B*LL*CKS

Okay that looks like bullicks to me.

Anywho, this is about swear words so little kiddies run away lest the filters eat you.

So, who in the world decided the F word was going to be an "expletive" which carried the meaning of badness? Literally, it means to fornicate. So why do we typically associate it with bad :mad2:. I know we tend to use it in times of aggression, or like me you use "F***ing" in your speech too much, and begin not to notice it, but who's to say it shouldn't be used in front of sensitive ears?

Same with any word really, the dreaded c word is often referred to as being sexist. Fair enough, it's not nice to use a womanly part as an offence. But people go around calling others dicks and penises (well not the latter that often) all the time, but people don't really go "GASPSHOCKHORROR" about it. It's got the same meaning as vagina, but I mean..saying that to someone doesn't feel like an offence yet the c word does.

:confused: I don't get it!

Who originally did decide that, hey, I'm going to make up a load of words and they mean this but they should not be said while children are around because actually..they're really bad!!!

Another one: how lenient(leniant?) are/were your parents if you swear/swore in front of them? What ages did they deem it fairly acceptible to say a few "minor" "swear" words. Crap isn't swearing, right? Or is it? I say that, and say sh*t a lot, normally scorned for the latter.

Why?!?!?! I don't understand it >_<.

This isn't an argument, I actually do want to know :D plus I was shouted at by a woman today when I swore when kids were around. If I thought it necessary to defend myself I would've said how I hadn't realised they were there (true), but seriously? When did society begin to think they were ugly nasty words which should never touch children's ears?

Another random kind-of-relevent pointHand gestures. I think I understand the two fingers was once used as a rude signal to the French..archery or something or other..maybe, but if it's so bad why are children using it against me!? On the bus the other day all the tough nuts at the back of their separate bus passing by thought it'd be big to "swear" at us in this manner. I'm not overly offended by it, but at the same time if it's being taught that swearing is bad then why are children allowed to do it? Grr.

I thought it was Bill Hicks at a glance, disappoint D:

I swear a lot, I don't have trouble toning it down when I'm in certain crowds though. My parents let me get away with it more and more when I got into my teens I guess, but I didn't swear in front of them often.

As for why swearing is bad, I think it's probably just got to do with the way language evolved over time. It is what it is.

My Mom didn't like swear words coming out of my mouth at all. That's just because she doesn't like swears, though. :p

Swearing or using expletives is a cultural thing. Usually it comes down to the view that using certain terminology is vulgar and shows a lack of ettiquette and social refinement. Granted a lot of upper class snobs have deep seated family issues, but this is about the mask that people present, rather than anything of merit.

If you swear it's okay. I swear sometimes, and I don't really care. You might also want to watch Penn & Teller's bull:cool::p:(:mad2: as they have an episode on swearing.

I'll admit that I have a pretty un-ladylike use of swearing. Swearing doesn't bother me, but I find the use of some to be just ugly (the "c" word). I suppose it comes down to a personal preference of what you find offensive - if it doesn't bother you, it can't hurt you. It's the same with ethnic slurs - some people (myself included) are very bothered with them, and others just don't care.

The reason "swear" words might seem so offensive may be because of the spite and disdain that are usually involved with saying words. Let's be honest, none of them are pleasant, if you really think about it. Human body parts, fecal matter, a person born out of wedlock, sexual intercourse, etc.

I think that as a sign of respect, if you aren't sure if someone might be offended by your language, a "filter" should be used. Again, it's hard to offend me, but when I hear someone spitting out curse words just because they can, I think they're an idiot.

Also, swearing was strictly prohibited in my home growing up. Which is perhaps why I choose to do it now.

Well I'm not sure about the different swear words becomming offensive at least not without research but yeah the whole 2 fingers thing I can actually explain how it supposedly came about.

Archers need the two fingers that are used as a vulgarity to shoot arrows, rather than kill strong men who could be used as manual labourers the French decided in the hundred years war to use a different tactic they simply removed the two fingers from the hand (I think it was the right hand but I can't remember) thus negating the English archers ability to draw a bow and fire it effectively. The English archers would often when they saw the French would raise their two fingers used to draw the arrows as a "haha look we've still got them and can shoot at you" taunt.

At least this is the supposed origins of that gesture.

I don't swear a whole lot. I don't mind people swearing, and it's never really bothered me. Although, people tell me that I can be extremely sarcastic and facetious. :/

I detest swearing. It's uncultured and extremely rude. People who do it constantly are the worst. I just don't need it.

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Originally Posted by Chris

I don't swear a whole lot. I don't mind people swearing, and it's never really bothered me. Although, people tell me that I can be extremely sarcastic and facetious. :/

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>facetious

oh really? asl?

Swearing is fun. Keep it harsh and keep it colourful. That being said, i don't swear much. I say the F word a lot but usually when i'm joking around, i generally don't aim swear words at people.

I don't swear at work but i do swear at home. The only word i don't say in front of my parents is the C word, but that's not because i'm uncomfortable using it, but because my parents prefer that i don't and i respect them enough not too. But my dad loves the C word and uses it frequently :D

I got about halfway through the first paragraph before deciding your argument was juvenile.

I tend to swear a lot but only when I'm with friends...Plus I make up swear words or use an alternate swearing method...

I've found a new expletive to use thanks to Spartacus: Blood and Sand

"Jupiter's C*ck"

cock isn't a bad word on these fora, rod, for some reason.

I enjoy swearing. Maybe that makes me juvenile. There are plenty of things that don't!

I cuss like a sailor :D

cock isn't a bad word because you never know you might actually be reffering to a male chicken!

As for swearing and how much I do it? Um yeah I'm extremely well spoken when I choose to be. I swear probably excessively certainly frequently.

There's no logical reason that some words are "bad," but that just means it's arbitrary. Since all of language is arbitrary, it's really impossible to just criticize swear words with an arbitrary negative connotation. Lots of other words have different types of emotional connotations: e.g., cute vs. hot. What do you think of when you hear the expressions "to fuck" versus "to make love"? The meaning can be the same, but lots of words, not just swears, have an emotionally-charged connotation.

I do think it's ridiculous to get offended by a swear, but all social constructions are arbitrary to some degree. Why do you wear clothes in the summer? That nakedness is inappropriate is entirely arbitrary. But these constructions still can warrant following if you want to function in society and have a basic level of respect for other people's sensibilities. For instance, my grandmother thinks excessive swearing is rude, so I don't swear excessively around her.

I was like "OMG A THREAD ABOUT MY IN LAWS!" and then i came in here and was all :(

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Originally Posted by Agrias

I was like "OMG A THREAD ABOUT MY IN LAWS!" and then i came in here and was all :(

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:lol:

It's not often i swear, as I was raised not to use them and it just kind of stuck on me. But the words do flow pretty freely (i.e. without guilty feelings) when i do use them.

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Originally Posted by rubah

cock isn't a bad word on these fora, rod, for some reason.

I enjoy swearing. Maybe that makes me juvenile. There are plenty of things that don't!

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Iceglow

cock isn't a bad word because you never know you might actually be reffering to a male chicken!

As for swearing and how much I do it? Um yeah I'm extremely well spoken when I choose to be. I swear probably excessively certainly frequently.

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Jupiter's Cock you're right!! ^_^

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Originally Posted by Bunny

I got about halfway through the first paragraph before deciding your argument was juvenile.

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Don't bother.

I have.... a colorful vocabulary around some people.

That said, I don't usually swear around people unless they do so first.