s/o Isn't anyone really, really offended by foul language anymore?

[BlessedMom]

Personally, I find foul language extremely offensive.

[AdventureMoms]

 

 

I feel like we're not allowed to be offended by foul language.

 

Its your and my problem, not the person using the language.

 

You are allowed to be offended by anything you wish. I had a really good history teacher, who used to say, "You have a right to be offended by anything at all, but in most cases you have no right to prevent the offensive act"

[Belacqua]

There have been times when I've wanted to say to somebody, "That word would hold so much more power if you used it more judiciously." If everything you say is modified by a profanity, it ceases to be effective. My elegant ballet teacher highly disapproved of bad language and would correct sharply anybody who swore in her presence. So the day we were lazy in class and she quietly pointed out, "That combination looked like sh**," you can believe we paid attention.

 

Then again, she embraced the tradition of dancers wishing one another merde before taking the stage. So what do I know?

[mytwomonkeys]

for me, it depends on who's using it. my husband? my kids? my pastor? my small group? yes i might have an issue with it. if someone were cursing up a storm and being downright crude in front of my kids, i would probably speak up as well. but in general, foul language isn't shocking to me and i don't react to people that use it.

 

i don't curse at all & i have friends that will apologize if they curse in front of me. i find that a little odd honestly. no apology needed! i'm not the word police.

[Lady Florida.]

I'm not offended by swear words, and have been known to use them quite freely myself. I'm offended by hate speech. That kind of talk is much more offensive, powerful, and damaging than a few F bombs.

 

 

More fascinating reading on swearing that someone here posted a while ago: (obviously, includes swearing so don't click if that bothers you)

http://www.montrealg...8887/story.html

 

 

Interesting. My mother's family swears in Italian. They don't generally speak Italian, they just use some good Italian swear words sprinkled throughout their conversations.

 

And here's Stephen Fry on the Joys of Swearing (yes, there's swearing).

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_osQvkeNRM

 

And now I want to go watch A Bit of Frye and Laurie. :)

[Ipsey]

I'm going to have to remember that one. I'll use it in place of flying firetruck when people cut me off in traffic.

 

Oh, farfignugin.

 

Well, Farfignugin!

 

YES! FARFIGNUGIN TO YOU TOO YOU FIRETRUCK DONKEY!!!

 

 

Euphemisms can be fun.

 

Ok, let me wax on here a bit because language is my field--so, this isn't directed at you, Parrothead, but I just love this topic. :)

 

One reason a lot of them don't stick is because they're too long. A "good' curse word, you'll notice, is one syllable (at least the root typically is, if we want to change them to gerunds or progressive verbs or something, of course we have to add suffixes). The reason this is so is that they're easier to produce in moments of heightened emotion, which is _typically_ where they originate.

 

I was seriously religious in high school and another very religious friend and I started trying to use "Frazzeracket" every time we wanted to curse. (We didn't really curse anyway, but we recognized we had a need for expressive words that went beyond "darn" and "heck."

 

Needless to say, "Frazzeracket" never took off even though we tried. It just took too much effort to remember it in the right situations.

 

Also, curse words carry emotional weight because a culture gives it weight. If the word "butt" gives someone pain, it's because _they_ are imbuing it with that power. Similar to related words that are associated that that part of the body. We all recognize that these words have various connotations (emotional implication) though their denotation all means "backside". But the words themselves can only carry what you give it. I'll never forget one of my female (ESL) students, helping her 2-year-old daughter to the bathroom and asking her sweetly if she needed to $hit. I explained to her that the meaning of the word was correct, but it was not appropriate for this situation. To my knowledge, she has never used it since, but we both had a good laugh, and she taught me the word in Arabic. . . though I can't remember it :)

 

I wonder if some of those who are in this thread would have been pained/horrified to hear my student say this. I suppose some might say, "No, of course not, the mother didn't mean it in an intentionally crude way." If so, they might also consider that people who swear around them using similar words don't mean them with the same depth of negative feeling that the offended imbue them with.

