The 'F' word.

As an older, senior female engineer working with a team of male colleagues, there used to be an embarrassed silence and a guilty apology when they swore in front of me. It wasn't personal, just part of their general banter and they never used the 'c' word in my hearing. I found that a rude gesture on my part was enough to break the ice and make them all laugh. They didn't worry about what they said after that and I let it flow over me. I was part of the team. However, I am still shocked by the unnecessarily bad language I hear when out and about. I do swear on occasion but would be mortified if I swore in front of children. I guess it's all about self control.

I really dislike all of these words. They sound awful.

I hate it to. Dd says 'it's only a word Mum' . But she doesn't usd these words i front of me. Only heard DS say 'f' once when he was drunk , years ago. He was aware of our disapproval tlI think ,although we said nothing buf havent heard it since ad none of tgem swear on frony of the children. DiL is even fussier than me , she doesn't like the GC to say bum even!

I absolutely agree with you Teetime, I hate it too.

Someone else made the comment that I was going to make about how prolific it is on Mumsnet. I was so shocked at first, and even more so by the fact that some on there have the f word as their username.
These are mothers with young children, possibly looking over their shoulders as they are typing. Horrific.

As someone who grew up never hearing my parents use the f or c word, I just find it very sad that to so many youngsters, this is normal language.

In my opinion the 'c' word is worse.
I put my hand up to using various profanities including 'f' word (very occasionally) but never that one.
When I first met H he used 'f' all the time, so did his family who are true cockneys. I asked H not to swear infront of mum as she did not approve at all. Bless him, he did stop and to this day only mutters b***er or bl***y.

I don't see why anyone who doesn't like swearing should have to say "I'm no prude". It's totally reasonable to avoid swearing altogether and use other expressions.

It's horrible to hear children swear. It may now have lost its shock value, but can make me feel rather sad.

The proliferation of casual meaningless swearing on MN is one reason I prefer GN.

I'm surprised that some of you are saying you are hearing the 'C' word a lot. I'm glad I am not hearing it that really is awful. DH doesn't swear at all and I'm guilty of roaring b***lks at politicians and the BBC occasionally but not if there is anyone else in the house other than DH and I.

Swearing can be involuntary. I wouldn't like anyone on Gransnet to hear the words I roared at the top of my voice, I was really creative too I must admit, in easy listening distance of German holiday makers. It was all out there in seconds. I had just done my hair and make up and was examining a feature on a shower and my husband jumped in deciding to fiddle with it and I was drenched with freezing cold water. Hubby wisely run off.

I'm certainly no prude but I really dislike any form of swearing. I don't swear, my OH doesn't swear in front of me and always says something if someone does. My daughters have been known to swear in front of me but I do pick them up on it.
I think the 'f' word is used far too freely these days and it does offend me if it is used too much on television.
To my mind it is a lack of vocabulary on the part of many people. One thing I really hate is hearing people swear when they are out with their young children.

The f word is now in such common use that it has lost it's "shock value". I am now hearing the c word used more and more which I find a lot more offensive.

I don't like to hear children using the f word, but walk through any shopping centre and you will hear them using it every time they speak.

As for it's use on TV and film, I think it depends on the programme or film - I don't watch "reality" TV so can't comment on those but if you watch a film with Samuel L Jackson in it, you know there is going to be swearing!

'Sod it ' has done it for me for many a year , please don't tell me what it means

I hate it too , along with a few other choice words I never use and hate to hear.
If I sit down to watch a film and I hear the f word more than 5times in the first 5 minutes I will not watch it but that rule went out the window with a chick flick once , I think it might have been "love actually"when Hugh Grant opened the film saying "ff ...ff.....ff...ff...ff..ff" and everyone in the room looked at me to see what I was born my to do . I may be wrong in the film though it could easily be another one but think it's Hugh Grant who said it.

Whilst I believe the "c" word is Anglo Saxon and has therefore been with us for centuries, I nevertheless find it quite pejorative, we all know what it means and I feel uncomfortable hearing it. I don't know whether others feel like me, I see Martha does. Calling someone a "knob" the male equivalent I suppose doesn't strike the same chords, neither does the "f" word, like anno has stated, similarly my use of that tends to be in the car with a oh "ffs" said to myself about another driver.

I'd be a liar if I said the "f" word hasn't slipped out of my mouth on occasions, but I think one should always be aware of when not to use it. I don't like the casual way it's used around us in public without any consideration as to who may hear it, after all to many it's an offensive word and one needs to take into account other people's sensibilities. I'm not sure everyone thinks like that anymore. Anyone who goes over to MN will see that the "f" and the "c" word are prolific, particularly the latter when summing up a dislike for the person referred to in the post. A minority who even incorporate the "c" word into their user name which I have to admit I found a when I first stumbled upon that. I'm not excusing it, but it does seem that to a younger demographic the shock value in using such expletives has been diminished. I think on a public forum as posters we should consider that others will find the use of those words unacceptable.

I might use it occasionally with reference to other drivers and only when I'm alone in the car. I just hope the other drivers can't lip-read.

I agree there is far too much of it on daily TV, whether it's in a film, series, reality programmes are the worst offender. Occasionally I'm not offended hearing the F word where it's justified. Sometimes I use it myself in private. I'm ALWAYS offended by the C word which makes me feel cold to my bones.

I`m pretty easy going and certainly no prude but I do dislike this word and others used in a similar context........after all usually there is just no need for it and it is totally meaningless............other ways a complete waste of breathe!

A friend I know uses the word "ding" if she feels strongly about something,again equally uncalled for but it gets rid of her frustration and it harms or hurts no one.

I realy dislike it, would not allow it to be used in my home, same with the C word, they mean what they have always meant .

I hav e to say my C &GC don't use any swear words in front of us -they know our opinion. Actually the GC don't hear them I think -one of them age 7 says 'Oh my word!' which amuses me!
I have a friend, a grandmother and greatgrand mother who has house rules whuch the GC all conform to. This includes no swearing, no smoking, no mobile phones (they have to put them in a bowl in the hallway) and no sleeping together before marriage -at least in her house!! They all go along with it cheerfully and expk5ian to any friends they bring!!

Not a word that I have ever used but once used ffs on fb when hideously provoked.

To use a word that should be kept only for direst extremities, as an alternative to punctuation is a sign of a limited vocabulary and limited thinking and I arrive at my opinion of the user accordingly.

Don’t find it as offensive as I used to as my teen grandkids assure me it doesn’t have the meaning I think it does to the newer generation They are almost shocked that I would think it means that so I guess it’s just now like damn or bloody to us
I am still shocked at the C word although again I don’t think it’s used with the same meaning as we know

Though, I have to say, that our children use the two words I find much worse when talking about him!

Doesn't really bother me too much I have to say - if it's every other word it gets a bit tedious, but I think it is less of a big deal now - words come and go as to their shock factor.

I don't like it either but make an exception if it directed at the Idiot!