Caution - Strong Language

[MrPresident]

Now how many of you thought this thread would be about swearing? Well you're right. Don't be so happy with yourself. No-one likes a smart-arse. Maybe NASA and MENSA but thats about it. Anyway, is there such a thing as strong language? Is there such a thing as a swear word? Aren't swear words just words with legitimate meanings used for different purposes? What makes S**t a swear word but not excrement? Why are some words considered swear words in some cultures i.e. fag in US of A but not in others. Now onto strong language, what is it? What is weak language? What makes a word strong? How is strong language worse than say normal language?

Finally is swearing a bad thing? Aren't they all just normal words found in any decent dictionary? Why hide them in public, i.e. on tv, when a kid can walk into any library and find them out?

Thats about all I can think at this time. Or at least all I can think of without the confines of the rules of this forum.

 

[Hamlet]

I talk like a docker most of the time.

Not that I'm encouraging any of you kids out there into such behaviour.

 

[philippe]

oh f*** well we Belgians are known for the weirdest swears in the world.....GODVERDOMME!MIlJAARDENONDEJU!
its acceptable

 

[rjgo]

*** ***** *** ******* *** **** *****
***** **** **** ***** 8 ********** *** *** ** ****** **** **** **** ******* ********* **** ***** *** *****

hazach yisrael

rjgo

 

[Dralix]

There is absolutely no reason for the words themselves to be offensive. I could make up an entirely new word for sexual intercourse, say ... harknurf and say that it has the same meaning. Or I could use that certain other word for sexual intercourse to mean "tree." What makes one word offensive and the other not? It has nothing to do with meaning. The answer, simply, is "because society says it's so."

Which is the equivalent of a grade school student answering "because" to a teachers question.

 

[PinkyGen]

One of our more recent slang catchwords is to use the phrase "He's on Crack" to mean that "He" is doing something really dumb. Well, we said that in front of my mom once, and she yelled at us for our filthy mouthes, and then used real cuss words at us.

Swearing's in the eye of the sweared at.

 

[Brad]

Appearently it is socially acceptable.. not a whole lot of people seem to mind... I've seen older people 60-80 who swear.
But it shouldn't be acceptable.

 

[dannyevilcat]

Swearing is just fine. They are words,after all, and what purpose do they serve if not to express something?

I loathe the censorship of words, personally. It's the thought that counts, anyway, so if you want to get offended by something... you're really just offended by another persons thoughts and means of expressing them.

Besides, f**k is such a multi-faceted word.

 

[MrPresident]

But it shouldn't be acceptable.

Could you tell us why?

 

[FearlessLeader2]

I voted no, even though I've done it in the past. I only resort to cursing/obscenity if I'm in too big of a hurry to think up some proper invective. Calling someone a mother-you-know-whatter is not nearly as cerebrally taxing as informing them they are likely to be named Inbreeder of the Year this year, based on their constant attention to their mother.

The first is crude, and vulgar. The second is outrageous, and profane in the extreme, but not at all coarse.

My objection to obscenity is based on its lower intellectual standards.

 

[Rodgers]

I think with a language like English which permits such eloquent ways of speaking - to use the most basic and crude expressions of that language would be offensive to others as there are more gentle and sophisticated ways of describing things or reacting to others. I think the theory behind swearing being unacceptable is that it is too crude a way of behaiving.

For example, if I'm on my way home and dying for a dump - to squat in a bush and wipe my arse with my hand would seem offensive to most when I could have waited and used a toilet and toilet paper at home. However, you could probably argue that crapping like that was "natural" behaiviour in the past and we all crap anyway so whats the problem. Does that make sense? Probably not.

Anyway, I love searing - especially a good combo of top-grade offensive words crammed into a single sentence.

 

[Ren]

Personally I sometimes find it hard to express myself properly when I cannot swear .

 

[plomeros]

Funny swearing I overheard....talking about that swearing is different in different languages/cultures...

Used to live in an area of Sweden that had lots of immigrants. A Swedish boy and n Arab boy, both about 10, are having a fight. They are both very upset, and about to start hitting each other. The arab then uses his most devastating curse, certain that this will propell the swede in a physical attack. He crouches togather and screams...

"I'm gonna run to your house and f**k your mom!"

The swede looked at him, and asked

but she is more then 30 years older then you. Why would you wan to do that?

There was no fight, and I was crying on the pavement with laughter...

First positive language barrier I've ever heard!

 

[WinstonJen]

The biggest insult I can think of without using a 'real' swear word is 'dildo-wearing gang-bang *****.'

The worst word in the world is c**t, IMO, because it is insulting a perfectly natural part of a woman.

 

[plomeros]

Another stupid thing I heard when I was living in Australia was, and imagine this being screamed by three drunk "mates" from a crappy car...

"Yo, sheila, show us yer map of Tassie!"

I don't think they have any girlfriends...

 

[Mikoyan]

Being from the poor suburbs of Stockholm, swearing is like a part of the everyday language

 

[Vrylakas]

Swearing evolved from the early human belief that words, like physical objects (in their mental realm), had some sort of spiritual power. This meant that some words were more potent than others. Medieval Europe saw both the Church and the anti-Church (witchcraft) relying on the mystical power of certain words.

The bodily functions, especially those associated with the genitals, were seen to be particularly potent. Recall the Biblical passage about the angels approaching God who must shield their genitalia with their wings so as not to infect God with the spiritual pollution inherant in them. Words associated with these functions therefore took on a certain power. As in all societies however, there was a vast underclass who vulgarized the original meanings, who harnassed the power of these words in their daily discourse as a means to achieve some sort of power in their lives. I recall a boss in Poland who was a pathetic shell of a human being, but whose one proudest achievment was that he could swear for ten minutes straight without repeating a single curse. Swearing empowers people, who otherwise feel powerless. That's why teenagers love to swear so much. That's why we swear when, for instance, my brother dropped a table he was carrying down some stairs - there was nothing else he could do, so it was a release to at least use these words. If an alien were to drop down and listen to my brother at that point, he would have made no sense at all. What does scatalogy have to do with dropping a table?

Do I swear? Everyone does sometimes. Or better said: s*** no.

 

[Hitro]

Swearing is a good way to reduce anger and tensions, at least a better one than physical violence. Of course it can in some cases also increase the anger of someone else, but well, that's the price.
I personally use to speak quite 'dirty' when I'm with friends or family. But I'm able to have more eloquent conversations.
To me swearing is part of the language and I want to use 'my' language as widely as possible. German is nice for swearing and not doing it would be a shame.
What would a football game be without swearing at the referee and the opposing team?

 

[roadwarrior]

It might be considered impolite in some situations, but then again so would slang. There are some times when its good to be able to let loose and just flame someone

Sometimes though, when someone swears excessively, it makes them look sort of stupid in my eyes because they can't actually think of anything intelligent to say and just rely on cursing at you. Swears can be used to great effect to emphasize something, but they shouldn't replace other words or they lose any of the special meaning they may have had.

 

[Zarn]

I'm from New York, so I say it is okay to curse as long as you are not cursing off the following people: your mother, God, or Jackie Chan.