What is your attitude to swearing?

poppikok

I once had a mature student - very ladylike - who wouldn't let a naughty word pass her lips. When annoyed, she would blurt out 'Buttercups and daisies!'

Oh socks!!

In a few years time there won't be any'swearing' , because it will be so commonplace that everyone will use the adjectives in all walks of life. I even saw the c word used with ing to form an adjective on Mums net.

Nice to know that some of them have a sense of occasion. Pity they don't feel the same way in class!!!!

I was pointing out, not very well, bags that young people don't worry about swearing in everyday language but are embarrassed to do so in a court setting. Maybe you wouldn't be embarrassed to quote abuse but these young people often are even when it 'helps' their case. Maybe the difference is that they are young.

If I were quoting someone else's abuse in court, I wouldn't be embarassed. Upset, maybe, at having to relive it, but not embarassed if I was giving evidence.

I'm not sure, therefore, that I understand what you mean, kitty.

The people I'm talking about bags are the victims of and witnesses to an abuse and have given statements to the police. Baffling that they become coy about their use of language then.

Because, of course, they know that abuse, including verbal abuse, is wrong. They've been told this since they were small children, if not by their parents, then by their teachers.

It's still the abuse, whatever the words are, that is the problem rather than the words themselves.

Saying fuck when you drop a hammer on your toe is not abuse. Calling someone a fuckwit in an abusive exchange is. It really is that simple as far as I'm concerned. You can be abusive without using "swear" words, and you can be polite using them. Context matters. Always.

Interesting post vegasmags.

I quite often support young people in Court who think nothing of using the f and c words throughout their conversations. But, they suddenly become totally aware of their language when asked to relate, for instance, how an argument developed and are really embarrassed to have to repeat that kind of language in front of magistrates.

I think I'm fairly immune to swearing. For many years, I taught in FE colleges where swearing was rife amongst the students and to some extent the members of staff. I went in to teach one afternoon, to hear one student say to another "Oh f. I'd f ing forgotten we were having that f ing c this afternoon". I regard it as rather juvenile, attention seeking speech best disregarded. I can't say I'm offended, but rather bored by it and especially by those who seek to shock by its use.

If I was in the company of someone who constantly swore I would find that boring.

My own swearing took roots during the mentalpause, I find it quite liberating and a good release.

Sorry hummingbird. I'll get off of this thread. Getting over-sensitive!

And therefore not worth listening to.

It doesn't depress me. It just irritates me so I stop listening and decide they are stupid.

The thing that depresses me is the use of swear words as a sort of punctuation. There are so many people who seem unable to string a sentence together with out a liberal dressing of four letter words.

I think hummingbird's "taking it as it comes" approach is a healthy one. I might add "and letting it go like water off a duck's back" as well. Taking unnecessary notice of swear words is a bit like taking unnecessary notice of a child's attention-seeking behaviour – pointless and often counter-productive.

NB I did not say that the one is like the other but that taking notice of the one is like taking notice of the other.

J0, my bit wasn't Aimee's at you! I generally admire the way you express yourself - I've been on Gnet almost since the start, and have always been amused, entertained and sometimes challenged by your views - without always agreeing with you! I'm merely stating my personal stance - please don't think I'm getting at you - I'm not!

Would n' t you be feeling a bit vociferous if you knew quite a lot of this thread was aimed at you?

I now know why I retreated into the back ground, and shall now return. How very unpleasant all this is, and how silly of me to expect anything but vituperation.

Wonder why?!

I swear from time to time (maybe more often than I care to admit), but it's spontaneous, and reactionary. I wouldn't swear in writing, because I've usually taken time to think about what I'm going to say, so that is NOT spontaneous. And to me, that's what the difference is! I would have to take a conscious decision to use a swear word, and in those circumstances, I wouldn't! I respect others' views, however, and take it as it comes!

j08 Your capacity not to believe that threads are still running is becoming difficult to believe.

That was to Ariadne. And anyone else it concerns.

Can't believe this thread is still running. Oh yes! #Gransnet.

If you've got something to say, come out and say it!