our beautiful English language is being defiled

I too dislike the use of swear words, unfortunately it is a fact of life these days - you can't put the genie back in the bottle. I fear as we have become desensitised to the F word we will start to hear the, as yet, rarely used C word used more often.

I rarely swear as I think the English language is rich enough that I can express my feelings without it.

I don't really like swearing but admit to doing it when sorely tried or when it might add comic emphasis. Swearing is a part of our rich language and language usage evolves all the time.

I saw the post to which I think you are referring and I don't think it was that bad!

For heavens sake, what are we, a bunch of mealy mouthed old grannies?

I agree Kitty

(the grin was in response to the original post)

(You gotta love some posters on here!)

sunseeker No! Never that. Different altogether.

I don't like it over-used, but there are times when I use swear-words for emophasis. If you over-use any tool it can become too blunt for when you really need it, so I keep them for occasional use.

Some posters have a low flash point when it appears to them that others are not using their heads, and strong words appear. Thank your lucky stars when you only get the acronyms.

According to Wikipedia,
"Fuck has become increasingly less vulgar and more publicly acceptable, an example of the "dysphemism treadmill", wherein vulgarities become inoffensive and commonplace."

Thank you Ethel, I have learned a new expression today. I rather like dyphemism treadmill and shall store it up for future use.

Try not to worry about these things. The words themselves don't really matter, it's the intent with which they are spoken that is important.

Having said that, if the C-word, which according to Wiki is the most offensive word in the English language, became subject to the dysphemism treadmill, even I might feel that was a step too far.

I was going to comment on the difference between using a swear-word (or hinting at one) for emphasis in what you are saying and using it as a weapon against someone - calling the "You f****r" for instance.

And also, on the way posters can be insulted by implication, without a bad word being used - accused of selfishness, hypocrisy, smugness, pride, boasting, excluding others, hundreds of things which exist only in the mind of the reader. Is that worse or better than a general swear-word?

Well put as usual, Elegran.

I agree Elegran.

Quite Elegran

What Elegran said.

I don't think there is a correlation between swearing and lack of education.

I don't use swear words or acronyms in writing because I can usually find an effective alternative. However, I do sometimes indulge in an expletive in speaking, though often enough this is when speaking to myself, for example when expressing my frank opinion of other drivers. With friends and relatives, I am careful how I express myself, so why should I be any different with GNs whom I don't know?

I think there is a correlation between the way people swear and education though. Some people use the well placed expletive in the same way you might add a spice to a dish to liven it up. Others sling them around as if they were trying to earn a badge for the overuse of the few words they know.

Just found this on facebook, I'm sure you'll all appreciate it!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=497018893753049

I don't swear, - my grandmother knew them all, and used them to us as children (we all lived together). I know my husband swears and the rest of the family, but none of them use that language whilst with me. I appreciate the men who swear when I am around, and take the trouble to apologise to me - although I'm not that bothered by it. I do find sometimes on certain threads here, though that I find it unnecessary and irritating. I hope that doesn't make me sound a prude!
I just don't feel the need to swear.

I dislike the use of swear words in general simply because I don't see the point of them other than they are used to offend. I always downgrade a person that uses gratuitous swearing in everyday language.

If I hit my hand with a hammer or dropped something heavy on my foot, it's unlikey that I would say 'whoops' but to date, I have always had enough words to be able to adequately describe how I feel about something without resorting to gutter talk.

And also, on the way posters can be insulted by implication, without a bad word being used - accused of selfishness, hypocrisy, smugness, pride, boasting, excluding others, hundreds of things which exist only in the mind of the reader.

There are some FMs who are habitual users of that tactic - writing posts that imply that the person they are addressing is either obtuse or of low intellect; both equally irritating to read.

The old saying: 'if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all' often springs to mind when I read some things that are said on this forum (and others).

I am so glad the last two posters weren't in my kitchen a few hours ago, when my lovely beef gravy missed the plates and went on the work surface instead. Luckily there was just me so no tender sensibilities were disturbed.

Though, come to think of it, there are no such sensibilities in my immediate family, praise the Lord!

Yes I swear for emphasis but not in posts. Although I do occasionally use it in texts but never the 'C' word.

I don't think the 'f' word is associated with love making really, to me it's more to do with sexual gratification. Which is an entirely different thing.

The link I put up ^^ shows what a versatile word the F word can be if used liberally.