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Is this counted as a swear word?

(148 Posts)
dorsetpennt Mon 15-Aug-16 09:27:46

Maybe not a swear word as such but this did give me a jolt. Following GB's success in gymnastics at Rio overnight, the BBC had various gymnastics on show outside their building. This also included some little girls giving examples of their routines. An interviewer also chatted to one eleven year old girl to explain a particular routine . The child said you do such and such and lift your 'bum' not bottom but bum. My granddaughters don't use this word, don't hear from us . If they did we would put them right pdq. So did this come from home or worse their trainers ? I know it might seem silly but to me it's the slippery slope to worse language to come .

LumpySpacedPrincess Mon 15-Aug-16 09:31:26

It's just the name of a body part, most kids I work with call a bum a bum.

However, my mother would consider it a rude word, so it's probably a generational thing.

sunseeker Mon 15-Aug-16 09:31:35

I don't consider this a swear word - at least she didn't say arse!

LumpySpacedPrincess Mon 15-Aug-16 09:35:53

"The wisest Aunt telling the saddest tale,

Sometime for three-foote stoole, mistaketh me,

Then slip I from her bum, downe topples she,

And tailour cries, and fals into a coffe."

If it's good enough for Shakespeare grin

Elrel Mon 15-Aug-16 09:41:13

The word 'fart' was never to be used in front of one DGD, her DM insisted. 'Trump' should be said instead. As her earthier cousins got older of course it was. She is now in her teens and thinks her DM was being weird!

gillybob Mon 15-Aug-16 09:50:49

Bum is a perfectly acceptable word (imo) in fact I can't see the logic in using the word "bottom". Bottom of what? Bottom of the body?

Jane10 Mon 15-Aug-16 09:52:01

I certainly don't think bum is swearing! At the very worst its slang!
The mother of a school friend used to make her daughter say 'traf' instead of fart. No idea why that was somehow OK. A rose by any other name etc ...

obieone Mon 15-Aug-16 10:05:54

From threads a bit like this before, it became apparent that words are sometimes taken differently depending on the region or area.
In our area, bum is not a swear word, but is not thought very "polite".

Christinefrance Mon 15-Aug-16 10:10:41

Yes I agree not in any way a rude word. Think it's a bit of a generational thing though.

Luckygirl Mon 15-Aug-16 10:15:22

No problem with bum or fart.

ninathenana Mon 15-Aug-16 10:21:07

My mum would not have hesitated to say bum. I certainly don't think of it as swearing.
I'm maybe no judge though as I was surprised when the leader of the local church youth group took me aside and in a very serious tone told me 10 yr old S had sworn. He'd said crap shock not a word I was happy with him using but I didn't consider that swearing either so maybe I shouldn't comment.

Elrel Mon 15-Aug-16 10:27:39

I admit to being shocked when a teacher colleague told one of her Y4 pupils that his work was crap. Also disgusted when a local adventure playground in Cxxxx Road proudly marked their equipment CRAP.

None of these words are swear words though, are they?

Anniebach Mon 15-Aug-16 10:29:02

I say bum,

Teetime Mon 15-Aug-16 10:58:03

Not a swear word and one a lot of us use but its not a very nice word for children I think - no I cant explain what I mean and as for f**t I was taught we don't refer to that we just pretend it hasn't happened so it didn't have a word in my mother's house.

Christinefrance Mon 15-Aug-16 11:14:15

Yes Teetime it was like that with my parents, bodily functions were hardly referred to. The one exception was every Friday I was asked if my bowels were working, if not out came the trusty Syrup of Figs

TriciaF Mon 15-Aug-16 11:43:31

The French use the word 'fesse' which means buttocks. Quite a pretty word really wink
They also freely use péter for fart. They seem to be much less inhibited than the British.

TriciaF Mon 15-Aug-16 11:46:31

Having said that I was shocked this am when in the newsagents to see a magazine on display with a closeup of female genitals on the cover. Maybe I should have complained but I didn't.
Going too far.

Riverwalk Mon 15-Aug-16 11:56:54

Definitely not a swear word in my world - to me bum & bottom are about the same.

morethan2 Mon 15-Aug-16 12:17:03

Nope, bum, bottom, posterior, all ok by me.

harrigran Mon 15-Aug-16 13:14:58

Not a problem, short and to the point, everyone would know what they were talking about.

NanaandGrampy Mon 15-Aug-16 13:42:55

It's an acceptable word , it's interchangeable for our little ones , the 2 year old has a 'Botty' the 9 year old has a ' toochie' the boys at 6 and 4 have bums !! It's all fine.

Fart is a current cue for hysterical laughter from all three boys , although our Grandaughter always says pip pip !

Kittye Mon 15-Aug-16 13:57:54

How can anyone be offended by the word bum? confused
Pass the smelling salts!

felice Mon 15-Aug-16 14:26:37

I think because of all the languages spoken around him, DGS 4, uses his own words, booboo for bum, peepee for penis and pooey for fart.
He takes great pleasure from sitting on your knee giving you a big huggy and dropping one, pooooo.

Teetime Mon 15-Aug-16 14:41:30

The French use DH's name for schh you know what Trcia F grin

petra Mon 15-Aug-16 14:42:56

Have I moved, unknowingly, into a parallel universe? Grown women discussing whether it's ok to use the word bum. Words fail me, well they don't actually, but I wouldn't want to offend 'some' delicate little ears.