Swearing. Whats the problem?

[Shekwan]

Why is swearing considered bad manners? I have never understood the concept of "bad words". Surely it is the intention and not the word itself that should inflict offense on people?

How do you feel about swearing and the concept of "bad language"? Do you think less of frequent swearers? Explain yourself!

 

[Communisto]

I swear a lot, maybe too much. I enjoy it and don't think it should really bother people but then again, there are certain folks that I just don't feel right swearing around.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

People who swear too much are a bunch of monkeyfrapping cunkweasels.

 

[CurtSibling]

Why is swearing considered bad manners? I have never understood the concept of "bad words". Surely it is the intention and not the word itself that should inflict offense on people?

How do you feel about swearing and the concept of "bad language"? Do you think less of frequent swearers? Explain yourself!

Swearing is OK among certain groups (EG: your mates). Although, a man must regulate himself to suit the situation.

You are not going to curse like a Centurion in front of a man interviewing you for a vital job...Unless you are insane.

On a side note, no-one in my family swears. I have never heard my father curse, for instance. I also keep to this rule around family.

It is a good exercise in self-control.

 

[Lone Wolf]

I don't swear much, but I don't think there's anything wrong with a saucy word once in a while. Frequent swearers annoy me, however. I think of them as irritable, moody, unsatisfied people. Why else they would express their dissatisfaction with the word so much?

 

[Bill3000]

Why is swearing considered bad manners? I have never understood the concept of "bad words". Surely it is the intention and not the word itself that should inflict offense on people?

Well, if you overuse profanity, they lose their main utility, which is to communicate anger and frustration better than non-profane words. In addition, taboo words have a anxious effect on those who are offended by it. Part of why it may be inappropriate is because they associate people with the anger associated in the words, and it is socially inappropriate to appear angry when situations don't merit it. It's not a matter of logic; the words themselves have a more pragmatic effect than their mere semantic meaning, as they are tied to the emotions associated with them.

 

[Behind The Mask]

I suppose most of the time swearing is usually considered aggressive, especially in heated arguements, and its probably not the proper way to make to make a logical point.

However, it depends on circumstance I suppose; joking with the lads its fine, spouting off in public while foaming at the mouth, not so much.

 

[galdre]

sometimes swearing is the only appropriate response. I don't do it much though

words only have the meaning we give them, so I don't get people who get offended by casual use of swear words (as opposed to when someone uses them to try to insult someone)

 

[Lillefix]

I have never ever in my life sworn intentionally(I once had to say it because I was reading a text out loud in a school class). Never written it either I think. I can barely think it(it's easier with foreign swear words though, but I would never speak them out loud). But I do sometimes say Lord God in Norwegian("Herregud"), which is considered a swear word where I come from.

But no, there's nothing wrong with it.

 

[CurtSibling]

I also never use swearing in my comics - As it cheapens the humour a great deal in my view...

 

[Bill3000]

I have never ever in my life sworn intentionally(I once had to say it because I was reading a text out loud in a school class).

Really? Never stubbed your toe or anything?

 

[Lillefix]

Really? Never stubbed your toe or anything?

Not even thinking it inside my mind. Only "ouch" or something similar. That's how i was raised.

 

[Behind The Mask]

I also never use swearing in my comics - As it cheapens the humour a great deal in my view...

In some circumstances, true.

Though, I always found a certain comedic effect with the *bleep*, I don't know why, maybe its just so ridiculous that I can't help but chuckle.

 

[galdre]

Not even thinking it inside my mind. Only "ouch" or something similar. That's how i was raised.

yeah, I don't remember my parents swearing, so I didn't swear much at all when I was a kid

and then I went into the army

 

[_random_]

As a kid I was very sheltered from profanity, so it really offended me when I heard it. Now I'm in high school and I swear more than most of my friends. I make an effort not to swear around people who could be offended, but I don't think there's anything wrong with profanity in an appropriate context.

 

[duckstab]

Well, if you overuse profanity, they lose their main utility, which is to communicate anger and frustration better than non-profane words.

This is basically what I've taught my kids. The analogy I use is that profanity is the cayenne pepper of language. A little bit, used judiciously, is one thing, but if you put it on everything you're going to burn out your taste buds.

We don't punish them for using profanity at home, but we discourage it by pointing out that using such language at school will land them a detention, so it's best if they don't let it become a habit. It seems to have worked because in practice we don't ever hear it coming from them, except in situations where we'd probably use it ourselves, like hitting a thumb with a hammer.

I had an interesting talk about profanity many years ago at a party, with a linguistics grad student. Her claim was that almost every culture has a store of taboo words, and the words they choose tells you a lot about what that culture values. At one time in America, sexual and excretory references were considered the most offensive while racial and ethnic slurs were fairly commonplace. These days it's not uncommon to hear the f-word and the s-word at the office but using the n-word will get you ostracized, if not fired. My kids have even been chastising me for describing things as "********", which is something pretty new to me. Anyway, it seems like our culture is changing to be more sensitive to words that actually demean an individual or group, which looks like progress to me.

 

[Earthling]

scouts. scouts are the problem. because [insert word here] scouts

Spoiler :

I usually don't swear much in conversation but aren't overly offended by it either, especially non-slur stuff, like just using swear words for frustration/pain/whatever

 

[Dachs]

scouts. scouts are the problem. because [insert word here] scouts

at least they're not a bunch of backstabbing dime-a-dozen scumbags

 

[Japanrocks12]

The idea behind swear words is pretty silly and is steeped in mysticism and superstition, but I don't think that convincing people that that is the case is going to lead to a productive conversation.

I swear pretty liberally and enjoy my freedom to do so, but I say other words too, and I say more of those other words when I'm around someone who doesn't particularly enjoy hearing swear words. I disagree with them in principle, but I defer to their wishes.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Obligatory Fry.


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