Swearing and inappropriate language in meeting AIBU

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AIBU to have attended a meeting with fuck, fucking, fuckers, etc? I know we need to let off steam though.

At work, male or female would have a performance discussion if they were heard swearing.

@Merryoldgoat

I swear a lot but I know my audience. I don’t swear during committees or with the CEO. My boss is COO and we both swear like sailors.

Do you work for me?

Our CEO was offended by swearing. Probably because he was fucking useless.

Sweary COO over here still going strong...

(I find it amusingly ironic that people accuse you of having a narrow vocabulary whilst expecting you to drop intensifiers. Also said CEO acted like a supreme cunt to junior staff without using a single swear word, whereas I actually treat them well whilst using the language of a docker very casually - it's never directed at people.)

Interesting stuff - on the face of it we don’t swear in my workplace (major bank) however behind the scenes in certain circles it’s a badge of honour having a good swear about another persons team or shift process - along with the Friday night beers it makes you “part of the team”

I work in public sector and you (almost) never hear swearing in that context. In general, and especially in meetings.

But I have been warned, by someone I used to work with and am about to replace, that my new boss swears like a seaman (which is fine - old colleague and I could be frank in our general discussions, and she says new boss doesn't swear to other 2 at my level as they are more old-style gents, but I am used to it from other contexts so happy to do it in more private conversation).

Bank trading floor here, swearing is very much the norm, I've learnt words that would make your ears bleed but it's very individual to the work setting. I spent a few weeks in a public sector role where it absolutely would not have been tolerated.

My Dad always said ‘swearing is not pretty or clever and it just shows a poor use of language’. I agree with him. Don’t understand why people do and thankfully it’s not a part of my home or work life

My Dad always said ‘swearing is not pretty or clever and it just shows a poor use of language’.

I think one of the reasons I like to swear is a push back against the idea that I should be constantly concerned with appearing pretty!

He meant a pretty (good) use of the English language- DF isn’t English.

It's an excellent use of the English language.

We have a lot of really satisfying swearwords you can really deliver with oomph

Swearing is a poor use of language. There are much better descriptive words that don’t involve using unpleasant offensive language.

I used to agree that swearing was an unimaginative and poor use of language, then I came across the glorious phrase “by the thrice beshitten shroud of Lazarus!” and changed my mind.

I wish I could drop that in a meeting and remain employed.

@SteveArnottsbeadyeyes

They sound like a fish wife not an endearing sound IMO

@CoRhona

I love a bit of swearing. Makes me relax around people.

So YAFBU

And nice work not splitting the infinitive there

Fishwife

Lot of sexism on this thread from non swearers.

Interesting.

@Stompythedinosaur yes. God forbid we're not demure and ladylike at all times eh?

My god the sexism on here is quite something to behold!

So, @Coquohvan what do you think it says about a woman who swears? What do you think you know about them, on that basis? I'm intrigued.

I think badly of anyone who swears - male or female. Nothing sexist about it.

Crazycrazylady "Our senior management team are all Sweaty Marys"

Hot office is it?

Depends what environment you're in. I work in construction with previous experience in engineering. I'd fully expect this kind of language.
But I have a potty mouth myself so...fuck it.

What do you see as swearing, Parker?

The Australians use a lot of words we consider swearing in normal conversion. Parliament etc.

The USA is way more uptight than us.

What about blaspheming? Blimmin eck- swear or not swear? Damn?

Where is your line. What words do you use and have you considered that someone somewhere might find it offensive?

I would be pretty shocked if someone witnessed a terrible incident and reacted with a calm 'oh gracious'. Although that could be considered blasphemy by someone, somewhere.

Need more info please.

I tend to find that it’s people of limited intelligence who are most offended by swearing

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/swearing-study-intelligent-intelligence-university-rochester-a7916516.html

Different places are different of course. But I wouldn't say an office where everyone's swearing routinely is a good thing.

[quote SteveArnottsbeadyeyes]I tend to find that it’s people of limited intelligence who are most offended by swearing

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/swearing-study-intelligent-intelligence-university-rochester-a7916516.html[/quote]
Quite.

It requires more intelligence to look beyond the visceral reaction you have to a word to understand that it can't hurt you, and to switch intuitively between vocabularies in different circumstances, gauging different social reactions.

People who don't like swearing have usually swallowed the maxims whole from their parents, which requires fsr less brain capacity.

@SteveArnottsbeadyeyes - I’m trilingual, have a 1st class degree, post grad qualifications. I’ve enough brain cells and common sense to know what style of language is appropriate.