 

Again, not to say people don't have a right to be offended. They can be offended by anything they like. But, language is arbitrary, and the study of words and the distinctions between profanity, vulgarity, blasphemy have been parsed out and defined in number of ways that are, in themselves, very interesting. We might all agree that the F-bomb is the worst clearly "curse word," but I bet a lot of people feel that the "N-word" is a lot more ugly. We don't get to decide that for other people, but we can try to assume that people who use curse words aren't stupider, nastier than anyone else. They may just feel that the words are less meaningful than other people.

 

I don't curse myself on a daily basis, but I can. And depending on whom I'm with and what we're talking about, I can use it when I need to and when it's appropriate--as "appropriate" as swearing can be, at least--which almost defeats the purpose. :)

 

Anywho, ok, enough. That was fun! :)

[Ipsey]

Ok, I've got to stop, but seriously, I love language topics.

 

Here's one of the best readings, I think of a parsing of profanity, obscenity, and blasphemy done by the very clever writer, Diana Gabaldon.

 

http://www.dianagabaldon.com/2011/02/language-language-part-i/

[JuanitaL]

Ok, I've got to stop, but seriously, I love language topics.

 

Here's one of the best readings, I think of a parsing of profanity, obscenity, and blasphemy done by the very clever writer, Diana Gabaldon.

 

http://www.dianagaba...anguage-part-i/

I found this statement from that site hilarious: Let me state for the record that no one in any of my books has ever pronounced the Tetragrammaton in the original. Not once. :smilielol5:

[BakersDozen]

I was wondering the same thing as OP after the thread about the movie Ferris Bueller's (sp?) Day off and appropriateness for teens. I decided to watch it before showing it to my dc (as I do with all movies) and I was shocked! The language and crude humor had me wanting to bleach my brain! I had to turn it off, I just couldn't stand it. So yes, I am shocked by foul/crude language both IRL and otherwise. I'm very surprised to hear/read it used in common conversation. One support group I was on for preemies was so bad I had to leave (which made me very sad as it was my go-to for emotional help with the babies).

 

I suppose I don't understand the need to use foul language. OK, yes, if I slam my finger in a drawer or really hurt myself in some way I have been known to blurt a word (in German, though, lol). But including such words casually? I don't get it.

[HomeschoolMamaOfTwo]

I don't mind some foul language in the right situation. If it is the only words a person uses to talk then yeah that can get old and annoying. But a few carefully placed f-words does not bother me in the least.

 

Why do I put up with it? Because it doesn't bother me. In fact, it often makes me laugh. I dunno why.

 

Exactly what she said.

[Shawna in Texas]

I love bad words. I even bought a bad word dictionary just in case I get accused of having a limited vocabulary.

[Luanne]

Meh. Times change, along with what's acceptable.

When my husband started working, cigarettes were still okay in the office. Now they're not allowed in the building.

 

I'm sorry you're offended, but I like the idea of some words having less power (Carlin's 7 words, for example).

I think blasphemy and words that denigrate (racial slurs, etc) should be watched because that affects how we think of others (dehumanization).

 

So I'm all for political correctness, but I'm perfectly fine with Carlin :)

 

 

I'm sorry, but I disagree.

[Jayne J]

I find that British swears add a touch of class to low language. After all, "bloody" is fun to say, non offensive (in America...) and adds just the right touch of aristocratic je ne sais quoi. Hmmm. Maybe I should expand my repertoire to other languages. Is swearing in Latin classy or Klassy?

[nmoira]

I find that British swears add a touch of class to low language. After all, "bloody" is fun to say, non offensive (in America...) and adds just the right touch of aristocratic je ne sais quoi. Hmmm. Maybe I should expand my repertoire to other languages. Is swearing on Latin classy or Klassy?

 

 

There's always asinus or stultus est sicut stultus facit (use classical pronunication :tongue_smilie: ).

