Swearing overload

[EzLife]

Perhaps showing my age, although I’d like to think I’m really sharing/showing my personal values.

Swearing has sadly become so commonplace, including in forum posts, I can only guess it reflects how the person would normally speak, but tbh reduces the impact of the writing (for me anyway).

Real shame as the English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 language has so many alternative options…

My parents used to say swearing was a sign of a limited vocabulary.

Reckon I’m going to be on the receiving end of some soon…

Exactly all of this. "It really hurts." comes across as a bit childish, as children use that word a lot. Notice that Trump relies heavily on "really." This is probably because he has a limited vocabulary. I suppose you could say, "It greatly hurts!" but that sounds a tad pretentious and "It hurts enormously." sounds rather silly. It's about a preference for swear words in place of other words.

4 years old and you’ve learned some new words.

Such a great example for your own children - should you ever have any - when you grow up that is…

I swear, a lot. But i also have the intelligence to know when it isn't appropriate and also control myself. I was brought up by parents who would not tolerate me swearing, rarely swore themselves and certainly not in front of me.

I do find it quite shocking that so many people have no problem with their children telling them to fuck off, or worse.

It is very upsetting, is it not, when you have to come forcefully to the realisation that others do not live by one's own standards, or even (gasp!) your parents?! Particularly hard if you cannot accept such a concept.

I have an extensive vocabulary, and when I wish to, I can truly wax most loquacious.

However, since I was 18 months old, I have ever been partial to a truly good swear, despite the best efforts of my stern and upright parents, and vigorous application of multiple bars of soap.

Anyone who doesn't like it, that is okay, they don't have to. Nor do I have to police my vocabulary for the edification of their tender pearl likes.

My children swear too. However, they have been clearly educated in the meaning and acceptable application of cuss words, and tend to adhere to this. Their limited vocabulary is currently seeing one through a double med degree, and the other a double degree in two languages, so perhaps their limitations have not, as yet, been too crippling. . .

Swearing is just words. Words are just sounds put together that we add meaning to.
Some of the sharpest people I know swear a lot and some less intelligent individuals don’t like swearing. You really can’t judge a persons intellect based on that.

The ability to switch your swearing on and off is a very useful skill!

I have a phenomenal vocabulary (and a cut-glass accent to speak it in) and swear a lot. So I think your parents were wrong.

For example, saying 'oh fiddlesticks' if you stand on an upturned plug, is just not going to cut the mustard now is it, despite what your parents said.

Great illustration. Nobody wants to be Ned Flanders and swearing reaches parts other words don’t. It’s time to retire the limited vocabulary argument. Swear words are vocabulary and, like any other words, I see no reason not to employ them when apt!

That said, I can’t stand:

People who get a kick out of the perceived naughtiness of swearing (see the swearing threads on here).

Childish twee swearing like ‘twat badger’.

Swearing is adult and aggressive. Embrace it or don’t do it all!

@EzLife you may not swear - allegedly - but you are coming across as rude, judgemental, obnoxious, and not very kind.

I would rather be in the company of sweary people, than someone with a sour, judgemental, unpleasant attitude like you.

@Nolandania Couldn't agree more. 'Cockwomble' is a particular irritant to me. It's so fucking twee and makes me think the offender is probably wearing pigtails and ankle socks. 'Twunt' is another one. What are you trying to say with this? Say the fucking words or say fuck all.
There. I think that's a decent quota of 'fucks' in one post. Smelling salts anyone?

There have been several surveys which proved that people who swear don't have limited vocabulary.

I'm in my sixties OP and am not sure a dislike or growing dislike of swearing is an age thing. By sixty there's not a word you've never heard, although I admit I did have to look up pegging last week. (if you don't know it OP, please don't look it up or I fear you might have an episode).

Surely, as you mature and gain experience and a wider perspective on things you realise that it is the content of what people are saying that matters?

I'd rather someone used a fuck ton of swear words than they were racist, misogynist, cruel etc.

What is wrong with you 😄😄😄

You've come back two months later to reply again??

Dunno why i'm living in your fucking head rent free, but i'm shitting alright with it babe xx

I am young and I agree with your parents.

I believe swearing a lot is related to higher intelligence levels? Therefore a bigger vocabulary.

I fucking love a good swear and I’ve got a huge vocabulary.

Her parents have been proved wrong wordcolourword poster.

1. The response I was responding to was friendly? It’s been a bit of an itch that I’ve now scratched and dealt with.
2. You really don’t know me, and never will, I’m not the person you describe.
3. These are my
5. final thoughts on this topic, end off…

The proposition that recourse to profanity functions as signifier of impoverishment in linguistic repertoire is utter fucking bollocks .

I agree although MN introduced me to Cockwomble, so it's not all abd

Maybe ‘bigly’ hurt?

I could have predicted some of the first responses would be swearing to provoke the OP - how original! 🙄

I swear, but I do think there's too much of it on the telly these days, especially in comedy which makes it hard to find things to watch with your kids. That's annoying.

The thing that properly riles me is people swearing at their little kids, or in front of them, it's really really horrible. Really poor parenting. Scary and aggressive to little kids, who then probably go on to copy the behaviour they see.

Is 'end off' a sweary insult?

Your list is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while OP.
I agree entirely with point 4.

You beat me to it!

I love swearing. It enhances my vocabulary, which is already rich, varied and articulate.

Stephen Fry summed it up -

‘There used to be mad, silly, prissy people who used to say swearing was a sign of a poor vocabulary -such utter nonsense. The people I know who swear the most tend to have the widest vocabularies and the kind of person who says swearing is a sign of a poor vocabulary usually have a pretty poor vocabulary themselves... The sort of twee person who thinks swearing is in any way a sign of a lack of education or a lack of verbal interest or -is just a fucking lunatic...’ 😂

Tbh most of the men i hear talking on public transport only seem to know one adjective, and it begins with f. They seem to have such poor vocabularies, incapable of having a normal conversation. Now i don't have a massive problem with swearing, i do it myself when I'm really angry, but that is very different from say "f*cking" in front of every word. Pathetic. Childish. Pointless.

Best....reply....ever🤣🤣🤣🤣