To think some swearing in a pub is expected?

[PrincessHoneysuckle]

Just had a two day one night away at a coastal town in the North with dh and ds 6.We went to a couple of pubs in the evening en route to the restaurant we had booked.We sat outside as didnt feel comfortable being inside due to covid.A group near us were swearing a bit which wasn't ideal as we were with ds but it was a pub so just one of those things,adult environment etc.
Mentioned it to a friend and she was outraged that someone would swear near a child and couldn't believe i wasn't fazed.Is she being ott or am I in the wrong for not seeing it as a big deal?

I just don't think there is any need to F and Jeff all the time regardless. I understand that a pub is an adult environment but there are standards. I like a bit of a swear but personally think when people use swearing after every other words it makes me think skank.

I think I can safely plead that my vocabulary is not constrained by a lack of education or imagination, however, I will accede that I far too often indulge in the vernacular.

As an adult, surely we can understand that we might not ourselves partake of a particularly mode of conversation, however, others will not share our personal prejudices, and they are free to express themselves as they wish to do so, particularly in what is traditionally an adult space. We are of course, perfectly able to judge them upon doing so, however, they are still not required to modify their behaviour in line with our own thoughts as to how they should comport themselves.

What do the pearl clutchers think will happen if precious little Jonny hears a swear word? Will he explode? Will he be destined for a life of crime? They are just words. Get a grip.

I know this is moving the conversation on, but I'm sure in the 80s and 90s people didn't swear on the street as much as now, so I do think people are becoming more selfish, it is not a matter of "some people just being themselves".

I swear quite alot in normal conversation

Not when there's kids about though, no need and it's not exactly difficult behaviour to moderate

The odd word maybe, but not in general, and I am surprised a pub landlady or landlord would not intervene if it was too many.

@tttigress

I know this is moving the conversation on, but I'm sure in the 80s and 90s people didn't swear on the street as much as now, so I do think people are becoming more selfish, it is not a matter of "some people just being themselves".

This. With bells on. Why can people not generally be a bit more considerate of others around them? It cuts into so many areas, not just swearing.

To be expected, YANBU. Although personally I couldn't sit there swearing loudly if I knew there were children nearby.

I swear regardless of where I am. I'm into linguistics and British swear words are the best :) satisfying to say and expressive.

I know this is moving the conversation on, but I'm sure in the 80s and 90s people didn't swear on the street as much as now, so I do think people are becoming more selfish.

They're used to be more a time and a place. You hear the term 'industrial language' and the likes of builders (and back in the day dockers) in a lot of cases can't complete a sentence without swearing during their workday at least. Even in offices you hear a lot of swearing. Pubs and football matches were always places where swearing is ubiquitous.

Ultimately as well it comes down to upbringing. Parents who swear in front of their children are likely going to produce another generation of potty mouths. Then there's the other extreme of wanting to shield your children from so much as hearing a swear word until they're teenagers or whatever.

I'm a bit gobsmacked at all the adults here who won't make the very minor concession of not swearing if there's kids about at 5.30pm.

annabel that's funny because I've heard the term 'swears like a docker' but the most foul mouthed people I've ever heard are upper class. Maybe it's the middle classes who don't eff and jeff quite so much?

It wasn't loads of swearing .It started with a woman asking for a "Bastard gin" which turned out to be a "Bathtub Gin" and her friends misheard her. Cue much laughing and "Bastard ginning"

@OneWomanOneDog

I'm a bit gobsmacked at all the adults here who won't make the very minor concession of not swearing if there's kids about at 5.30pm.

I think anyone openly swearing around kids is a twat (sorry if there's any kids reading this). But it's just reality that you're going to hear swearing in certain places.

@Sennetti Indeed. When I lived in Belgium, our local pub played Who The Fuck Is Alice at 3pm!

I don't like adults swearing around kids and take care not to do so myself.

However, do people really think their sweet little dears don't hear worse in the playground?

I dont know. Personally when Im in the pub and all I can hear from the adjacent table is bellowing of fucking this fucking that etc. It is a bit grating.

And it depends if it is more of an alcohol pub or an food pub, but at 5.30 with children nearby its quite easy to modify your language so the adjacent table dont hear swearing - especially given they are supposed to be 2m away.

At the same time Im not particularly precious about swearing, and if its swear words appropriately littered into conversation thats okay. Its more perfomrmance swearing I dislike

It's a familial culture, innit? Some of us swear, some of us don't? I don't swear around other people's kids, particularly at our place, we get our JoHo on. However, when I go to enjoy myself at a pub, I do not police my language for those around me. I don't try to be an arsehole about it, however, your little cherubs are possibly not first and foremost in the minds of those about you.

@annabel85 yes I agree.