 

See Henry Beard's X-treme Latin.

[Jayne J]

Hey, wait. Are you calling me stupid? :) (I had to look that one up. I guess my, er--working--Latin is not so good...)

[nmoira]

Hey, wait. Are you calling me stupid? :) (I had to look that one up. I guess my, er--working--Latin is not so good...)

 

 

:D

[KungFuPanda]

FUDDRUCKERS is my favorite swear word. Although I am pretty desensitized to swearing due to my years in the military, it's not really my habit to swear. I was actually a little disappointed in myself when I was home alone, stubbed my toe, and yelled "Fudgesickle!" I mean, if you can't swear when you're alone when CAN you swear?

 

My son thought "fat" was a bad word when he was 3 or 4 because MIL told him it was and he believed her. He also thought "pansy" was a bad word. It took us forever to decipher "The bad word with the P and the Z in it."

[Koerarmoca]

Bother me tons! In our unique family situation it's been 1,000 times worse with my nieces and nephews who say lots of words I find distasteful coming from a child's mouth using the Lords name in vain the most. They also use racial slurs to a degree that bugs me so much...ugh! Tonight at the dinner table the word "retard" came up way to many times...really bugged me. My kids know better but re teaching a 16 & 12 year old is hard.

 

It also bugs me when people overuse the F word.

[Caitilin]

My favorite Latin exclamation: "cranium in ano habes. " :D

[ChristusG]

Well....first, I honestly think that it is really dumb that cuss words even exist. That means that at some point in time someone decided that certain words were bad. I mean, really, who does that???

 

Second, being that certain words in our society are deemed to be bad, and I do live in this society, I do not say cuss words. As a Christian I feel that there are many places in the Bible that directs us not to use cuss words. I try I live my life according to the Bible, therefore, I don't cuss. I didn't grow up with cussing. None of my grandparents cuss. It's not something that I've ever had to deal with very much. And I don't like to hear it. If a movie starts in with a lot of cussing, we turn it off. Simple as that. I do not need that garbage taking up residence in my mind.

 

I don't understand people who cuss but do not allow their children to do so. If the word is okay for an adult, why not a child?

 

Believe it or not, my oldest is nine years old and does not know what a cuss word is. She wouldn't recognize one if she heard it. There will come a day when I explain cuss words, but it hasn't arrived yet. Right now she considers stupid or shut up to be bad words.

 

I believe that words can be very powerful....for good or for bad. We've taught our kids to choose them wisely. They don't even call names....nor say shut up or I hate you. Are they perfect? Of course not.....that was my 6 year old in the store today crying because I wouldn't buy her a coloring book. But they do know the importance of words.

 

Cuss words just do not have a place in our lives and I am offended if they are used in our presence.

[zoobie]

 

This is similar to how I feel. I find much more offense in racial slurs, racial attitudes and other "dehumanizing" (someone else used that, I like it - very expressive) terms than the f-word. I think we've all giggled every time during the entire scene in "The King's Speech" where he had his outburst.

 

 

I was thinking of that scene too! :)

 

Words have the meanings we assign to them. It's interesting to study how words came to have derogatory meanings in different cultures. The slur f-word means something(s) non-derogatory in England. And the word "poof" can be offensive there whereas here, it's a cute word.

 

Two people stub their toes. One yells a nonsense word and one yells a standard four letter word. Both mean the same thing. What's the difference? If you yell a curse word in a foreign language, is it "better" than one in your native tongue?

 

I find etymology fascinating. And the meaning or intent behind words is way more important to me than an arbitrary classification. People can be racist without uttering any slurs. People can be evil and mean without ever saying a "bad" word.

[fraidycat]

 

 

I don't understand people who cuss but do not allow their children to do so. If the word is okay for an adult, why not a child?

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps I should share my vodka or beer with the kids, too?

 

:confused1:

 

There are some things that, in moderation, are fine for adults. This does not make it fine for children.

