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Casual profanity
I'm not sure how it can be curtailed. Indeed I think that one issue is that words have been devalued at both ends of the spectrum and people are scrabbling about to find something suitable.When a child of seven or eight uses the f word four times in a sentence, then what does somebody say when they're really annoyed or upset?
It's one of those things that only old people and newspaper columnists talk about.On the one hand we're living in age where nobody has any manners and everyone just shouts obscenities willy nilly, whereas on the other hand we live in an era of obscene political correctness whereby everyone spends every waking moment treading on eggshells lest they inadvertently offend someone.
It's all these $#@#% youngsters who don't have any $&@#$% manners.
Mikey said willy. HeheheWould any of you feel tempted to complain to the manager in a shop that displayed profanity laden articles?
A shop that displayed what?I probably wouldn't anyway.
Certain words no longer have the shock value they used to, except to the older generations. The f word is now part of the daily vocabulary and can be used in normal conversation without offending most people. There are still words that offend just about everyone and so don't appear very often and aren't used a lot. Personally, I find the overuse of profanity tiresome rather than offensive. If someone swears every second word I get bored, frakk it.
This one is really difficult. On one level, I don't mind swearing. I can cuss and pottymouth with the best of them. One of my favourite films is Pulp Fiction complete with all its magnificent f's and mf's and n's.And if you had caught me in my younger days, I would have waxed lyrical about freedom of expression and artistic something or other.
Until I became a father.
And when the fates were casting dice over the BBITW's cot (Best Boy in the world), they clearly decided to give him the genes of an expert interrogator. As a toddler he questioned every single thing he came across in life. Every. Single. Thing.
Why is that? What? How does that work? Why is the sky blue? Why is poo smelly? Where did all your hair go? Why does Daddy look at ladies' shirts?
That was why I couldn't take him to a football match when he was small. I didn't want to have to explain why everyone in the crowd was calling the referee a .... person who finds pleasure when his significant other isn't in the house.
And that's the problem with swearing. I don't mind it. You probably don't mind it. But do we have to cause pain and discomfort for those people who really don't like it?
Sometimes we need to cause each other pain. Some things need to be said and we should have the courage to say them. Swearing is one of those things that doesn't need to be said.
Behind closed doors and between consenting adults? That's fine. Cuss away. But in public so that it is inflicted on people who are upset by it and who don't get the choice? Nope. Not for me.
I suppose it's an age/ experience thing. I am turning into an old fart.
Michael Cargill wrote: "A shop that displayed what?I probably wouldn't anyway."
Mugs and t-shirts and greeting cards and such.
Photos please, GL.
Will wrote: "This one is really difficult. On one level, I don't mind swearing. I can cuss and pottymouth with the best of them. One of my favourite films is Pulp Fiction complete with all its magnificent f's a..."I love the story of your son, Will. At five years old, my granddaughter spread a map of the solar system on the table and said, "Right, Daddy, where's God?"
I don't mind the occasional swear word at the right moments, but some girls at work swear every other sentence and I think it's unattractive. Also it loses its impact. When I use a swear word it has an immediate effect since it's so rare.
But I must admit that if I open a book or start watching a film and it's full of swear words, then that's it for me.
Profanity shouldn't be casual, that's the problem. It's for moments of distress, pain or high irritation! To use otherwise and liberally scattered through speech demonstrates I think a severe lack of vocabulary (don't you know any other adjectives dear?) and is frankly boring (to me anyway - and others might find it offensive, especially in front of their children). So I'd rather people didn't do it!
Rosemary's said what I would have said. I can use some choice words but only under severe provocation. Geology field trips shared with a group of rugby players means I know some 'good' songs too. However, I think I hate even more when people pretend they aren't using that kind of language by saying frikkin' of freakin' etc. Either say it and be damned or use normal language. If you can't, I suspect you of impoverished vocabulary.Kids are the question. I would challenge them to think of a better word. I remember a parent collecting a child from the nursery, hearing him drop a good 'un, then slapping him around the ear (he was 4 remember) and saying 'Stop fu**ing swearing!' Poor mite, he hadn't a chance, had he?
