Swear words in online forums

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.

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.

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.

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?

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. 🤦‍♀️

Is this swearing?

It’s a bit smug to say people who swear have low intelligence isn’t it? I have a degree and do ditto son and daughter.

However I hate American films in which every other word is fuck this, that, or something else - now that does indicate a scriptwriter short on talent

None of my children or my extended family swear, I have never heard any of them even use the ‘s’word,ever. I used to at work after meeting with a difficult client but only amongst other workmates, never in public. Mostly I don’t think it is necessary and if I hear someone swearing a lot I avoid them because I think they are bad tempered and unpleasant.

Steven Fry is wonderful on the benefits of swearing 😀

Swear words don’t really offend me anymore as they are so commonly used. I don’t really swear myself- just the odd milder one in a stressful situation. My upbringing probably. They can be annoying if used in place of a decent vocabulary as they so often are, which is lazy. What does strike me is using the Lord’s name in vain. I think using ‘Jesus Christ’ and the like in that way is more horrible than any ‘f’ or ‘c’ word. I have always pulled my children up on this and always will.

Don't read John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, 17th century if you are prone to a fit of the vapours... Heavily censored in the Victorian era. A bit of a lad who died due to complications of syphilis aged just thirty-three.

I think f and s are just rude words and that's that.

Writing them is a step further than using them in speech.
I'd oppose giving up the asterisks - that's giving in to low standards.

What a great topic.
I’m not person who swears BUT if I’m in the company of those who litter their sentences with swearing, I then find my words become swearing. I quickly check and as I’m now aware of this, I avoid when possible those who swear.
I know it seems silly but we are influenced by others whether we admit it or not.
I just don’t like taking the Lords name in a swearing context. We’d never take another faiths name for God in a swearing context.
I’m of the opinion it’s lack of vocabulary and poor education.
I know some on here will say I’m wrong, well if someone who has been given the opportunity of a good education and still swears, my thoughts are they were not well educated.

Good grief, such disdain.

Allsorts

I question anyone with such a limited vocabulary. I don’t want to hear it, the English Language is beautiful and varied, why use foul language?

Shakespeare had a huge range of swearwords. I do a fun lesson at school where I give the students a list of them and challenge them to come up with the worst swear/insult. Winner gets a prize.

Anything good enough for Will is good enough for me. Or Chaucer for that matter. 'For certeyn, old dotard, by your leve, Ye shul have queynte right y-nough at eve.'

Allsorts

I question anyone with such a limited vocabulary. I don’t want to hear it, the English Language is beautiful and varied, why use foul language?

I have a huge and varied vocabulary. I chose the words I wish to use with care and consideration. Sometimes I chose to say f**k (moderated for the pearl clutchers). When I do it is because that best expresses my feelings.
I’m never shocked by words per se it is always the intention that is important.
I worked in a factory where “c*nt” was routinely used with no anger or malice. The best subscription would have been “chap”.

Doodledog

I was brought up to believe all sorts of things that I don't now. I have a mind of my own.

I think that there is a time and a place for swearing - if there weren't, the words would lose any power they have. I'm not interested in shocking people, and wouldn't swear if I thought someone would be upset by it (ditto, and more especially blasphemy). Deliberately causing offence is childish, IMO.

I do swear though, and only c**t offends me. Not the word itself, but the fact that an intimate part of the female body is considered to be the worst insult that can be used. It's even worse when people use it, then apologise and say that extreme circumstances made it ok by exception.

Couldn't agree more Doodledog. If that isn't a sign of holding up the patriarchy, I don't know what is. Our children are born through that part of our body. And yet it's the worst word in the English language? Absolutely not.

Everyone uses a swear word at times, I just don’t want to be with people that use it all the time. We are all free to be with friends we feel at ease with and if that’s someone who swears like a trouper that’s up to them, it’s not what I would choose that’s all.

I worked in a mixed environment but don't remember anyone using a swear word at work.

I do rather like b*llox

As a word, I should add 😁

I never swore in front of my children. Then one day one of them phoned me in the car and I thought the call was over. As I was cut up by a young gentleman I loudly called him a f**** w****r only to hear “mother” shouted down the phone. Thanks for the laugh Volver, being a bi racial person (half and half English and Scottish) I enjoy the Scottish vernacular hugely.

Iam64

I rather like oh how terribly annoying

😂

It didn't work when I fell and broke my ankle!
But then neither did f*ck, f*ck, f*ckity f*ck as I couldn't reach the phone nor get to open the door for the paramedic.

I rather like oh how terribly annoying

VioletSky

It's really important that the status quo does not change on swear words.

If the percentage of offended people falls too far, I won't get any satisfaction or catharsis out of dropping the odd swearbomb

That is my objection to wall-to-wall swearing - if you use the strongest words all the time, what do you have left as a real H-bomb of a swear? You'd have to fall back on "Oh how terribly annoying!"

I curse under pressure. I’m not offended by the casual use of f or similar but don’t like angry, aggressive swearing. I don’t use c and it, along with bitch is banned in my house.