[Tita Gidge]

 

People who wouldn't dream of emitting a foul odor into a room somehow think it's fine to spew vile language, which is every bit as offensive.

 

Why is everyone putting up with this? Am I the only person left on Earth who has a problem with not wanting to be assaulted by ugly words?

 

 

My speech is often peppered with foul language.

 

(For the record, I'm also lactose intolerant. Read: I'm also guilty of emitting a foul odor into a room. They just sneak out, sorry.)

 

It doesn't bother me, but I think it's because when I learned English ... I didn't realize these were bad words! I learned to speak by mimicking what I heard. It wasn't until much later that people began pointing out to me that I may want to watch what I was saying. An example: I thought $H!T was a "normal" word. I said it as often as one might say "stuff" because I sincerely didn't know better.

 

And by the time I did know better, ... I didn't care LOL. I guess I don't have any crude meanings attached to the foul words I use, so in that way to hear them out of the mouths of others doesn't bother me either.

 

With exception.

 

It's just all kinds of wrong to go spewing off in front of children, families, elderly parents.

 

I actually reserve my foul-peppered language for the people I know well (who don't mind, or who are worse than I). I always assume my language will be offensive, so I don't go all gung-ho with it around aquaintances, colleagues, or at extracurriculars. I restrain myself as a show of respect for others. I may have a limited vocabulary ;) but I'm long on manners B) Actually, the older I've gotten the more I've taken to using my native language for gaudy words. Less potential offense, I figure LOL.

 

I know I'm judged for the way I speak. It doesn't really bother me. In some cases, the judgments will be accurate. When I'm letting go a steady stream it's usually because I'm so frustrated or excited that my vocabulary truly IS limited! My brain can barely focus on being all worked up, much less worry about points for eloquence ... and I'm okay with that. I judge people for outwardly, shallow things also (not language, obviously!) so it all evens out in the wash.

 

OP, I like how you handle hearing foul language. I think it beautiful that to counter ugly words, you recite scripture or poetry and fill your ears ... and mind ... with something of beauty.

[Shahrazad]

I 'swear' in Arabic or Arabic translated into English if I am being extra careful not to offend people who may be with me (ex: Son of a motherless goat!)

 

ETA: Unless the person with me happens to be a orphaned goat...

[SKL]

My dad got sick of hearing my mom say "sh!t." He said, "you have something in your mouth that I wouldn't want in my hand." LOL. One day my mom let loose an impressive string of cuss words and my dad said "the next time you swear I'm gonna stick your rear with a pin." My mom's reply was "F you" so my dad went for the pin. While chasing and laughing (he would not DARE actually hurt my mom - she would leave lifetime scars), Dad broke his toe on a kiddy table. Most guilty laughter I ever uttered. LOL. I will say he did not cuss over breaking his toe (at least not in front of the kids). ... Full disclosure: I said F*** F*** F*** F*** F*** just six hours ago. I was on a wet freeway onramp and temporarily lost control of my car. Needless to say I thought of this thread. :)

[poppy]

I think 'spew' is a very ugly word that many people here have used, some of whom would never utter an expletive. It is meant to be derogatroy. What is the difference between that and a forbidden word?

 

 

I also think the claim that the use of foul language shows a lack of imagination or limited vocabulary is a tired cliche, and betrays the same faults it claims to uncover.

[LucyStoner]

I don't give some words more power than others. Also, I believe there is a time and a place for every kind of language.

 

I am not impressed by people who ONLY use swear words to compensate for a small vocabulary but I am not especially offended either. Most of the people I know who swear are well educated and well read so I don't buy the idea that only poorly educated folks swear.

 

People are capable of being quite nasty with or without swear words. Ugly ideas are more offensive than words.

 

A well placed swear word or three can have comic, literary or other positive purpose.

 

Honestly fake swear words bother me more than the actual ones. It seems so pompous and silly to me.

