe the content of what you are saying is not really all that strong.

For example, any use of the "F" word as an adjective is pointless. It should only be used as a verb or, more rarely, as a noun. In these forms the words have actual merit.

I have to disagree. The "F' word can, in some situations, give more emphasis than any other word.

Short example: My father in law swears extremely rarely - almost never. When I was getting married to his only daughter, my two best friends were late to the rehearsal. At the rehearsal party, he pulled them aside and told them "Tomorrow, be f****** on time" in a calm low voice. They were both in their tuxedos and ready to go 2 hours before the wedding.

 

[Donnie]

Words are used to convey meaning.

In the spoken word we have tone of voice, and in face to face conversations we have facial expressions and body language to add extra meaning to the words.

In the case of many swear or cuse words, some people learn to use them in every day language as spacers to give them time to think whilst talking continuously. In place of 'You know, uhhh', or 'Know what I mean', or 'Know what I'm saying', sometimes you get 'Fukcing, uhh, Fukcing'. This differs by region and country of course.

Curse or swear word are words that, in general, we have been taught to respect as somewhat sacred, that have special or additional meaning. This is all learned behaviour or emotional attachment to words. If a word that is supposed to have special meaning was used day indaily by certain groups, like jehova for example, then it would lose that emotional attachment that was special because we would become used to it's ordinary reality, that it is just a word.