Swearing

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Are you a swearer, or have you never uttered a bad word? What do you think of swearing? Is it a legitimate part of the English language or just slang?

I used to be a complete anti-swearer, not that I was against it, I just didn't! Until recently, when I have quite a bit. I'm not sure what it is. At least I'm not as bad as David Beckham Hair Cut Wannabe Boy!

-- Tim (tim@newmail.net), May 01, 2000

Answers

Ooh yay, a chance for free publicity!! Anyway, I've had 'phases' with swearing. When I first 'discovered' it, so to speak, at around 11, I used it every other word. Well you do, don't you, at that age. Then, a year or two later, I pretty much stopped altogether (except for the odd 'bloody' but that doesn't really count, does it??) Then when I was about 16, I settled into what I do now - swearing only when I really need to for dramatic effect, which I think works pretty well.

-- Helen (breathe@oceanic.nu), May 01, 2000.

As expected, I never swear. I never even say the minor ones. Using Creat and Rutherian (as well as some of my own thrown in for good measure) expressions are so much more fun! And you're right, when you use a swear word too often, it does lose the power. It also makes you look dumb because you can't think of any better words to use. Plus the fact that I hate swear words. Yeah... that's about it.

-- Sarah Joy (yojjeth@hotmail.com), May 01, 2000.

Actually, it was very expected! I thought to myself, "This is one for Yoj!" as I typed in the question...

As for swearing for dramatic affect, I tend to do that to. When I utter anything more then a "Damn-it!" then people know I'm *really* angry! ;)

-- Tim (timp@newmail.net), May 01, 2000.


oh, i'm afraid i chuck in far too many expletives to be healthy. i was trying to explain to someone this morning what the essay was about that kept me up all damn night, and he stopped me and said "you'd never be allowed to be a teacher, d'you know that?" and i mentally replayed the last 5 minutes of conversation that went something like "and then the Germans said no, f--- off, we're not going to do that cos then you'll f---ing do that".

-- will w (a_pok_lips@hotmail.com), May 02, 2000.

After having my mouth washed out with figurative soap at the age of eight, I never used to swear at all, up until I was about sixteen. I didn't see the need: Creat words were much more fun, and I never was (and never am) angry enough to want something more strong. I don't see anything wrong with swear words when appropriate, but when you say f--- all the f---ing time, it gets f---ing annoying. F---! These days, when talking to myself, I seem to say "s---" a lot, but in real life, I only ever say "c---" and then only very occasionally.

-- Zed (zed@swansongs.net), May 02, 2000.


Only when I am extremely frustrated.

-- Amy (Amy@hypochondriac.org), June 04, 2000.

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