[Elfknitter.#]

This thread makes me fondly remember a high school teacher who would spend a class period teaching the etymology of certain cuss words because "if we're going to be using it, at least use the word properly!"

 

 

[delaney]

Lol. Yes there are all kinds of degrees...but with your example, it is an expression that my mom HATES....so although I do use it sometimes I don't use it around my mom. My mom also hates the expression, 'screwed up'....I don't take that as a vulgar expression at all but I don't use it around her.

 

That same level of awareness does not seem to exist.....why don't people know that using the F word in wal mart is crossing the line?

Simple. It is a 4 letter word made up by people and given meaning by people. It's power is in what you give to it. Vulgarity may offend you as you put meaning to the words that are negative and contrary to your belief. An atheist could easily be offended by constant references to prayer and god since we do not put any stock in either and believe them to offensive. Chanted prayer like the lord's prayer literally makes my skin crawl. Not being snarky-it literally makes me feel ill.

Anyway, here is what I do find offensive. Ethnic slurs.

Wetback, dot head, rag head, chink, N&gger, and the like. Those have deeper meaning. Now around here the term redneck is not offensive but it may be on other places. Some people flip at the use of the words retard and midget. I guess it depends on the person. I couldn't stand that my 90 year old grandmother still used the term "coloreds".

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

FUDDRUCKERS is my favorite swear word. Although I am pretty desensitized to swearing due to my years in the military, it's not really my habit to swear. I was actually a little disappointed in myself when I was home alone, stubbed my toe, and yelled "Fudgesickle!" I mean, if you can't swear when you're alone when CAN you swear?

 

My son thought "fat" was a bad word when he was 3 or 4 because MIL told him it was and he believed her. He also thought "pansy" was a bad word. It took us forever to decipher "The bad word with the P and the Z in it."

 

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: You just made me think of a story that I forgot to tell my DH and that is oddly apropos to this thread! DD7 has been testing out some inappropriate words (and DH and I do curse occasionally, but I don't know where she heard these particular beauties). So the other day, while the girls were playing nearby and I was reading on the couch, she said, "Oh! F*ckerators...F*ckle...F*ckerallers..." DD10 froze solid with her mouth open and her eyes on my face, and my eyebrows must have gone above my hairline while I waited to see what was coming. Finally, frustrated, DD7 said, "You know, that restaurant on the way to Grandma's that was replaced by the one whose name we can never read? Well, I know the name of the new one now! It's [xyz]!" Of course the old place was a Fuddruckers.

 

Anyway, FWIW, I agree with those in the camp of "They're just words." I tend to only swear in private, with those I know well, and I don't pepper my speech with such words. My kids do know the meaning of certain words, and if I ever use them in front of my kids accidentally (like when we were nearly broadsided by a truck on the highway or when I dropped an entire container of soup on my foot yesterday in the driveway), they know the situation is very serious. I roll my eyes at those who need to use swear words in every sentence and in front of kids, but I'm not offended. My kids are never, ever allowed to say "Oh my G*d" or anything along those lines, though, because I do think that's very disrespectful to believers, even though we are not (and even though most of the believers in our life do say those things, ironically).

[Shawna in Texas]

 

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: You just made me think of a story that I forgot to tell my DH and that is oddly apropos to this thread! DD7 has been testing out some inappropriate words (and DH and I do curse occasionally, but I don't know where she heard these particular beauties). So the other day, while the girls were playing nearby and I was reading on the couch, she said, "Oh! F*ckerators...F*ckle...F*ckerallers..." DD10 froze solid with her mouth open and her eyes on my face, and my eyebrows must have gone above my hairline while I waited to see what was coming. Finally, frustrated, DD7 said, "You know, that restaurant on the way to Grandma's that was replaced by the one whose name we can never read? Well, I know the name of the new one now! It's [xyz]!" Of course the old place was a Fuddruckers.

