Swearing...

[discardedBox]

...why are people offended by swear words? I get being offended by being sworn AT (because it's aggressive and intended to be) but being offended by swearing in a play or a film or just the use of swear words in conversation - what's the big deal?

It's just a collection of letters at the end of the day.

Why are people offended by racist language - it’s just words?

Words are never just words. They carry connotations and intentions, they have a history.

Hmmm not sure racist language is an equal compare.

I was reading this

Martin McDonagh: Theatres have refused my plays over unpalatable language www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65202943

Which is what made me think about it.

Oh the irony of you citing the article about the language in Martin McDonagh plays. The language in question isn’t swearing, it’s racist language.

Would you feel it was professional if your doctor said apologies your test results have been so fucking slow coming back?

I don't think the op meant in a professional setting though!

Swearing usually shows a lack of vocabulary range and imagination. If you have resort to swearing to make your point, you have lost the argument or don’t know how to express yourself. It’s tedious and a bit boring.

I heartily disagree with the above poster. I am somewhat of an eloquent orator but the odd fuck, shit, bawbag etc has a time and place in my language too.

Are you ok? You seem very highly strung.

@sst1234

Except the opposite has been proven to be true.

People who swear are known to have (obviously) a wider vocabulary and are more intelligent.

I like the odd swear word and I've got an excellent vocabulary. It doesn't show that I've a lack of imagination, in fact sometimes my swearing is positively creative!

Swearing has also been found to help alleviate pain ie swearing when you stub your toe

Swear words don't offend me in the slightest....just as well as I'm the only woman on the factory floor and when it comes to discussing the football, they can be a sweary bunch of bastards.

Not every conversation is an argument or involves “making points”. And the “lack of vocabulary” thing isn’t based on any kind of evidence. If you’re offended by people swearing, try and at least understand why that is. It’s a good thing to challenge our own opinions and beliefs.

I enjoy the odd "fuck!" when needed. I think it depends on the setting e.g a nursery worker in a child room effing and jeffing probably isn't appropriate, but a few adult friend having a chat in the pub is more likely to be so.

I don't mind it really, it's just words to me and I don't really prescribe much thought to them (or the intelligence of the people using them!).

I really do enjoy a good fuck but I know when it's appropriate.

I'd be interested in how you old you as I consider this an incredibly old fashioned view and exactly the sort of thing my parents who are in their 70s would say

None of my or DH's families swear in day to day conversation apart from my pot head cousin . Our granny was known to clock him round the head with a wooden spoon if he did it near her. "We may live in council houses but we are not common", was her favourite saying.

Words do have meaning. Otherwise when you tell someone you love them it would just be a collection of words. If that logic is followed nothing has meaning where language is concerned. How then do we communicate?
Traditionally swear words are offensive way of talking about important things eg sex, parts of the anatomy etc.

Words do have meaning. Otherwise when you tell someone you love them it would just be a collection of words with no emotional or logical meaning behind it. If that logic is followed nothing has meaning where language is concerned. How then do we communicate?
Traditionally swear words are offensive way of talking about important things eg sex, parts of the anatomy etc.
eg bastard - an illegitimate child. Which was a child who was outcast and couldn’t inherit land or property because the parents were not married . Now we don’t really have that concept in general society. Only at a Rich/royal family does it have a consequence.
Other words eg the F word still have the same meaning.

its common and horrible thats why.

I'm very eloquent but do use the odd swear word 🤷‍♀️
It's not aimed towards anyone it is just a word

Where I'm from a lot of swear words are terms of endearment.

To be fair, my doctor saying “I won’t lie, this is gonna fucking hurt” was the sort of thing I want to hear. Pure honesty in that sentence, no sugar coating.

”this is going to hurt” seems pretty opaque, but when a professional adds “fucking” to the sentence, you know shits about to get real very quickly.