Swearing

I don't like to hear swearing at the best of times, but I do find it offensive when watching TV programmes that seem to introduce words and phrases that I have never heard of. Being quite hard of hearing I display subtitles when available. I find it even more offensive to see these words spelled out in full for our benefit....just wish we could skip the swear words on subtitles. I don't know what all of these expletives add to the programmes, except for the shock factor.

I mainly swear if I drop something or hurt myself , or a machine is playing up , such as my printer 🤬.
I do swear loads when on my own in my car when another motorist does something stupid or dangerous .
And I do a lot of ffs under my breath.
It’s mostly the f word , I dislike the c and t word .
Other people swearing doesn’t bother me unless it’s in front of children or my elderly mother.
My AC don’t swear in my company and I rarely swore in front of them when they were children or teenagers .
Swearing on tv or in films doesn’t bother me either . Unless my mums present .

Children learn by example and bad language is unacceptable in front of them. Fortunately I socialize with people who do not swear. I find it offensive and disrespectful.

I see it as a social faux pas. It’s not appropriate as he or she is supposed to be in authority- it’s equivalent to a teacher swearing in front of children. Ok in the pub, but not at work.

Especially, when a politician curses using 4 letter swear words, it is a total disgrace, a lack of education and a show of grand ignorance.

It is disgusting.

BigMamma

I have always said that anyone who swears when having a conversation has a lack of the English language. They swear because they cannot think of a word to use.

Really not true. Swear words are part of the English language; indeed part of any language. Every language I’ve learned has their own version and these are usually the first to be acquired.
I swear and my adult children swear. It doesn’t bother me at all and neither does swearing on Mumsnet.
As above, a strategically placed swear word really does hit the spot.
In other words, oh golly gosh really wouldn’t have cut it when I slipped down a garden step yesterday whilst carrying way too many prunings and sprained my ankle and dinted my head 🤣

My father worked on the Liverpool docks but I never heard him say f**k or c**t. But he did use bloody and bugger quite a lot.

My mother never swore.

In secondary school I had a friend who had a mind like a sewer and I learned various words from her. One day (aged 11) I remarked to my mother that Philby and McLean had f****d off to Russia. She was horrified and asked me if I knew the meaning of the world. I told her (truthfully) that I thought it meant they "ran" off. She told me "Thats a filthy word and dont ever let your father hear you say it."

I have to admit that I picked up a lot of swearing when I came to live on an underclass estate during my student days.

I never swear in 'public', but do at home or with close friends if I'm feisty about something, or if I hurt myself. My DH swears like a trooper (despite me continually asking him not to) and 'f'ing' peppers his sentences. He is even worse if with someone else who swears! It really, REALLY annoys me as we have both been well educated. I also can't abide hearing youngsters swear or parents doing so in front of their children.

Took my 93 year old dad to hospital. Whilst waiting for our car to come to the entrance a group of (prob over 30's) men were loudly "effin" in normal conversation I was ashamed and embarrassed for my dad - I'm over 60 and I wasn't comfortable with it. I'm sure my kids are not saints but would not be like that in public.

LJP1

Swearing demonstrates a limited vocabulary. It is sad to think children are being raised by those parents, without the benefit of more articulate examples of adult understanding and interests.

Let me introduce you to Kenneth Tynan. He was known for his very ripe language.
He was also the first person to use the F word on tv.
I think you might agree that his vocabulary is not lacking.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq2PXK_Dew8

The only time I swear is when I am driving! (at the idiots on the road risking my life) when I was at school our headmistress used to say "people who swear are illiterate, there are enough words in the English language without the need to resort to using profanities" I personally really hate swearing, I have walked out of live theatre shows etc if the host is constantly swearing, it is not funny or entertaining. My ex was very old fashioned and if anyone swore near me he would say excuse me there is a lady present watch your language! It is such a shame that it is becoming the norm to throw these words around just for impact.

I linked to one item. I could equally say that whenever anyone shows evidence that someone else could be wrong, there are 'oh, experts! what do they know?' comments.