 

 

My 5yo calls it F&*#ruckers, so of course, that's what we call it. But, thanks for the new swearies. I adore them. Limited vocabulary indeed! Really trying to figure out how to use f*&kle. Is it a noun? Is it a verb? I can't decide. Maybe it's as versatile as the original.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I would not call it offended but I feel it shows a lack of intelligence somewhere with the person using it. No reason to use it actually except as a crude factor. It is also not dignified...in my opinion. Also if you regularly use it then how will you not use it in front of children? It will slip out. If you cannot use a word in front of a child, then why use it? The world is full of words...pick a more more creative way to express anger, something you do not mind your 3 year old using.

Foul language=foul person is what my grandmother says.

[delaney]

I would not call it offended but I feel it shows a lack of intelligence somewhere with the person using it. No reason to use it actually except as a crude factor. It is also not dignified...in my opinion. Also if you regularly use it then how will you not use it in front of children? It will slip out. If you cannot use a word in front of a child, then why use it? The world is full of words...pick a more more creative way to express anger, something you do not mind your 3 year old using.

Foul language=foul person is what my grandmother says.

 

Crude is a judgement. Some words hold little meaning for me but may offend you. Nice to know that you can make a blanket statement about people who curse like that.

[unsinkable]

I'm adding swearing threads to my list of threads that I should avoid.

 

So...

 

Food/feeding/fussy eater threads

Swearing threads

How should I punish my child threads

 

 

I rather enjoy the catholic bashing threads compared to these.

[ChristusG]

 

 

Perhaps I should share my vodka or beer with the kids, too?

 

:confused1:

 

There are some things that, in moderation, are fine for adults. This does not make it fine for children.

 

 

I knew that someone would make this comparison. In fact, there's a HUGE difference. For one, your children will not be taken away due to saying one too many cuss words. If you give them alcohol, they will. Also, if they cuss, it will not have a negative effect on their health, nor will they become drunk. Cussing and alcohol consumption are very different things.

[Saddlemomma]

Ugly, foul language seriously shocks me. Every time. It's so offensive that I want to get away, quickly -- I feel verbally attacked, even if the language wasn't directed at me.

 

I actually will start reciting poetry or Bible verses in my head, the more beautiful and language-rich, the better, to get my thoughts directed onto something decent. I don't want unpleasant words lingering in my mind and taking root (not that I would want them to, but our minds will involuntarily take in content and keep it for a very long time).

 

People who wouldn't dream of emitting a foul odor into a room somehow think it's fine to spew vile language, which is every bit as offensive.

 

Why is everyone putting up with this? Am I the only person left on Earth who has a problem with not wanting to be assaulted by ugly words?

 

 

 

You are NOT alone and glad to hear that WE are NOT alone as well. This is part of the reason why we don't have TV. Anything we watch is picked from Netflix (family shows) or online streaming for documentaries. Hearing foul language is like a physical blow for us because we don't usually hear it.

[*Lulu*]

ChristusG, on 25 April 2013 - 11:14 PM, said:

 

 

I don't understand people who cuss but do not allow their children to do so. If the word is okay for an adult, why not a child?

 

>snip<

 

 

 

Perhaps I should share my vodka or beer with the kids, too?

 

:confused1:

 

There are some things that, in moderation, are fine for adults. This does not make it fine for children.

 

 

True. I actually don't care if my kids say crap, or even hell, sucks, moron, idiot, damn, and shut up. (Yes we have had a parent flip because "shut up is so ugly") I encourage my kids to speak kindly to each other, but telling your little brother that "it really sucks your toy broke" is not exactly cruel in my book. Whenever the kids break out thier colorful phraseology I remind them there are certain words that when they come out of the mouth of a 6,7,8,9,or 10 year old people make judgements about the child. So I tell them to save it for when they get thier drivers license. (Hopefully by then they will have a grip on when it is appropriate. Besides, driving is when you really need the colorful phraseology anyway" :p )

 

What I do care about the f-bomb, and words that are frequently used to denigrate another person.