My problem is that I was brought up in the agricultural industry where language was always pretty choice. At the age of four in my first term of school I told somebody else to stop buggering around. Basically it's a phrase I'd heard my grandfather use and worked out how to use it in context, but it never even struck me as profanity.Obviously people then explained that I shouldn't use certain words. (Except when I hit my thumb with a hammer or a bullock stood on my foot or similar circumstances)
The problem is, as my mother once pointed out, it's often the sign of a poor vocabulary. It also means it's very difficult for people to signal emotions. When I swear, I'm angry. People who know me know that. I'm not swearing because I cannot think of an appropriate word
I still think the palm must go to the first Queen Elizabeth who was apparently so well educated that when she was annoyed with the Polish ambassador she insulted him, in Latin, for about fifteen minutes without repetition!
If the story is true everybody was so impressed that the ambassador himself wrote back to his court praising her for her erudition :-)
JimWhen I first read that I thought you had said that you had hit one of your bullocks with a hammer. And I couldn't help thinking that, f*** me, that must have hurt.
I rather like Shakespearian insults.Shame I can never recall them in the heat of the moment.
Shakespearian insults as in "That Shakespeare bloke couldn't write for toffee"?Or "Call that a comedy? It's not even remotely funny."
"I’ll tickle your catastrophe!"It deserved the exclamation mark!
I don't mind watching Gogglebox but I kind of think some of the swearing on it is gratuitous. Conversely, there is a wonderful part in The Wire where two of the main characters are investigating a crime scene and the only words either of them use for a good five minutes are variations on the word f@@k. I guess it's all about context!
Gingerlily - Mistress Lantern wrote: "Could you be referring to this , Patti?http://www.renioclark-shop.com/WebRoo..."
Ha!
I use it most mornings.
Stuart wrote: "I don't mind watching Gogglebox but I kind of think some of the swearing on it is gratuitous. Conversely, there is a wonderful part in The Wire where two of the main characters are investigating a ..."Oh yeah!
Great episode that. Completely suited what was happening, didn't it?
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I don't mind watching Gogglebox but I kind of think some of the swearing on it is gratuitous. Conversely, there is a wonderful part in The Wire where two of the main characters are i..."yep - finally got Rebecca to start watching it and it is even more joyous the second time around!
I love that the first word in 'Four weddings and a funeral' is fuck!!I don't generally have a problem with swearing (although there are certain words I can't abide) but one of my specialist nurse colleagues has a foul mouth and sometimes even swears in front of patients and I just don't think that is right at all!! Have no respect for her professionally!
Only time I have problem with swearing in films or on TV is if I am watching it with my Dad who is massively against any type of swearing (although weirdly he loved Ian's 'Abide with Me' which is full of it!!!!
Anyone seen 'Book of Mormon'? Now there is a very sweary show but one of the funniest thing I have ever seen!!
Emma (Queen of the weirdo's) wrote: "I love that the first word in 'Four weddings and a funeral' is fuck!!I don't generally have a problem with swearing (although there are certain words I can't abide) but one of my specialist nurse..."
You mean this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjixd...
It's a brilliant scene which gave the world the simply brilliant fuckity-fuck. For me the funniest bit is the very last word - bugger.
Will wrote: "Emma (Queen of the weirdo's) wrote: "I love that the first word in 'Four weddings and a funeral' is fuck!!I don't generally have a problem with swearing (although there are certain words I can't ..."
That's the one! Brilliant :-)
Oh bollocks to all this.
I do swear but it's generally if I'm annoyed or excited about something.I'd never swear in public, which is just as well as I used to work in retail and I'd never swear in front of kids.
I'm sure people who swear every other word don't really realise they're doing it. Must be the way they've been brought up.
I'm sure my parents must have sworn sometimes but I can honestly say I never heard them.
I think I embarrassed my mum on the bus once, when I was about five, when I piped up in a very loud voice "What does fuck mean, mum?" I think she wanted the ground to open up and I don't think I got an answer either if I remember correctly. Don't know where I first heard the word as it certainly wasn't from my parents.
I suppose it could have been worse, it could have been "What the fuck does that mean, mum?"
As a teacher I'm obviously not allowed to swear in class (in spite of the amount I hear around the playground). However, since beginning teaching, I have found profane language to be therapeutic on occasion at home. It's amazing what you miss when it's taboo for most of your day!
I hate people who put gratuitous profanity in their books.*ahem*
Darren wrote: "I hate people who put gratuitous profanity in their books.*ahem*"
Your level of self loathing is beyond measure, Darren.
Fetch it over here - I'll measure it. *ahem*
Have you got a big enough measure, Kath?
