When did people decide, and what people in particular decided, what words were considered "swear words" and more offensive then others? Why is 'fuck', 'bullshit', 'hell', 'damn', 'God', 'slut', 'dick', 'cunt', 'bastard' and 'asshole' (among others) considered swear words when they are simply a different way of saying things we talk about in every day life? Why is it offensive to 'swear'? Why does it offend ppl when I say 'oh shit' instead of 'oh crap'? Is it not the same thing? Isn't it just semantics? Why is 'shit' so much more offensive to some ppl then 'crap' or 'poop'? And why is it considered 'unladylike' for women to swear, while with men it's more widely accepted? Why do I get shit, as a female, for 'swearing', when many times (not all the time, I'm not trying to be sexist) men don't? Is it 'manly' to swear? And if it is, why? Also, why does it feel so much better to say 'fucking shit!' when one is angry then to say 'golly gosh darn gee!'? Maybe it's just me, I don't know Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!, but I certainly like to 'swear' when I'm angry. I just don't really understand why ppl are offended by certain words and why they insist on using words like 'heck' instead of 'hell' when we all know what they really mean is 'hell'. I mean, what the hell is a 'heck' Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!? Is it simply because it is ingrained in us from the time we are very young not to use such words that we want and choose to say them at certain times? I remember the first time I ever said 'fuck'. Or actually, I said 'fucky'. I was four years old and I was playing in the pool with my father in the backyard. I was being silly and joking around and rhyming words (I remember this like it was yesterday)...I said "lucky, ducky, sucky, fucky". My Dad immediately got angry and demanded "What did you say?" When I repeated myself, he told my I could never use the "F" word. He didn't tell me then what it meant, but I already knew what sex was, I just didn't know that 'fuck', or in my case 'fucky', was a term for it. What do people think? Do you swear? Do you like to swear? When did you first start swearing and why? Did you start doing it because you knew it was 'bad' or did you simply fall into the habit because others around you chose to swear? Or maybe some other situation brought swearing about? Or maybe you don't swear at all? Why do we continue to consider 'swear' words bad? Why is it important to have them? What difference does it make when it comes to communicating with others and expressing certain emotions? (please discuss respectfully and don't be racist or sexist if you can honestly help yourself Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! )
Personally I wouldn't swear in a formal gathering. I do in informal ones but only as a form of expression.
Well, I understand that, especially because I think many people are like that. I try my best not to swear around clients, co-workers (unless close friends), and relatives, but with friends I'm like a sailor "fresh off the boat" (so my BF says). Still, why is that? Why is swearing sooo bad? When did you start to swear? And why do you feel the need to ue it as a form of expression? Do you think swearing is a necessary form of expression as a human being?
I made this same thread a while ago and got myself and 3 other people banned. Good thing you didn't put cunt in the title. Phew.
Although in real life I am not the kind of person who curses indiscriminately, I think that for certain occasions, only a dirty word can express what needs to be expressed. In fact, there is a text written in portuguese by the author Millor Fernandes to explain just that. I'll see if I can translate it to english.
I think its probably a kind of class consciousness. I have an aunt who speaks in "aap" and "hum" urdu [the classier versions of you and me, when compared to the less classy "tu" or "tum" and "main"] when speaking as a matter of course. But jerk her around and she'll put the most articulate sailor to shame [I have seen people run away in mortification from her in public].
Banned? Seriously? Well that's stupid of them. I got 'warned' once for posting a link to a possible 'terrorsit' website with bad pics, but I only posted the link and gave fair warning multiple times and I was simply asking a question. I did use 'cunt' in this OP, though. Hope they don't ban me for that Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I agree. With the need to curse at certain times, that is. As far as for swearing indiscriminately, well i do tend to do that Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! It's a bad habit, apparently. I would be interested to here the translation of Fernades.
I try not to swear but inevitably I do when I'm with friends but I don't use them to direct my ANGER at anyone but instead use them to convey my feelings about SOMETHING. It is one thing to swear AT someone to upset them but another thing to use them in conversation with those you know and who can understand me as to why I'm cussing. Again, I try hard to refrain from cussing but sometimes I slip.:shrug:
i used to be a curse machine in late middle school, it was the trend i guess, i mean it was as if we learned a new branch of linguistics, and my close friends along with everybody else used them regularly, it was integrated into our everyday talk. until one day..which i also remember as yesterday.. we were kicking the ball around waiting for guys to assemble so we can divide into teams and start a match. and this guy who's younger than me by a couple of years who studied with me in a quran memorizing school, or madrasa when we were both kids..so he was walking into the grounds, and i was shouting at my buddy: "pass the ball you an*al f****", and he shouted back "not gonna, you son of a b****", and i was like "who's the b****, b****?".."why you're the b****, b****!" and so i turned around to walk away to see a Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! from the corner of my eye, looked at the guy i spoke about earlier to see him wearing a literally yellowPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!.. i remember that day i asked my self; what the hell is wrong with me? how did i reach this point? and so i never cursed again, more for the reason that i am able to express my self without resulting to such words... uh, i've been mainly successful.:m:
I still am a curse machine, though I've managed to tone it down a little. I'm a hypocrite on this one. I think swearing does have a place in verbal communication; I know people say it's crass and a sign that you don't have a wider vocabulary, but even if you know lots of words for feces, none of them are ever going to carry the same expressive weight as 'Shit!'. But on the other hand I see people take offence at swearing and think 'Um, why? It's a word. If I said poop or feces instead you wouldn't mind.'
Usually swearing words show anger, frustration, disappointment.....etc. Some people use the " F " word as if it is there to be everywhere in normal conversations . I do not like to use or hear swearing words as I see them a rude way of communication . When I am very angry I use some of them and then I regret it .