[Aslana]

I feel this is apropos of this discussion (no bad words, I promise):

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

ChristusG, on 25 April 2013 - 11:14 PM, said:

 

 

I don't understand people who cuss but do not allow their children to do so. If the word is okay for an adult, why not a child?

 

>snip<

 

 

 

True. I actually don't care if my kids say crap, or even hell, sucks, moron, idiot, damn, and shut up. (Yes we have had a parent flip because "shut up is so ugly") I encourage my kids to speak kindly to each other, but telling your little brother that "it really sucks your toy broke" is not exactly cruel in my book. Whenever the kids break out thier colorful phraseology I remind them there are certain words that when they come out of the mouth of a 6,7,8,9,or 10 year old people make judgements about the child. So I tell them to save it for when they get thier drivers license. (Hopefully by then they will have a grip on when it is appropriate. Besides, driving is when you really need the colorful phraseology anyway" :p )

 

What I do care about the f-bomb, and words that are frequently used to denigrate another person.

 

 

Agreeing. Children do not have the filters to know when to use language cautiously and when they're in a safe zone and can speak more comfortably. (Apparently some adults don't either, but that's on THEIR parents!) I also don't want them getting in the habit of using curse words, because it can be a hard habit to break, and one can offend unintentionally. I require that they moderate their speech, just like I require that they moderate their junk food intake or screen time, but when they're adults and have a better sense of what is appropriate and what isn't, they can speak how they like.

[*Lulu*]

I'm adding swearing threads to my list of threads that I should avoid.

 

So...

 

Food/feeding/fussy eater threads

Swearing threads

How should I punish my child threads

 

 

I rather enjoy the catholic bashing threads compared to these.

 

 

Please do not forget submission in marriage, cupcakes at school, and anything with the word rigor in the title.

[Erin]

I don't understand people who cuss but do not allow their children to do so. If the word is okay for an adult, why not a child?

For me, it's because of the assumptions made about a person who cusses. This thread is a perfect example.

"Crude." "Vulgar." "Uneducated."

(Maybe there is a bit of classism attached to the word "vulgar" still)

 

As an adult, my husband gets a kick out of it. He can speak excellent English when he chooses (and has a bachelor's degree, so has a little education, too), but he gets a charge out of people making assumptions. ;)

 

I want my children to be able to choose, though, also, rather than just cussing because that's what they know. Which means, as children, they need to learn proper usage and once they're adults they can make their own choices.

 

 

Buck frequently uses "Fridge!" as his favorite epithet. lol

[DawnM]

Heavy sigh.....thread has already gone downhill, so I will just add my .02 and let the chips fall where they may.

 

My children have learned every swear word there is from ME, yup, yup, sad but true. I don't swear a lot, but driving in the car is fair game and every now and then something does slip out in front of them.

 

Judge as you will.......

[Runningmom80]

Heavy sigh.....thread has already gone downhill, so I will just add my .02 and let the chips fall where they may.

 

My children have learned every swear word there is from ME, yup, yup, sad but true. I don't swear a lot, but driving in the car is fair game and every now and then something does slip out in front of them.

 

Judge as you will.......

 

My six year old wrote a poem the other day and asked if he could use the word damn, I allowed it, because he said please. ;)

[Aslana]

DawnM--your judgement is...... awesome mom! :D (Driving is where my kids learned it too)

 

RunningMom80--I have done the exact same thing. I'd rather then learn how to use the words properly and the correct definitions for them. :D

[Murphy101]

Heavy sigh.....thread has already gone downhill, so I will just add my .02 and let the chips fall where they may.

 

My children have learned every swear word there is from ME, yup, yup, sad but true. I don't swear a lot, but driving in the car is fair game and every now and then something does slip out in front of them.

 

Judge as you will.......

