Swear words in online forums

Is this swearing?

Swearing can indicate low intelligence but not always because Stephen Fry swears generously and is one of the cleverest people around. On the other hand, stupid people can swear profusely due to lack of vocabulary, so it works both ways. Try listening to Liam Gallagher who can't put a sentence together without several f* words thrown in. 🤦‍♀️

Occasionally I do swear but I’ve never understood how using terms for sexual congress, or defacating or urinating helps. I can understand how forcibly venting or raising your voice to express an outrage but really! F@ck is about sex. How does that help?

At the amazing and wonderful "bog-standard" comprehensive where I taught for many years, swearing in the earshot of a teacher was strictly forbidden and enforced by punishment.
If I hear swearing in the street, I still say "Mind my earshot, you guys," and sometimes still get a "Sorry Miss" in reply. But nowadays it's more likely to be a foul-mouthed response.

When I was 11 I had no idea what f**k meant but had heard a friend use it in a way which implied going or running away. It was the time when Philby and Maclean had defected and the news was full of it. One day while watching TV I casually remarked to my mother that they had f****d off to Russia. My mother froze in horror. "Do you know what that word means?" I told her it means run away. She informed me it was a filthy word and never to use it again. I have to admit that I never once heard my father use it, or c**t although he had worked on the Liverpool docks where language was extremely robust.

As other posters have pointed out, the use of the word genuinely shocked my mother and had the power to do so because it was so seldom heard in our social world. If they are used commonly as interjections in everyday conversation such words lose their power to shock or provide emphasis. They leave an impression of someone poorly educated who lacks the wit and patience to choose more appropriate descriptors.

What's happened to "oh bugg-r". Used to be the word used when anything went wrong, never hear it now, it's f this, f that. Anyone using the C word around me, I'd walk away in disgust.

volver

^It's even worse when people use it, then apologise and say that extreme circumstances made it ok by exception.^

I used to work in a very male organisation. One colleague in particular, younger than me, used to use the f-word then apologise to me. I guess he thought I would melt into a puddle with shock at hearing such a word, but wanted to use it anyway.

Things changed the day I told him to get tae f***.

I must say I love that quaint Scottish expression! IMO much more robust and meaty than a mere boring old fuck off!

I think we are flogging a dead horse here.

I do not care for swear words dotted throughout ordinary conversation, on television or in books.

I can and do refuse to go on reading a book if the language is too coarse by my standards, and there are many expressions I do not use.

But I realise that many people consider this uneccessarily prudish and say that words are words.

All I feel we can do, is lead by example. I have no doubt the fashion will change again, and that our great-grandchildren will probably be as mealy-mouthed as our grandparents were. After all the Victorian era succeeded an age that had been extremely out-spoken and sexually much more relaxed than their grandchildren were.

Grandtante, l agree with you completely. I detest bad language in every way, she and form and seeing it written down seems worse somehow.

B….r was the worst word when I was growing up. Would never have used it, would have thought I would be struck down by some godly force.

Couldn’t believe how casually it was used in conversation in Australia, after my DD moved there. “You little b….r” was used to describe our baby GS by his doting Aussie grandad.

I never ever use the f or c word.

Horrible.

When I was about 5 I heard someone called a silly s*d. That night at the dinner table I called my brother a silly s*d. I remember the stunned silence to this day. I never ever heard my parents swear.

MerylStreep

Lixy
At a quick glance I thought your favourite swear word was the same as mine but then I saw it wasn’t enough letters 🤣

Sorry - just catching up!
It probably is - I put too many *s in - b****r!

HPQ the made up ones are often the best - my Mum's favourite is a very expressive 'blustering blunderbuss'.

What isn’t acceptable is those with a limited vocabulary who insist on overusing the same few words ad nausea.

A well chosen expletive is perfectly acceptable.

volver

Why do you think using a couple of specific words means that you have a limited vocabulary?

I postulate that your perceptions in this matter are somewhat skewed.

Maybe we postulate that your perceptions are somewhat askew when you very rarely agree with anyone else's point of view on gransnet. It's a discussion forum, not an argument one.

Yes, you can.

May I postulate that you seem very intent on finding ways to to attack my personality at all turns?

Anyway I often agree with growstuff. And Casdon. And MaizieD. And lots of others. You know, the people who have facts to base up their ideas.

I'd mention Lucca but the thread would descend into accusations about wingmen.

Baggs

Is this swearing?

It depends on how you mean the words "O Christ". Are you saying them because you think the slimy things are happening and then you say "OH Christ", like saying Oh hell? Or you are asking Christ a question are the slimy things crawling?
I can remember discussing this for O-level English Lit.

Back in the day, a popular chant on demos was - Margaret Thatcher has one. Norman Tebbit is one. A friend remonstrated with a group of men who were shouting this on the grounds that it was disrespectful to women. But I stood by, not brave enough to back her up..

I can swear like a sailor. I do so when it seems appropriate to do so, which includes some internet forums. I don’t swear on Gransnet (although never say never).

What I can’t stand are the coy asterisks. Either swear, or use different words.

volver

Yes, you can.

May I postulate that you seem very intent on finding ways to to attack my personality at all turns?

Anyway I often agree with growstuff. And Casdon. And MaizieD. And lots of others. You know, the people who have facts to base up their ideas.

I'd mention Lucca but the thread would descend into accusations about wingmen.

So we have to sit back and let you do it to us, yet not retaliate, you've got to be joking. I've also taken note of the people who you quote as often agreeing with you. I wonder if they would agree when asked.
I've never mentioned any of them in any of my posts but will be watching with interest to see if they back up what you say. I thought we were not supposed to mention previous posts.

Oh for goodness sake Yammy.

"Retaliate" if you like, I never said you can't.

Perhaps some of the people I mentioned will come along to say how they feel, perhaps they won't. There's no need for them to, unless they want to. You said I rarely agreed with anyone's point of view and I listed people I often agree with.

I haven't mentioned previous posts, but you alluded to my behaviour on previous posts.

Weird day today.

Stop postulating Volver it’s not good for the health.😲

I don’t mind a few swear words, sometimes they’re apt and the only ones to fit the bill.

Not on GN its not.

No thinking outside the groupthink allowed. Don't go disagreeing with folks....

Well, maybe not on every thread hey?

I only post on the threads where I have something to say.

I tend not to make the kinds of posts that say "ohh, you're so right xxx! I definitely agree with you!" Doesn't make for good discussion, I find.

I posted positively about Happy Valley recently, I think...