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…

I swear quite abit and think I need to stop it.

i do it without realising, just yesterday my mother picked me up on it and said id said fucking 3 times in the last 5 minutes

I hadn’t even realised!

As if that crusty old fool Fry ever had anything of any note to say. He's an horrible old misogynist.

I like sweary people.

There was a study that linked sweariness to honesty. Sweary people are less likely to engage in deception. :)

There can be a place for swearing - sometimes it's funny or adds meaning to a statement.

But people who swear all the time tend to be very dull and have a poor vocabulary. If someone has 'sweary' on their social media bio it usually means 'idiot'

You see, being patronising like this simply shows how limited you are empathetically and emotionally @EzLife

I realise you feel that you're being clever, and putting down that poster, but you're coming across as lofty and judgemental instead.

My parents always told me to avoid lofty and judgemental people, as they invariably demonstrated how narrow and restricted they were.

The fact of the matter is that people have sworn throughout history using different words. It’s not the words themselves, it’s how they are used. I’m Welsh and some people think bloody is a swear word, it’s not it’s an adjective and a pause point for us!

I totally disagree with the idea that people who swear have a limited vocabulary. Swear words are among the most colourful and creative in the language and a judicious swear can be massively impactful.

My take on swearing is it has to deliver impact and you have to be careful not to gratuitously upset people. I loathe it when I hear casual, aggressive swearing out in public: theres a violent carelessness to it which I really dislike.

But swearing in a safe space and with care can be a great catharsis.

I don’t think the op is talking about standing on a plug and feeling like your foot is being ripped off.
She’s talking about the general public who routinely swear whilst in public. Not as a one off but cannot think if any other adjectives to use other than fuck and cunt.
I know the types she means. In my town I can guarantee they will be scruffy, usually drinking and spitting on the floor whilst walking around town instead of being at work, deciding which shop to try and rob next.

I don't agree it's a sign of limited vocabulary but hearing Mark Steele say 'wanker' on R4 at 6.30 on the so-called comedy slot was disgusting. He did it just for the laugh. I turned off.

@ColinOfficeTrolley 'my parents always said xyz', actually reveals their values, such positive role models, and not a lack of imagination on my part, but respect for them, and surely using a wider vocabulary suggests thinking creatively?

@fatphalange actually quite illogical; when you over-rely on swearing, aren’t you ignoring other options?

No, this is completely illogical. Swear words are just a part of the language like any other words are. Every time you choose any particular word you are ignoring the other words you could have used instead. This is no more true of swear words than of any other words. Many people who have a huge vocabulary swear, and you can have a very limited vocabulary and not swear.

In fact, arguably, people who don't swear are deliberately limiting their own range of vocabulary by avoiding swear words. Other people aren't banning words from their vocab.

Why?

Every time you choose any particular word you are ignoring the other words you could have used instead

Quite.
This is why I generally select cunt, ignoring fucker, bastard and wanker.

What's so tiresome on this board is how many people rush along to say "I love fucking swearing" etc to get the "buzz" of being part of the in-gang on Mumsnet.

Always the same on these threads. Yawn.

It's just words. Can't get worked up about it.

It's just words. Can't get worked up about it.

So you wouldn't mind if your boss called you a fing c then? Or if your teenage daughter's boss called her a fing c? Or if your elderly mother's carer called her a fing c? Because it's just words and you can't get worked up about it.

Miss Bulstrode.

Tell me, did Meadowbank survive when you and Miss Rich revamped it?

Tell me, did Meadowbank survive when you and Miss Rich revamped it?

It's thriving, thank you. M. Poirot assisted by mentioning the school to many of his acquaintances. Julia Upjohn did very well; she went on to university and is now making a reputation for herself as an archaeologist.

But who decides what a “limited vocabulary” is? Your parents? That’s their small-minded, superior opinion. They clearly enjoyed feeling like they were “better” than other people because they rarely swore. Vocabulary can be a choice, rather than it being limited. Some people find it much more satisfying to scream stupid fucking cunt to a driver who’s just cut them up (usually with all the windows closed 🤣) than to say “hmm now they shouldn’t have done that” and repress all that rage so it builds and builds and you end up an uptight ball of tension, ready to explode at any minute. Swearing is an excellent release of tension and it CAN be creative use of language - just look at how creative swear words are - cunting cockwomble comes to
mind 🤣. Swear words are funny. I think you need to lighten up.

I remember reading that people who swear when they are hurt can tolerate more pain.

I guarantee, I can be far more offensive without swearing.

I'm 66 and swear like a trooper when I want to, so I'm not sure it's anything to do with age. I also have an extensive vocabulary.
However I usually tailor my language to my company avoid swearing among people who don't seem to do it. Not to mention children !
Agressive, violent and threatening use of swearing is completely different.

Fairly obviously, it's about context, regardless of the actual words. The idea that swearing reflects a poor vocabulary is very obviously complete bollocks.

A polite word said with the intent to hurt is as upsetting as a swear word.

A swear word in some circles and circumstances is a term of endearment.