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The C Word

arthwollipot

Observer of Phenomena, Pronouns: he/him
arthwollipot
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I find it fascinating that the C word is still considered more unpleasant than other standard profanities such as the F word and the S word. It seems to me that the only word that carries the same shock and shame is the N word. It is frequently used as an insult, but so are other so-called "naughty words". Is it because it refers to that part of a woman that should never be referred to? Isn't that a terribly misogynistic Victorian attitude that has no place in the civilised modern world? What makes calling someone a **** any worse than calling someone a ************ or a ********?

Exactly what is it that makes the C word any worse than any other word? To quote George Carlin, "There are no bad words. There are bad thoughts, bad ideas... and words."
 
As with the dreaded "N word," don't expect any logic or rational thought about such things, ie any word that people get so freaked out about saying - I don't mean even slinging as an insult but simply saying the word. Calling it silly and stupid is an understatement and another glaring example of the rampant political correctness idiocy/lunacy, that boo hoo I'm offended hypersensitivity which dominates our society today.

/rant
 
arthwollipot said:
what is it that makes the C word any worse than any other word?
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In Finland also a male variant exists in vulgar vocalubary, what would be a P word in English. Or rather a D word. Of these, C word is the national standard for all situations other than television shows (excluding movies) and nearly all radio shows (excluding some rock themed shows aimed for a liberal adult audience).

The D word is so rarely used that people actually come to think of what it literally means, which makes it shocking and repulsive.
 
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People call other people "dork" all the time; it's gone the other direction.
 
arthwollipot said:
I find it fascinating that the C word is still considered more unpleasant than other standard profanities such as the F word and the S word. It seems to me that the only word that carries the same shock and shame is the N word. It is frequently used as an insult, but so are other so-called "naughty words". Is it because it refers to that part of a woman that should never be referred to? Isn't that a terribly misogynistic Victorian attitude that has no place in the civilised modern world? What makes calling someone a **** any worse than calling someone a ************ or a ********?

Exactly what is it that makes the C word any worse than any other word? To quote George Carlin, "There are no bad words. There are bad thoughts, bad ideas... and words."
Click to expand...

it's not considered more unpleasant everywhere. In england it's about on a level with the f word. In Scotland it's about on a level with "good morning".

Your misogyny argument doesn't hold up because there are other words for the female anatomy that are milder swears (pussy, fanny, twat) that aren't as serious.
 
There is an element of anatomical derision/misogyny in the word even now when it's use appears quite common, although I suspect that it has been used quite freely in past times, its just the people who used probably didn't write an awful lot, so we have no record. Personally I think it is the pronunciation which is part of its power, it is quite violent when spoken.

It's an old english word and has apparently been noted in such pleasant street names as Grope***t Lane in medieval times, assumed to refer to areas where prostitutes worked.
 
Lamuella said:
it's not considered more unpleasant everywhere. In england it's about on a level with the f word. In Scotland it's about on a level with "good morning".

Your misogyny argument doesn't hold up because there are other words for the female anatomy that are milder swears (pussy, fanny, twat) that aren't as serious.
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Okay, so it wasn't just me and my friends taking it too far, lol.

As a fan of international film, i and others have noticed the c word used pretty much as much as "the" in the scottish vocabulary. (Not that we find it offensive, if the word was Kittens, it would be just as noticeable.) And this has spawned an inside joke of sorts that whenever something is going on in a film in scotland, a phrase of the nature of " Oi, you *****, **insert what is going on screen here** ?".
 
Lamuella said:
it's not considered more unpleasant everywhere. In england it's about on a level with the f word. In Scotland it's about on a level with "good morning".
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I agree with the Scotland bit (also in the forces), but not re England, generally speaking. My perception is that it's still thought far worse than the F word, especially by women (have you heard the phrase 'it's a word that hates women'?). Doesn't stop my wife using it regularly though!
 
Big Les said:
I agree with the Scotland bit (also in the forces), but not re England, generally speaking. My perception is that it's still thought far worse than the F word, especially by women (have you heard the phrase 'it's a word that hates women'?). Doesn't stop my wife using it regularly though!
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Have you seen Bottom live?
 
Lamuella said:
it's not considered more unpleasant everywhere. In england it's about on a level with the f word. In Scotland it's about on a level with "good morning".

Your misogyny argument doesn't hold up because there are other words for the female anatomy that are milder swears (pussy, fanny, twat) that aren't as serious.
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Your cultural relevance comment is telling. But as for the logic re misogyny's role, an analogy would be to say the n word wasn't racist because it's not racist in all circles and all nicknames for negroes are not equally racist.
 
Professor Yaffle said:
Link to the BBC list of swearwords posted on BadScience which orders them according to how strong people consider them (url tinied due the forum censoring the address...)

http://tinyurl.com/7rnspa

NSFW obviously
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That's an interesting page. I wonder why the comparable C word is missing? The one that refers to male genitalia with a similarly negative connotation.
 
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Skeptic Ginger said:
That's an interesting page. I wonder why the comparable C word is missing? The one that refers to male genitalia with a similarly negative connotation.
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I suspect it is because both "cock" and "prick" are only expletives in certain contexts and can be used for very inoffensive purposes, although cocking a weapon might actually be more offensive, if you take my meaning:o
 
Skeptic Ginger said:
Your cultural relevance comment is telling. But as for the logic re misogyny's role, an analogy would be to say the n word wasn't racist because it's not racist in all circles and all nicknames for negroes are not equally racist.
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I think you've misunderstood my argument.

The OP said: "Is it because it refers to that part of a woman that should never be referred to? Isn't that a terribly misogynistic Victorian attitude that has no place in the civilised modern world?".

I was demonstrating that the reason for the c word's perceived offensiveness cannot be merely because of this because there are other words for the same thing that AREN'T seen in this way.

I wasn't saying "using the c word isn't misogynistic". I was saying "taking offense to the c word isn't misogynistic".
 
As Johnny Carson once said (or as I remember him saying...) "On Television, you can prick your finger, but you can't finger your *****".
 
An old boyfriend once said to my (future) wife, "Why do you always have to be such a ----?"

She never forgot it and never let him forget it either. She felt he was comparing her unfavorably to a body part that is uniquely feminine and she didn't like it.

No, sir, she didn't.

"Oh, I'm a ----, huh? Well, I'll be a ---- then." They didn't last long.
 
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