to not like people swearing in public?

[carlajean]

We had lunch outside a pub today. There were three guys at the only other table, which was very close to ours, and there was a fair amount of 'fucking this' and 'fucking that' going on. It was just me and my partner, no children, but I feel uncomfortable when people do this, and it spoilt what was otherwise a nice meal.
I swear myself, but not in those circumstances.
Perhaps we should have said something- but we didn't because we didn't know how they'd react.
Aibu to not like this, and would you have challenged them?

[dawndonnaagain]

It is not common to swear. I swear. I am not common and I am extraordinary in the 'stringing sentences together' department.

[MissBattleaxe]

dawndonna, I like a good loud "Bollocks" as much as the next woman, but using the word "fuck" and "fucking" as if it were a comma in a sentence is just horrible to listen to and makes the user sound really ignorant.

They may well be intelligent, they may have a degree, but it really won't sound like it.

[AnotherGirlsParadise]

I work in a tattoo shop, and constant swearing is absolutely the norm in that environment. We've had one or 2 customers object to it - whilst nobody there uses swearing as punctuation, we do use very strong language - and the general consensus was 'Fucking well suck it up, you're in a fucking tattoo shop you ridiculous cunt.'

I don't think tattoo shops have ever been regarded as kid friendly environments though, and those who seem genuinely shocked at the level of language/banter that goes on are very much in the minority. And probably just a tiny bit sheltered!

[dawndonnaagain]

I use fuck, I use cunt. Not for punctuation but I use them. I don't care whether or not I sound as though I have degrees. I'm still not common or ignorant, in either sense of the word.

[MissBattleaxe]

Not saying you are common dawndonna. I am saying that swearing as punctuation throughout a normal non angry sentence makes the speaker SOUND ignorant.

[dawndonnaagain]

But so does a badly written sentence, and we don't comment on that, do we?
I think I'm trying to say that we really don't need to be quite so uptight about swearing in public, there are many causes and it isn't always that somebody hasn't had the opportunity to expand their vocabulary.

[blueshoes]

MissBattle, I agree.

I do swear but to use it in normal everyday conversation that does not call for fuck or shit or cunt sounds ignorant and unnecessarily aggressive.

It always sounds worse to the person hearing the swearing than the person saying it. When I think of the times I have sworn inappropriately in public, I sometimes cringe.

It is so much more effective when making a strong point in public to be ultra polite than to use profanities.

[beachywaves]

I dislike swearing in public and have had words with offenders in the past. I adore swearing in private. However, in public, as part of normal conversation, it does make people look ill educated and common and I think a lot less of them.

[naty1]

The kids park is right next to where the older kids gather and the language is awful, very loud for the under 10s to hear.

I guess they used to play there themselves but i dont want my 2 yr old repeating that word as it is embarrassing as if you use it in front of them yourself you would feel guilty.(bad parent etc)
The grandfathers both use bloody conversationally which im trying to get them to stop.

DDs language is very extensive but we recently had to go through a shop hearing OMG from her for over 5mins. I have to say i havent censored that so i guess its not surprising.

I think kids swearing is common as its like the parents cant be bothered moderating their language.

You are not away from it even in your own garden you hear people going by swearing,

[SirChenjin]

Agree MissBattleaxe - there is absolutely no need to pepper your sentences with swearing. The fact is, swearing is offensive to many people - and rather than accusing them of being uptight it should be the responsible of the person fucking and cunting to have a bit of consideration for those around them and not be so antisocial.

[dawndonnaagain]

Oh bog off!

[dawndonnaagain]

Seriously if you consider swearing to be offensive that's a problem in itself. It's part of language and if it's in a public place, well, so what. It doesn't hurt, it doesn't wound unless used directly as an insult, which is obviously wrong. It doesn't make your children ill or turn them into tearaways.
I take greater offence and judge more when I see mangled grammar, spelling and punction.

[dawndonnaagain]

Having said that, language is dangerous, particularly this governmental use of shirkers and workers. That's really dangerous, really offensive and there isn't a swear word in sight.

[dawndonnaagain]

the

[ThatBloodyWoman]

Yabu.

Its in common useage, and you''re an adult.

My dh can't stand blasphemy, but has to tolerate it all the time, yet he swears like a good 'un.

[SirChenjin]

Seriously if you consider swearing to be offensive that's a problem in itself

No, that's not a problem, it's just the way things are. Language is offensive for many reasons, and swearing is part of that. If you don't acknowledge or understand or recognise that swearing can be offensive to other people, or that there are some settings where it's inappropriate to swear then you're either completely thick or ignorant or inconsiderate. Or all 3.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I am ill educated and common.

Do I have to stay in, now?

[Boomerwang]

Most pubs had a 'family' area and an adults only area. I don't remember being in a pub much as a kid, can anyone else say whether it worked in the sense that the kids weren't exposed to so much bad language?

Now a lot of pubs have had to open their doors wider and serve food at all hours of the day, and many are chains since the great British pub has all but died a death.

Not only that, but the way we bring up our children has changed, and we are paying a fair bit more attention to them.

Isn't it natural that acceptable behaviour and speech in family pubs - particularly outdoors where the kids are away from the bar - should also be modified to fit today's changing standards?

[SirChenjin]

Stay in if you want. I don't suppose anyone will be bothered either way.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I do think persistent strong swearing in front of children is ott.

But, I also think it won't make them wilt, and they need to be told that just because some adults do it, it doesn't mean they can.

[Capitola]

I'm the sweariest of them all but I temper my language according to where I am and who I am with.

I don't think outside a pub near other adults would be one of those occasions though.

[Boomerwang]

As a direct response to the OP, where children weren't involved, excessive swearing is considered to be anti social, is it not? A pub is a social setting. You can be arrested for swearing at a police officer, even if you'd said 'that's a lovely fucking badge you've got there'.

There are many words some consider offensive and others don't either through ignorance or belief. Until I read about it on here, I didn't realise that 'hare-lip' was a very offensive term. I already know that 'fucking' isn't a nice word. I don't want to hear either of them. I will move further from the bus stop to stop the assault on my ears, but I don't see why the food and drink I pay for and sit outside with at a pub should come with a foul language warning.

[SirChenjin]

It doesn't make them wilt and they will hear far worse in the playground - but it's part of learning about appropriate behaviour and of having consideration for others, ie that whilst their friends might not mind every second word being fuck or cunt there might be others round them who do, that they can sound aggressive and threatening, and that these words are called swear words for a reason.