I just can’t fucking get on board with this one

[Streamorwatchlive]

From The Guardian today.

Never swear in front of your kids. Sandahl says swearing encourages a reduction in vocabulary. “‘Fuck’ is a catch-all word: but we’ve got a beautiful language, and we have so many words to express what we feel,” she says.

I’d like to see this evidence that by including swear words in your vocabulary that you are simultaneously reducing it overall. I swear like a trooper and I am a writer with a fantastic vocab (not a commercial tabloid type, this isn’t for a story don’t worry!)

In the real world, of course, we all swear occasionally: and, if you do, the important thing, says Sandahl, is to own it, to maybe laugh about it, to explain why you’re feeling frustrated. “Instead, be honest about the fact that you overreacted; ask your child what better word you could have used instead.”

first off I take issue with the fact that one might only swear when frustrated or angry. I rarely swear in aggression.

secondly, the thought of getting down to a 3 year old’s level and saying ‘let’s think of ten beautiful words mummy could have used instead of fuck’ is ludicrous.

I’d rather teacher my child that words are words and all words can be beautiful I’m the right context.

thoughts?

Sometimes, having considered all the options, you just have to conclude that 'fuck' best suits the occasion.

I’d like to see this evidence that by including swear words in your vocabulary that you are simultaneously reducing it overall.

I say this all the (fucking) time! Narrow vocabulary? That would be the person choosing to omit words from their speech.

And all the nastiest things that I have ever witnessed being said had no swear words in them at all.

Never swear in front of your kids.
I'm on board with this. In fact I go as far as not doing it in front of other people's children too.

I don’t swear around kids generally, but once they hit late teens it’s game over.

It’s just a Thank Fuck it’s Friday space filler article, innit.

Sweary household here. We also don’t mind the kids swearing as long as it isn’t excessive. I don’t want them to be saying fuck every 3 seconds but every now and then, sure

I have four degrees in English, speak five languages and have a large vocabulary in all. I still say ‘fuck’. Sometimes I vary it with tmesis, as in ‘Absofuckinglutely’ or ‘Unfuckingbelievable’.

I never swear in front of kids. I cringe when I hear adults 'fucking this and fucking that' in front of their 3 year olds and within hearing of other people's children. I think it does show lack of awareness and possibly lack of control too.

Yeah it's quite sweary in my 3 x teen household but when they were little I properly minded my Ps and Qs!

I can't think of any words that are as versatile as fuck.

Totally agree with this. There's much worse things you can say than fuck.

Fuck that! 😒

I counter that with this:

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/27/961063804/colorful-language-may-have-benefits-be-sign-of-intelligence

This is ridiculous seeing the fact language evolves and what seen as a swear word 20 years ago might well be seen as totally acceptable now.

I rarely swear. But when I do, my dcs know that they’ve gone way over the limit of what’s acceptable. I switch language too (bilinguals here). These are the words that actually encapsulate how I feel and what’s going on in a clear and concise way, I’m not sure there is a need to change that. Or improve my ‘vocabulary’

Fuck this
Fuck that
Fuck sake
Fuck you
Fuck off
Fuck yes
Fuck no
Fuck it

There's almost no word in the English language better than fuck. It's versatile and always fun to say 😁

Meh. I swear alot. It brings me joy. I have a large vocab and can also speak 5 languages (high five to other the pp) I am also incredibly well read. It means fuck all really.

Ppl swear because they want to. My kid knew that there's adult words and every day words when little.

Dc is older now still primary age and we let him swear mildly at home. My view is that he's practicing how language works. If he uses it out of context we explain where he used it incorrectly and the entomology of the word if we know it or we look it up together.

Swearing is just another way to verbally express yourself. Each to their own.

And, please by all means if you hear me swearing in front of others feel free to look down on uneducated, ignorant , chavy me. Because, I already judged you and tpu didn't even have to open your mouth.

I stopped swearing completely when my kids were small. Very happy that they’re now teens and I can have a good swear when the urge takes me.

Stephen Fry on the wonderful versatility of the word:

Time for my fave Billy Connolly quote -

A lot of people say that it's a lack of vocabulary that makes you swear. Rubbish. I know thousands of words but I still prefer "fuck".

I kept the swearing under wraps when they were small but now they’re great big hulking teens it’s open season in my house. I’ve always taught them that you can hurt someone’s feelings without swearing and you can swear without hurting people’s feelings. I’m not a fan of swearing AT people such as ‘fuck off’ but I’ve no bother with ‘fuck this’.

I only swear infront of DD if taken by surprise ie I drop something on my foot or someone cuts me up (whilst driving, not by someone taking a knife to me, although I'm sure I'd swear copiously if that happened). My DD has heard it all but doesn't swear which I'm relieved about, she'd get into trouble at school and the other parents probably wouldn't be impressed.

Sometimes in life only a good fuck will do.

Truth @Fallingthroughclouds 😁😁😁

I say this all the (fucking) time! Narrow vocabulary? That would be the person choosing to omit words from their speech

exactly. Is it crowding out other words?

I cringe when I hear adults 'fucking this and fucking that' in front of their 3 year olds and within hearing of other people's children. I think it does show lack of awareness and possibly lack of control too

please expand @WallaceinAnderland what awareness is lacking? And what lack of control?

I agree with other posters I don’t swear AT people but rather with them! My 8yr old doesn’t swear because she knows ‘kids aren’t meant to’. She will when she grows up I assume and I couldn’t fucking care less

Next time DS says 'fuck' in front of me I'm going to tell him to make a list of 10 words that he could have used instead.
I just know that the first one is going to be 'bollocks'.

I'm pretty sure the reception kids that swear at my kids' school aren't the ones with the parents with a rich and varied vocabulary.

Very happy to swear but not around small kids. (Do use the odd 'crap' and similar now eldest is 8).

I disagree with this. I swear infront of my kids and I tell them if they are curious about a word then to come and ask me what it means and il explain why it’s a bad word. It makes me cringe when people are all avoidant and airy fairy around their children.

I don’t agree with banning swear words and giving them all this power and making them out to be a big deal. You can’t tell your child that words can’t hurt them and then in the same breath give other words the ultimate power. Just don’t make a bid deal out of it. If someone at school called my son a fucking idiot for example, he wouldn’t think twice because he knows it’s not a big deal.