C**t as a derogative term.

[Billie18]

Makes my blood boil every time I hear it uses as a derogative term.

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

Haw ya mad cunt is a pretty standard greeting

No it is not. I've lived in Scotland for 61 years and I've never heard this. Why is there this obsession on MN to portray Scotland as a denizen of foul mouthed, knuckle dragging yobs?

I'm also England, London based, where it's considered the worst swear word. My dad who could swear like a trooper would never, ever use it. I suppose, like so many things, it varies from area to area. You can't unravel the influences from childhood etc. It does grate on me, but then so does fuck, although shit and bugger aren't strangers to my vocabulary, so what's that about?

@ivfbeenbusy

It's just awful and the one swear word I can't abide. To be honest I'm very judgmental of people who use it as part of normal every day language? Comes across as uncouth and uneducated and attention seeking

Agreed 100%. And the poster who referred to Frankie Boyle's use of it proves your point.

@PoppiesinOctober

I know many people from Scotland and Ireland and will ask them if that is true.

I'm surprised you even need to ask. It's an everyday word in Scotland.

No it isn't.

Quite honestly, how often does anyone hear the word used in real life in the way it is often bandied about on here? It just isn't. It's vile and totally unnecessary to say it

I live in Scotland. I can think of only one person I've ever heard use it and even then it was a very in joke amongst a group of close friends.

@WouldstrokeTomHardy

Don't mind it. And during hetro sex I prefer the man to reference a vagina as a cunt rather than pussy 🤮

Exactly.

I don’t mind it at all as a general swear either, in fact I find it weird/irritating that dickhead etc is fine but apparently female genitals are super shocking. It’s inconsistent, time to reclaim.

It’s also fun to use in front of Americans as really gives them the vapours 💃😁

Protest all you wish cunt is a pretty standard colloquialism in Scotland
And it does not equate with the accusations of uncouth,yobbish,Ned or knuckle dragger or other faux indignation
It’s simply part of a pattern of rich linguistics and culture

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

Convenient that you doubt it,well you would say that wouldn’t you

I was born in Scotland and have lived my whole life in Scotland. What you claim is normal everyday parlance bears no resemblance to my life.

It's not about protesting.

In some/ many parts of England it's considered the worst swear word, shocking.

OP wanted to talk about why that is. I think it's interesting.

The fact it's not considered bad in other places is by the by.

I'm really interested to know what the worst swear word is in Scotland/ Ireland though, from the posters in those countries.

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

Protest all you wish cunt is a pretty standard colloquialism in Scotland And it does not equate with the accusations of uncouth,yobbish,Ned or knuckle dragger or other faux indignation It’s simply part of a pattern of rich linguistics and culture

Protest all you like. You are talking utter tripe. Most people in Scotland don't live in Irvine Welsh novels.

Nor do they live in a Jean Brodie genteel environment

@NiceGerbil

It's not about protesting.

In some/ many parts of England it's considered the worst swear word, shocking.

OP wanted to talk about why that is. I think it's interesting.

The fact it's not considered bad in other places is by the by.

I'm really interested to know what the worst swear word is in Scotland/ Ireland though, from the posters in those countries.

I'm in Scotland. Same word as far as I'm concerned. I'm afraid this "it's just friendly banter in Scotland" claptrap is very much an "only on MN thing"

I don't mind being called a cunt. But I understand it would intimidate lots of women so I would fight their corner. However, I think frankie Boyle is a sleazy piece of shit and I would dance on his rotten corpse.

Swearing is culturally & linguistically embedded in Scottish culture
IPlayer programme about swearing

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

Protest all you wish cunt is a pretty standard colloquialism in Scotland And it does not equate with the accusations of uncouth,yobbish,Ned or knuckle dragger or other faux indignation It’s simply part of a pattern of rich linguistics and culture

Agree with this.

I use it often. I really don’t see what the fuss is!

Ok , frankie Boyle came up for 30 seconds but my point still stands. I am both warm and deep, so happy to take cunt as a complement.

Yup @DatingDickheads

Coincidentally, Frankie Boyle is how my abusive ex used to try justifying how it was fine to verbally abuse me!

Intent is everything in language @ProfessorSillyStuff
If intention Is warm and informal then yes saying cunt isn’t a biggie
If intention is to belittle or intimidate then being called a cunt is a problem

I'm completely unconvinced by this "oh it's all so lovely and part of the rich Scottish culture".

Complete claptrap as far as I'm concerned. I've never been around people in the various parts of Scotland I've lived in who used it as "everyday parlance". And I would want nothing to do with people who do use it as "everyday parlance".

Yes you said

Swearing is always treated as big and clever on MN. It's another "only on MN thing".

Swearing on The Thick of It was actually funny and clever. That was a one-off. Unfortunately many posters on MN labour under the sad delusion they can replicate it.

And no one in real life politics would be tolerated if they spoke like Malcolm Tucker and Jamie did.

Swearing isn’t an affectation that’s put on/off to be big or clever
It is prominent and identifiable part of culture,heritage and language
By all means you don’t have to like it or use it but you can’t discount or deny on that basis

I work with a small group of women and they all think it’s hilarious in any context. They’re always sending memes with the word on to our team WhatsApp -even my director does it - and it’s so depressing. I really don’t think they’ve given it any real thought apart from it having some cheeky shock factor. It seems stupidly unprofessional to me and I do find it offensive most of the time.

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

Swearing isn’t an affectation that’s put on/off to be big or clever It is prominent and identifiable part of culture,heritage and language By all means you don’t have to like it or use it but you can’t discount or deny on that basis

What utter tosh.

I really don’t think they’ve given it any real thought apart from it having some cheeky shock factor. It seems stupidly unprofessional to me and I do find it offensive most of the time

It's the "ooh, look at me being all clever and daring and non- conformist" syndrome. It's tiresome, although probably excusable, in teenagers and risible in adults.