Is this counted as a swear word?

I love the Irish 'fecking' so much funnier than our word

It didn't mean the same as cunt in Scotland until very, very recently, and I reckon it is still used here with the same meaning as twit or eejit. It's dismissive but not in a disgusting way, just a scornful way.

However, words change all the time. Even the power of cunt will fade in time.

Not that it's a word I've ever felt the need to use. After all, how silly to call someone after a woman's pudenda and vagina. I suppose it's no worse than dick though, she says ponderingly.

It's the people using the word and showing their contempt for someone else who are the twats, not the people against whom it is used.

And, besides, as always, it depends on the context and the manner in which it's used. Fuck used among teenagers is no worse than saying Bother! most of the time, though they can and no doubt do use it more aggressively too.

Minibags actually told someone to fuck off in the US during her holiday there this summer. It worked where polite negatives had not. Good on her, I say. I'm all for clear communication.

bluebelle, I agree. Love the Irish use of feckin'

I hear feckin all the time being married to a Dubliner. I know it sounds better but it means the same.

It doesn't mean actual fucking/copulation most of the time though, does it? It's just an interjection with little or no meaning, just emphasis.

Beats me why people don't get that.

For example, "Fuck off!" as Minibags used it (see above) is an emphatic, I-really-mean-it, you-are-annoying-me way of saying go away or leave me alone when those haven't worked.

Your right some of the time it's good humoured but believe some times it imost emphatically does mean "fuck off" your getting on my nerves. It's now my MiL most used word in the residentional home. It's said with real meaning. She spat it out enough times at me and the rest of the family over the years to know.

Yes. I can see where Mini Bags was coming from. Sometimes today's young have to assert themselves.

Just try not to use it to any persistent beggar trying to get money off of you when all you want to do is sit at your pavement cafe table and eat your croissant.

If you do, you will hate yourself for the rest of your life.

The way Minibags used it meant "You're getting on my nerves", morethan. It didn't mean "Go and have sexual intercourse". That was my point: the actual meaning of the words as used.

Sorry, I was talking about it being used as a general swear word. I misunderstood the tread.

Do you think most people who say fuck off to someone are telling them to go and have sexual intercourse? I don't. I think the majority of uses are verging on meaningless or else mean everyday, innoffensive things such as "you are getting on my nerves".

And "Fuck!" usually means "oh, bother! something has gone wrong".

Goodness me how proper, I often used the term stinkypoos when my children were babies. "You're a little stinker" etc. With your small babies it's an odd term of endearment. (The effect is all down to tone of voice.)

"Couldn't you just bite their bums! Was one of endearment in my MILs family.

I see no problem with the term bum. A lot of people use it in terms of "getting bums on seats" for concerts, businesses etc when it is all about financing these things.

I do agree that certain expressions used around the country are regarded very differently when considering how offensive they are.
I thought knackered was just tired and worn out but it appears to be very rude in certain parts of the country. I am not sure why.

I don't believe you. (last sentence).

a knacker's yard - a place where very old and exhausted horses are taken to be slaughtered.
Not even slang?

I think that knackers is the name in some areas for balls (testicles, not golf balls or footballs). It does seem that almost any word you use has a rude meaning somewhere or other, or has been used as a swear-word or insult by someone or other at some time.

There are some older fancier names for the part usually referred to by a four-letter monosyllable - hypervocal.com/politics/2012/16-georgian-age-euphemisms-for-vagina/

While finding that, I also came across this fascinating list www.quailbellmagazine.com/the-real/victorian-vulgarities

Maybe posters should employ some of these instead of the more over-used swear-words - it'll take a while for them to be universally recognised and deleted.

Some of them are a bit of a mouthful though and don't roll off the tongue quite so easily. I hope no one checks your search engine Elegran or they'll be wondering why you wanted to know

I once read Pepys Diaries in the ?9 volume addition, translated from his code. He used some very basic language at times. He had a name for a woman's genitals, I think it was similar to the "c" word.

Oh dear, I think some of the 'laydees' will be having a touch of the vapours. Bring on the smelling salts.

Jinglebellfrocks. Scroll back and see my previous post on my experience of using that word.

According to the Urban Dictionary-what an eye-opener that is!, the only definition of cunt is "a derogatory word for a woman" There will be young people who don't know how it is offensive.

In cidentically I correctly guessed the meaning of cunt-in-law. Bet you can too.

Oh Op, I thought you were going to say 'cunt' or something similar. How disappointing.

I say 'bugger' all the time in normal parlance but my DH doesn't approve of it and thinks it's major swearing but to me, it's just a word used instead of damn or fuck, etc.

Obviously, bum is ridiculously tame by comparison.