The use of 'Gosh'...in real life?

[JinglingHellsBells]

I've recently seen posters using this on MN yet in real life I don't know anyone using it in speech.

The only person I know who uses it a lot is my Mum's neighbour, in her late 80s, and even as a child I thought it was quite antiquated and '1950s'.

I simply don't know anyone who says that word now.

(and I'm solidly middle class with educated middle class friends, if that makes any difference.)

Yep, I say gosh and blimey all the time now as replacements for my usually swears since the DC arrived! DS actually says Oh My G-O-S-H as per the Lego movie which really makes me laugh (he’s 5)

I'm early thirties and I use gosh and goodness me in speech all the time. I don't think it is particularly rare.

I say it loads.

I only use it on Mn to register sarcasm eg ‘Gosh, what a lovely sentiment’ to someone who has just opined that only the Asians in Leicester should be subjected to lockdown.

So, what do you say when not being sarcastic, Dazzle? That's not a swear word?

I'm still waiting for anyone who says they don't use or know people who use "gosh" to say what they use instead (or for "cross"?) because I'm struggling to think of alternatives that aren't swear words!

I knew it wound be chocker full of posters banging on shout how much they use it.
Delightfully middle class word that it is.
In reality I only hear it in school snd from ( posh) teachers outside school. Most people seem to use an actual positive adjective if iit’s a happy surprise “ gosh”. I tend to say “ gish” when it’s something terrible and you can’t say “ fuck me that dreadful”.

I also say wowzers and I am late 30s and working class (for the snobby pp).

I say it...also 'Blimey!' But then, I'm surrounded for 6 hours a day by 5 and 6 year olds, so my exclamatory words and phrases have to be reigned in somewhat 😂

I use it. In my 50s.
Also:
Oh...my... word (said slowly)
Bloomin heck
Drat
Oh piffle
Oh piglets
They all work to express frustration. It's about the emphasis you put on them to show joy or irritation.

I say it a lot, I like to think in a self depreciating slightly ironic way but who know how it comes across

My 14 yo dd says it - oh my gosh! I swear like a navvy, she tells me off

I use it in place of God in OMG. Gosh or goodness. I also use oh my giddy gosh.

As a Christian I try not to use God’s name. My kids do and I have accepted that although I do not allow Jesus name to be used as a swear word

I’ve just realised that different instances of kitchen trauma, required difference alternatives to swearing, especially when ds was younger (the occasional swear word now pops out).

For instance a burn would warrant a “shhhhine a light’ that’s hot response, whereas a bang to the head, which quite often happens to me in the kitchen due to the inconveniently places boiler, warrants a “Flllllip”! Or just a FFFFF! Child free moments and the air is blue

I use it when I'm around my friends who are religious because I don't want to offend them by saying God which is my go to as a child of the 70's . I do actively try not to say either though in reality I'd probably say blimey .

I say, "gosh" and "goodness me" because I spend most of my time surrounded by children. I've also taken to saying, "strewth" recently as well.

Gosh and goodness are certainly both common parlance in my house! My kids mock my mum for saying ‘jolly’ and ‘smashing’ (Ie “well that was a jolly good day out”) but I hadn’t realised gosh was considered old fashioned too. Oh well. I rather like it!

As a Christian I try not to use God’s name.
His name is Yahweh, no?

I like "cripes". But "golly" feels like a bingo card word when reading the Famous Five: it appears a lot.

I don't like "Jesus wept" or "Christ on a bike", which appear a lot on MN.

And there's that awful teenage expression of surprise: "Wait, what?"

I also associate "cross" with telling children off. "Don't do that or I'll be cross."

”I don’t say “Golly” though, because I’m not a racist bonehead. It’s not 1952.“

I’ve just googled and ‘golly’ is just another minced oath dating from 1840 or there abouts. Do you mean because it’s v v Enid Blyton?

The use of golly in these circumstances is not racist. What muddled and incoherent thinking you have. Doubtless well-meaning but, gosh, very bright.

I say both gosh and goodness, most often when in earshot of DSS11 or my in-laws 😂

I swear like a trooper but I am also fond of gosh!
42 years of age.

I say it a lot. But I also swear a lot too, so it’s not like I use ‘gosh’ as an affected substitute.

My three year old does this. Not sure who he got it from. We’re solidly upper middle and don’t only have friends from our social class because we’re not weirdos.

“Golly” is derived from the minstrel shows. Some people really need to educate themselves with some more authoritative sources than the top line of Google.

@midsomermurderess if you’re not black you don’t get to decide if something is or isn’t racist.