 

Ha! For me it's not driving, it's listening to the radio while driving. I start griping out the "reporters" that can't ask a single intelligent related question. Drives me a bit batty in a fun sort of way. The kids all know it. I've actually heard the 4 year old comment to her younger brother, "oh no, it's another idiot jerbolist." (she has a hard time saying journalist. :) )

[mommymilkies]

I think 'spew' is a very ugly word that many people here have used, some of whom would never utter an expletive. It is meant to be derogatroy. What is the difference between that and a forbidden word?

 

 

I also think the claim that the use of foul language shows a lack of imagination or limited vocabulary is a tired cliche, and betrays the same faults it claims to uncover.

 

 

Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare?

 

My 5 yo calls Dixie Chicks "Chicksy Dix". It's hilarious. Yes, she has speech issues she goes to a SLP for. But it's still funny.

[jeninok]

Once when my son was about 5 there was the biggest horsefly ever in my parents lakehouse. It was really stressing him out. He left the room for a minute a returned with a water gun and safety glasses ready to do battle. My dad got up to help and was had pulled a barstool into the kitchen to reach the fly. So imagination grandpa standing on the barstool, flyswatter extended, small blonde cherub in safety gear, and underwear dutifully pointing a water pistol on the floor below him, and much lip biting on the part.of mom and grandma.since.this was serious business.

 

My dad whacked that fly hard! And DS loudly proclaimed SH*T!! He got it!

 

We all about fell over laughing, it was properly timed, a true expression of emotion, and he was never one to use bad language. We still giggle about that sometimes.

 

[Murphy101]

I just don't care to play word games and double speak.

 

Poo

Poop

Cr@q

Sh!f

Excrement

Feces

Are all the exact same thing, so to pretend one is somehow different and thus "better" or more educated simply because its the word someone else prefers is total blarney.

 

I also get annoyed when people pitch a fit over shut up, shut it, shut your mouth ect.. They claim you should say be quiet or some such nonsense. Well you know what? Say be quiet if what you want is for them to say it quietly. But don't say be quiet if the truth is you want them to stop talking, because that means shut up. (I have taken to screaming for silence. Or serenity. Which is hilarious bc none of my kids get the Seinfeld reference and they all think I mean Firefly. Thus when I scream for serenity, a certain teen as taken to referring to younger siblings going nuts as "revers".)

 

When someone says an ocassional cuss word in front of me, I don't think they are low born or uneducated bc I know good and well that some f the worse cussers are very well born and wealthy. I'm not going to think they aren't a decent Christian or lack self control bc even Christ threw a fit when angry and it wouldn't surprise me at all that he said some derogatory words at the time about the behavior that angered him. When someone says an ocassional cuss word, I just think about what they are actually saying. The worst I might think is to lament and commiserate that they might have grown up around it being used in place of "the" like I did.

 

Now if what they are actually saying is something I find hateful or unkind? Yeah, cuss or not, I may limit my time with them. Life is too cotton pickin short to spend it making myself miserable with bad company.

[Mommy22alyns]

Meh. There are certain words that I never want to hear and refuse to say or even think. They're offensive words regarding female anatomy, racist words, the r-word, etc. No hate speech.

 

Now curse words? Sorry. I watch myself in front of the girls 99% of the time, but if I'm talking with DH about baseball, all bets are off! Well placed profanity doesn't bother me. Every other word? Yes, that gets tired.

 

My girls are hyper aware of inappropriate things. They know the curse words, but know to not say them. They think that "fart" is a bad word.

[TracyP]

I just don't care to play word games and double speak.

 

Poo

Poop

Cr@q

Sh!f

Excrement

Feces

Are all the exact same thing, so to pretend one is somehow different and thus "better" or more educated simply because its the word someone else prefers is total blarney.

 

 

This makes me wonder, though, what is the origin of a phrase like "don't give a sh!t" Are there times that you do give a sh!t? And are we supposed to be glad when someone gives a sh!t and disappointed when they don't? Something seems wrong with this picture. :D