Carry on - believe that you know why others do what they do with absolutely no basis on which to base your opinion. It's no skin off my nose.

I don’t swear often, only when I really mean it - say when I stub my toe on a doorframe or something goes drastically wrong. DD2 will not swear in front of me, but every time DD1 drives the car on a slightly longer journey I learn a couple of interesting new words!

Oh dear here we go again! whatever the topic there is always ‘A lot of research’ being done to refute a generally held opinion. Whilst I agree swearing can indeed give vent to frustration though never in the presence of children that’s one lesson that doesn’t need to be taught for any reason.
However I find that most foul swear words are used by people who have a need to draw attention to themselves for one reason or another. Either because it makes them look big or tough or that they have a need to be noticed. Either way it’s pretty pathetic. Whatever the psychologists say, people who use such words frequently whatever the context only succeed in looking ignorant with limited vocabulary and without dignity. Or to put it another way of low class and thick (grin) There now I’ve ‘lit the blue touch paper’ now stand well back (grin grin)

My lovely, strong, kind, courageous niece has just been given the all clear after enduring nearly two years of gruelling cancer treatment. I have just bought her a silver bracelet that spells out “Fuck Cancer” in morse code, very appropriate I thought, and she will be even more thrilled with it, as it is the last word she would ever expect me to use, but I kniw it will appeal to her!

If I hear swearing in the street, I turn round and say, "Please mind my earshot."
Sometimes I get an earful in exchange. More often, I get a mumbled, "Sorry miss." They must hear my teacher's voice.

I still find swearing offensive. But I know it's become commonplace.

Well I swear my husband swears my 4 adult children who in 40,s I’ve never heard swear not in front of us anyway. It really does not bother me.if there’s a situation that comes up and I feel the need to swear then we will. I make no apologies. We don’t swear a lot I don’t like hearing some people swear In most sentences though, it’s the world we live in enough to make a parson swear

When I was working swearing was used after we had had difficult clients. Never in front of them, of course. It helped. I don’t like it just continuously as part of someone’s vocabulary. I think it is rough .

I enjoy swearing when something is very annoying. But I don’t do it as a habitual way of expressing myself..
I find people who use the f word too much very irritating. I abhor the c word although feminists have tried to reclaim it and make it something positive. To me it’s a degrading way of describing someone male or female. And, slightly off the subject, I detest the saying that a man is behaving like an old woman/wifey Another derogatory put down of women.

Swear words are used in addition to the user’s vocabulary, not necessarily to replace it. I am not aware of any research that suggests that swearing limits vocabulary and would be interested in links to any that does so.

Yes, there are those with limited vocabulary who swear, but correlation is not causation, and there are also those with extensive vocabulary whose language is ripe. Boris Johnson is a case in point.

What I think parents should do is teach their children about context. Swearing is not always appropriate and those who don’t realise that are at a disadvantage.

Swearing should be reserved for when you've stubbed your toe or dropped a crucial ingredient (just did that!) so that you feel some relief. If you swear all the time it loses its value.

There is absolutely no need for swearing. I find swearing offensive, some of my friends swear, two of my grandsons swear, I just don't like hearing them but don't have the face to tell them. I have never heard my sons swear but that is not saying that they don't, but not in my presence.

Swearing demonstrates a limited vocabulary. It is sad to think children are being raised by those parents, without the benefit of more articulate examples of adult understanding and interests.

Swearing is all over the television and life!
When I was younger I hardly swore - niw I’m 60+ I swear in the comfort of my own home if the conversation calls for it or with friends (female) IF the sentence calls for it in my opinion - I think I swear now as I have more freedom - just stopped working with little children and would NEVER swear in my working hours !
I don’t like to hear youngsters (teens) swear…

I only swear when I've hurt myself. Recently I broke my toe and I was glad I was on my own as some of those words don't usually come from my mouth. I don't use the female body parts words though as they are disgusting and an insult to women.