The C word - and I don’t means COVID or Christmas!

Horrible word! DS occasionally uses it but always apologises if I upbraid him

The arrangement of the letters that form this word do not flow gently...... giving it a harsh sound .... unless one is very well spoken whereby it would be difficult to know if one was tying to Can’t or C ....

It’s just a word...and used to be used all the time e.g. the street where prostitutes hung out in medieval London was called Gropec**t Lane....

I once knew a man whose worst profanity was "Shave off!". Colleagues referred to him as Sydney Shave-off. Having worn a beard for almost all my adult life, I found that offensive.

Most straight men, like me, find the female genitalia to be a wonderful playground - when we are invited to play. Why the c-word has become used as an insult isn't obvious to me, but the 8 pages of this thread reveals a divergence of opinion among ladies. Yet there are other words in common usage that describe things I believe every single poster would find even more offensive - rape, for example, an act that is utterly despicable. [And, equally, seems utterly pointless to me.]

We know the c-word is very old. Those with nothing better to do might Google Gropec**t Lane and read the Wiki explanation.

the word's actual meaning IS the female genitals. Not an
offensive one
GagaJo Excuse me, no need to shout, but I think we all know that!
This thread is all about the word being used in an offensive manner, similar to the way other cultures use "Son of a pig"! etc.
I know I'm old-fashioned, but I still classify the word as used being disrespectful to others and exhibiting poor manners; unfortunately also an old-fashioned concept!
Good Health.
OoRoo

Vile. Never heard anyone I know use it. The F word seems to be thrown about a lot. Cannot stand that sort of language and luckily don't have to. Let's hope it's a one off. Garajo, it's offensive for the majority of people. With friends you can choose not to mix with them, but not family.

There is a programme that we have been watching on IPlayer.
It's a Scottish comedy (Still Game)with a touch of reality and some pathos.
I love it, but they blaspheme .
Never a show goes out with JxxxxxCxxxxx or Cxxxxx
Sorry, I can't find the asterisk key
My husband says he hadn't noticed, He doesn't swear much

Ellet

I hate the word, can cope with however many f words people use but not the c word. My husband tells me it’s an old Anglo Saxon word.

It is indeed. Chaucer used it.

And to the poster who said it is an offensive word for the female genitals, the word's actual meaning IS the female genitals. Not an offensive one. Just the noun with the meaning listed in the Cambridge dictionary of English.

That reminds me of my Granddaugher aged 3 in the supermarket looking at the decorative flags and shouting there’s a lot of slags in here grandma?

I agree Molly re arsehole, and at least it’s gender neutral !

I can't help thinking though, that it's weird how we use the names of parts of our own bodies, that we all have, one or the other, to be extreme insults to other people. Isn't it? And if so, logically, why isn't arse or arsehole the very worst insult of all? Btw, I use milder swear words but I can never bring myself to use the F or C words. My mother would have fainted if a family member had ever used such "farmyard talk" in front of her. I wouldn't like mine to do so either.

Awwww DiscoDancer1975 that made me chuckle. ?

Although it's not a word I use (I do use the f word especially when driving) it doesn't bother me. I think language is fascinating and most of what are deemed swear words/bad language have been around for 100's of year (f word from the 1300's!) what is bad to you is normal to others. I dont like hearing very young children using f#@k or c#%t but when you really need to let off steam both are goid. I once went to see Billy Connelly live and the show was based on the C word and I thought I was going to find it uncomfortable but it was very funny and he used the word well.

That gave me a laugh Disco - how embarrassing for you.

Whatdayisit

My lovely 2 year old grandson last summer pulled at my leg asking me for something. I bent down to him and he said,
"I want a drink of blackcu**y please".
Poor sweetheart i was so shocked he called it that for a few weeks and it sounded shocking. He still can't say Blackcurrant but he is now -thankfully - saying blackfunter.

This reminds me of my son when he was about three. He had minor speech difficulties, and used to say ‘ f’ instead of ‘ S’. At that time...The Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles were the rage...calling everyone’ suckers’.
You’ve probably guessed...waiting outside a shop in our car one day, he leaned out of the window....pointed his ‘ laser’, at a sweet old couple walking by, and shouted... “ you f...ers.
Once I explained, they were fine, but there were a few occasions where I had to pre empt him saying this, before he could finally pronounce the letter ‘S’.

I used to absolutely hate the word and found it very offensive, but as I get older I realise that what I really object to is when and how and in front of whom bad language is used.

My husband very rarely uses bad language, but when he worked as a loco engineer in the pit he certainly did. Similarly my nephew works as a manager of a Nursery. He is always scrupulously careful about his use of language for obvious reasons, but when he is with his friends his language can be a bit choice.

My view has changed and I realise that as long as people are careful about where and in front of whom bad language is used I don’t get too upset.

I find this is being used more often now, and of course the more often something is used, the less shocking it becomes.
Personally I find the word offensive, and it may be the harsh sound of the word that makes it so.

I even hear it at work now, as in "She hasn't had her coffee yet, so she's c***y this morning'. I hate it, but just close my ears.

Sweary house here. I quite innocently upset a telesales woman desperate to sell me Sky. No. Not ever will I have anything to do with Rupert Murdoch. She calmly informed me that he is no longer part of said company. I replied 'Well he started it, and he's a c*nt...' She said 'how rude and hung up. Dennis Potter called his cancer 'Rupert', so I think we should declare RUPERT the ultimate expletive. That and T*ry.

Sorry should have put this in my last post - both of us use the word as an insult, towards a man, ie you c***, or what a c***! Neither of us would use it as an offensive term for female genitals.

Both of us use the C word on rare occasions - I'm a Northerner by birth so t**t can be substituted if desired

I hate it, it's demoralising for us girls! Although I'm sorry to say I've used it on occasion when totally enraged! But I don't think it should be used in general conversation as it so often is!

Personally, being illegitimate, bastard is the word i dislike hearing most.

My lovely 2 year old grandson last summer pulled at my leg asking me for something. I bent down to him and he said,
"I want a drink of blackcu**y please".
Poor sweetheart i was so shocked he called it that for a few weeks and it sounded shocking. He still can't say Blackcurrant but he is now -thankfully - saying blackfunter.

mrsgreenfingers56

I was always taught that resorting to swearing was lack and command of the English language and not blessed in the brains department.

No it isn’t. I swear on occasion and have very good command of the language.
Stephen fry swears a bit and you can’t say he doesn’t have excellent command of language and is very blessed in the brains department.

Loathe that word.Hubby never uses it he dislikes it too!