The 'F' word.

I think the C word is awful & used so casually by both sexes, what would our suffragettes have made of it all,for F,sake!

?trisher
? Bridgeit

Remember my DH saying many years ago when he attended football regularly the air around the terracing was "blue" and I'm sure he joined in but have never heard him swear in the house or around our DC. DS and himself now get together, due to him being housebound, to watch big games on the TV and, although I'm in another room and they get pretty excited and start yelling, I have yet to hear any swearing. I also worked for many years as the only female in the company and it was the same there. I think it's called "respect". However, walking around our town I can't believe the age at which the youngsters start swearing. I know they are just trying to impress but it's awful!! I suppose they must be hearing it at home as they certainly are not afraid to use it!

Bridget...... I'm well-mannered too, but I happen to think that there are far too many terrible things in the world going on, and swearing is WAY down the list of them. To say that a person is "distressed" about swear words is ridiculous

LynneB39,The OP asked if she is alone in being ‘distressed’
I would not be so condescending to belittle her feelings or call them ridiculous.It is not an either or comment , being distressed by language doesn’t mean you cannot also be distressed about a number of other things.

My parents never ever swore. If I do, and it can be very therapeutic, I always swear in a foreign language ;)

I did not hear any 4-letter swear words until I was an adult. None of my family or friends used them. I went to a girls grammar school until 18 and still hadn’t heard those words. I can’t even recall hearing them at Uni.
Now I hear them everywhere- on TV, movies, on the street, on forums etc.
To me, they are vulgar and aggressive.
There are so many other words to be used, so using these ugly swear words in general conversation sounds lazy, vulgar and obnoxious.
I don’t feel “precious” in my opinions. I do feel that I have an extensive vocabulary, am always polite and have no need whatsoever for these words.

sometimes only a f will do

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I remember the first time I used the f word years ago - we were travelling down the motorway (thankfully just me and my husband) when a fox jumped out and ran in front of us. I'm not sure what my husband was more shocked about - the fox (which got away) or his young wife swearing like a navvy

I remember my DM's reaction when, about 10 years old, I asked in all innocence what f**k meant. It took many years (until the Lady Chatterley trial) for me to find out what it actually did mean.

LynneB59 thank you for saying I'm precious I feel truly special now.

Willow, that sounds like a totally appropriate place for the F-word ?

Minibaggs called a gull that snatched her sandwich out of her hand in the middle of Aberdeen "You -ucker!"
That seemed entirely appropriate to me too. "Oh, you rotter!" sounds pathetic by comparison but that's what she meant.

And you meant "Yikes!" or something like that but with a bit more oomph.

I think using so-called swear words in certain situations is actually better for one than not. And it doesn't actually harm anyone.

In a kind of reverse situation to all these commented on so far, I used a word recently when talking to my (50) year old son.
As he had done something really silly, I called him a complete twat.
He was shocked/horrified.
'Mum, don't ever use that language in public... it is an obscenity'
I was amazed because in my childhood in the 40's and early 50's the word twat was used for complete idiots....nothing more!
Had to hang my head in shame!

grannysue it just shows how these things come and go according to fashion.
Even the "c" word was in common use in Pepys' days.
Having said that, I still feel a slight shock when I hear these words, never use them myself.

I hate it too. Any swear words. No one I know uses them and yes it's a big turn off in some situations (online). I've stopped watching a programme or film because the language can be too "in your face". Years ago sex and swearing were saved for the watershed which no longer seems to exist. It used to be said it reflected real life, well my many years on this earth must be running in a parallel universe to those in the film world.

GrannySue, I think that you are not alone in not realising that 'twat' means the same as the C word. And as some people have already said, it's strange that we can't bear the C word but use male genitalia as derogatory names . Also strange that bugger never seems as bad as the F word.

I find several things distressing, but swearing isn't one of them. I'm not precious.

It wasn't meant as a compliment. I meant I'm not so gentle and affected

I'm afraid I use it but either to myself or my husband as sometimes nothing else does but am selective

I remember having to buy the new Penguin dictionary when Lady Chatterly came out so that I could look up all the four letter words because I hadn't got a clue what they meant. I realised times were changing when my mother started saying Shit! I use the F word more than DH thinks proper, but there are times when nothing else will do. I love the fact that 40 year old DS still apologises if he tells me a story with swear words in it. He can't have been listening when he lived with me!

But, * LynneB59*, swearing at people can be terribly wounding and hurtful. Surely it depends upon the context in which these words are used? If it's just to let off steam, when, for example, you've dropped something on your toe or whatever, or you're frustrated about something, that's different than if you use the words to be deliberately insulting to someone.
That aside, though, I still think that swearing in everyday conversation is pretty awful and demonstrates a poor general vocabulary by the speaker when communicating with others if everything they say us littered with vulgarities. I don't think that's being precious, either!

Granny Sue I did exactly the same as you in front of the family and got the same reaction. I think I confused twat and twit.
I hate any 'biological' swear words including shit and crap as they always produce a graphic image in my head of their meaning ! Not keen on religious swear words either such as Jesus or Christ having been brought up as a church goer. I fi d expressions like flipping heck, knickers or when really pushed 'for God's sake' quite releasing enough. I feel no need to use any stronger words.

I don't see it as 'gentle and affected' to dislike swearing. As Mapleleaf says, so much is about context. I never say c* but do use the f word but never use any swear words during disagreements or discussions.
I accepted my children cursing at times when they reached their mid teens. I'd intervene if they swore at each other.

I started reading an interview with Jamie Oliver this morning. I got no further than the first sentence, in which there was a printed "f" word. I closed the article and dismissed it from my tablet without reading any more. I cannot abide bad language, there is no need for it!