Is this still a swear word?

[GettinTrimmer]

I see it all the time on mumsnet - 'twat' or being 'twatty.' Does everybody agree its meaning is being used as just 'idiot' or 'pillock?'

[Greythorne]

Nah, it's a bit stronger than that.

Acid test: would you be offended / shocked if a 3 year old said it?

I would.

A 14 year old, fine. But anyone under 10 saying it would make me .

[LawrieMarlow]

Definitely a swear word I would say. Although not sure it is a pedantry distinction.

[PaisleyLeaf]

It's a bit less strong than the c word.

[flimflammery]

1 an extremely offensive word for a stupid person
2 an extremely offensive word for a woman?s vagina (=sex organ)
Macmillan dictionary

I don't like it.

[GettinTrimmer]

I also posted about this word as I work as a lunchtime supervisor at my dc's school: an 8 year old said 'you twat' to another child, I had words with him and reported it to his teacher, but later looked it up in the Cambridge online dictionary and saw it means the same as the c-word. I think his parents use it to generally means stupid idiot, or I would hope so anyway if he's in earshot

[MissFenella]

I'm originally from North Somerset and it's always meant idiot/Twit. It wasn't until I moved North that I even knew it could also be interpreted as an equivalent of the word cunt.

[nickelbabe]

still a swearword.

MN is a very sweary place.

you see Fuck all the time on here, too - doesn't mean it's now okay to use.

and yes, some parents will use many or all or some swearwords in front of kids.
I have heard several under-5s being subjected to Fuck/ing in the street around here, so....

[onepieceofcremeegg]

As MissFenella suggested it can vary according to region. Here in the Midlands many people used to use it as a slightly ruder alternative to "twit".
However I think it is becoming less acceptable, or maybe this is my perception.
"Crap" is similar iyswim. Some people see it as a mild alternative to the word "poo" other people think it is worse than "shit"

[mrsjohnsimm]

There was a fair bit of media coverage (and MN discussion) over this when Jacqueline Wilson used the word. IIRC it's largely a geographic thing -- in some areas it's a very mild swear word, not much worse than "twit", while in others it's quite strong and certainly not the sort of thing you'd say in front of children.

[ShimmeryPixie]

I'd never heard of it being an alternative to cunt until today. For everyone I know, it means idiot.