Enormous! or, with a view to this thread title and in homage to the late Sir Terry - sodding enormous!
Geoff (G. Robbins) (The noisy passionfruit) wrote: "I suppose it could have been worse, it could have been "What the fuck does that mean, mum?"" I've got a a pal who worked in a bank when he was younger, behind the counter, in the days when bank staff used to know customers and chat to them. One day an old dear came in who used to always have a dog with her, but one day she didn't have it. My pal asked where the dog was, she told him that it had died. He said "Oh, what a shitty".He went on to apologise profusely, trying to convince her he had been trying to decide between saying "what a shame" and "what a pity". Never did find out whether she bought it or not.
No.1 daughter once asked: 'Mum, why are you a fucker?'Stunned silence.
Then daughter points to the day's post and the FCCA after her Mum's name on one envelope.
One knowing child on a school farm visit - back when you could take them and it wasn't all health and safety stuff, came home and told us they'd seen some f*ckers. (See, I'm that old fashioned I still can't say it in public!) One of the staff pulled her up about it but she said by way of explanation, 'They told us they were 'effers but we knew what they really meant!'
A friend of mine tells this story. He was driving his two young daughters when one of them said: "Oh, will you stop being a silly bugger?"
At this point he said, ever so gently, "That's not a nice thing to call someone."
The daughter said: "But you call other drivers silly buggers all the time."
Him: "Yes, well, um. I'm a grown up. I'm allowed to say things like that."
There was silence in the car for the rest of the journey. His daughter was deep in thought, trying to process this.
Later that evening, as he was telling her a bed-time story she looked at him with that pious solemn face that some kids can do really well.
"Daddy, I am very sorry about the bugger thing."
She's a teenager now, but I understand that "sorry about the bugger thing" has become part of their family folklore.
When in the police I attended court with a dog handler to give evidence regarding a public order offence. The dog handler stood in the witness box and explained what had taken place. He said, 'the defendant told me to keep away from him, and then he swore at me'. The magistrate told him that as this was a public order offence the court needed to know exactly what was said. The dog handler replied, 'he swore at me.' The magistrate pressed him for the exact words and eventually the dog handler said, 'The defendant told me to keep away from him or he would kick my fucking dog.'The solicitor asked, 'What happened then?'
Dog handler, 'He kicked my fucking dog.'
Many years ago, we were attending the dentist for our regular check up. As we were waiting our turn, a small child was playing with some Lego that was in the toy box provided by the surgery. He was fiddling away when the door came off in his hand. He was heard to say "oh fuck!" This was followed by him holding it up to his parents and proclaiming "it's fucked."
The reply from the parents? "Yes, it is."
We had Yoofa Coffee way back in skool. Thought it was very witty, we did.
I almost never swore until I started my current job. Now I do, sometimes, more than I like at times but it seems my colleagues and the people I meet have rubbed off on me a bit. Even after two years though, people still express surprise when they hear me swear! I don't have an excuse for it except possibly there are only so many times you can be told to Foxtrot Oscar or similar before you find yourself using the same language. There are words I won't use and I find those people who swear every other word to be offensive. I also don't swear in front of anyone other than colleagues, if my friends don't swear, I don't find myself doing it. My parents have only heard me swear twice, once in the Blues Brothers and once I let one slip in on the phone to my Dad repeating something someone else had said. Which caused much amusement his end I think!
That sort of double entendre word play seems to be okay. The logic seems to be that you shouldn't be offended if you have to decode the naughty word. That clearly shows that you know the word, and so you shouldn't be bothered about seeing it again.I think that's how the Carry On team got away with "Carry on up the Khyber". Either the censors didn't know Cockney rhyming slang or they let it go on the grounds that the people who might be offended won't know what it means.
Mind you, I always get a naughty giggle out of Horlicks.
Has anyone seen the young girl from Walsall who took the ice bucket challenge? She's 4 -5 years old and when the ice bucket was tipped over her she jumped up and shouted, 'fucking hell.'The clip went viral on FB. Check it out.
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Someone actually took time out their life to make charts.http://www.viralthread.com/love-swear......"
Well, I'm not taking any time out of my life to read it.
Everything from people yelling into their phones or at each other to crass greeting cards and t-shirts in shops.
Can't say I've felt overwhelmed by it but I don't spend much time in this country.
What do you lot reckon?
Is casual profanity out of control and if so, should it be curtailed and how?