What's wrong with 'pissing off the fairies'?

Going back to the phrase 'give a toss' A very lovely headteacher I worked for, when making pancakes for Shrove Tuesday, announced to the assembled ranks of children in the school hall, 'I am not not much of a tosser' Staff all tries to suppress their laughter and it was me who was asked by her later why everyone was laughing. I am not offended by the phrase 'Don't piss off the fairies' but I know some people who would be so may not choose to adorn my garden with the phrase!

I've been reliably informed by DD's pagan friend that our
garden is full of fairies so, mindful of my responsibilities.....

I will try not to piss off a fairy
Coz my garden's not quite up to scratch
And I tread on a wand midst a green ferny frond
Whilst I'm weeding an unruly patch.

If the wind make the fairy lights flicker
And the leaves block a path to their door
They might cry with dismay and perhaps fly away
If our dog has just crapped on their floor

So I'll keep all these tiny folk happy
Then my garden will surely be blessed
With their magical spells, far off tinkling bells
And sweet scents that their wings have caressed.

But Baggs if you wouldn't use such words in certain company do you mean not with children? You say grown up . Some have no problem with the language , others do . Yes the words are now acceptable on TVs after the watershed but there is no watershed here is there?

I think language matters very much in context. So you can swear and use it to make a strong point, or you can swear in a violent setting - it does make a difference.

When I was working abroad about ninety percent of my English-speaking colleagues used 'shit' on a daily basis about small irritations. They thought it hilarious when, on realising my visa had run out, I simply said "Oh dear".

(the visa got sorted that same day)

I wouldn't use certain words in certain company but I thought on a forum for grandparents, people would be grown up enough to cope with the discussion of any word(s) in the language, even ones a dictionary might call vulgar slang. It has been an interesting surprise to me on this thread how many people seem to approve in effect of the censorship of vocabulary.

I must admit I am never shocked at all at the language people used. But I never, ever use much beyond, bum, bloody or s--t, and then never in real life sort of thing. Once when the children were small I slipped and badly twisted my ankle. As I lay there I said "shit, shit, shit" and the children burst into tears, not because I was hurt but because I swore!!!!

Which words, annie? The ones in the original quote?

I wouldn't use those words if in company and see no different to posting here sorry Baggs

Neither offend me, personally Baggs.

I wonder if it is the sentiment of the quote I gave that is considered coarse or just the words? If I were to rephrase it as "urination and copulation..." etc, would the statement of fact still be considered coarse?

Or you could have kiddy diction: "weeing and mating" (kids who watch nature programmes will have encountered the verb to mate, I presume.

So, is the meaning coarse or just the words? Asking because curious.

Anya... thanks for the English lesson, presumptions me thinks?. I don't think you'll find too many GN's who are easily shocked but you will find loads who just don't like vulgarity. Each to his own.

It's not really a case of what is or isn't classed as swearing,it's about a (supposedly)magical grotto full of fairies & make believe for children to enjoy, so why spoil & coursen it with a phrase that is inappropriate to the theme ,ambience & target group it is surely aimed at ?

aerial intercourse in an oscillating perforated pastry

For the open minded or for the coarse minded

A quote for the open-minded: "Piss and fuck, completely different concepts joined by a common organ".

Lewlew an apology which isn't an apology is simply rude, so stuff it

Being pissed off is one thing . Using the f word is another.

Lewlew an apology which isn't an apology is simply rude, so stuff it.

Just to spell it out to you I have no problem people disagreeing with me and I'm happy to let my SiL's ruling stand. But as Baggs and I (and a few others) have tried to explain the meanings of words differ in contexts and that isn't understood/accepted by some then I think I'll leave it at that.

Baggs, I totally agree with your post 16.14.28.

This discussion reminds me of when I was 7 and one of the boys at school told me that if I said 'bloody' that was OK, but if I said it and it was spelt 'bluddy' it was swearing.
I believed that for years.

Wouldn't want it in my garden. Can swear with the best worst of 'em, but my garden is sacrosanct.

Why not indeed except that that wasn't the question.

If kids can't take don't piss off the fairies as it was meant, I very much doubt if they'd know what swearing was.

The phrase piss off, when not used rudely, isn't swearing anyhow. Not everything that is rude is swearing and not everything that is swearing is rude.

Why not a sign saying ' don't upset the fairies' 'or don't annoy the fairies' or even 'don't swear infront of the fairies' . It's a money making gimmick to get people to buy it and feel a little bit naughty .Its reverse psychology to get you to buy it , a fairy Ohhps sorry fairly obvious selling technique that appeals to us the gullible consumer

Sorry Baggs but difference of connotation between a piss and a fuck gave me a childish snigger! I'm no help to the discussion at all, sorry. As you were....