I have quite suddenly become sweary. AIBU to mind, and to ask if it has ever happened to you?!

[NewPottyMouth]

NC for this, as I am a bit , ,, and . Also a little too, if honest!!!

Not wanting to sound like Mrs Prissy Knickers, but I have never been much of a swearer. I wasn't brought up around serious swearing, though our DM certainly had plenty of reasons to swear. I don't much like it TBH, but each to their own and all that if other people do. Despite plenty of provocation from life and various people over the years, I've remained a very occasional 'bugger, bloody and shit' utterer, and even then only usually in private in the comfort of my own home.

Fast forward to this year, and something has changed. Swear words seem to be my favourite words. Lots more 'bugger, bloody, and shit' but also fk, fk off and b*d. I started out thinking it, then muttering it under my breath, and now saying it out loud. There's always some provocation but not necessarily anything huge. I fear I'm only a step away from using the c word, which I've always hated - I know some people don't.

Has this happened to you and if so, why? How did you handle it - have you even rejoiced in it? What did your family and friends make of the new you?

I give it a few weeks OP... something will really annoy you and you'll just come out with it. "Ohhhh.... CFLPS!" Embrace the new you! :o

But slightly more seriously, I do love it because it has amazing power. I like the fact that it's so much more powerful than for example, "dick". As some PPs have said, swearing is an emotional release and an important way of expressing yourself, obviously it can be overused or used inappropriately, and I don't pepper it all around the school playground or public transport, but it has a positive force. And for me reclaiming and rejoicing in the C-word is kind of quite a feminist thing. (Though I'm sure some will massively disagree.)

I hadn't even heard of ctfls before Mumsnet, Captain

I do agree with your serious points though, Captain. What you're essentially saying is, claim c* back from the misogynists, in the same way that some black people have claimed the N word back from the racists. I totally get that. I heard a disabled comedian recently who's whole (brilliant) act was doing exactly that too - claiming a whole raft of stuff back from the disablists. In the same way I can't stand anyone else using the N word apart from black people, I think the only people to use the C word should probably be women.

Just off to shout it from the rooftops. Well, maybe whisper it, but it's a start

I think it has become so common nowadays that it is difficult not to. I would not have dreamed of saying, 'fuck off' in my teens - I don't remember my friends and I swearing much at all, and like you it was mild words.

I teach teenagers; and probably 20 years ago remember hearing a knock on the staffroom door at lunchtime. About 8 people in unison groaned under their breath, 'Oh fuck off!' including one lady close to retirement age who was then horrified at herself and said, 'I never used to swear but you hear it day in day out now!'

I think you're right, Bless. It does seem more commonplace now.

Not a teacher, (a grateful parent of teens), but I imagine I would have joined in the swearing with the lunchtime knock on the staffroom door!

There's something especially satisfying about the one teacher joining in somewhat unexpectedly