The No-Cussing Club

[DarkAnts]

I've seen images of the "No Cussing Club" pop up in memes before. I don't think there's anything inherently bad with cussing (I grew up in a household where my mom swore like a sailor, mostly at me, so I hated any and all swearing as a child but grew up to swear just as often) when you're around other people who are okay with it, but when I'm in public, or with other people who don't cuss (I'm a Mormon, so my church friends don't swear, and I choose not to swear around them out of respect) I try to speak more politely. Around my family or longtime friends, though? Every other word is an F-Bomb. When I have kids I won't swear around them til they're much older, because I grew up in an abusive home and that was an element of the abuse.

Fun fact: My first word in public was "shit". My childhood pastor was blessing the children, dropped something, and I cursed in front of the whole congregation. My mom pretended not to know where I learned that word.

My friends 3 year old flipped off the bishop when he came over for a home visit :lol: :lol: :lol: . My friends other child who is 7 years old had just taught the three year old to flip the birdie. The three year old came into the room and proudly showed mom and bishop what he could do.

I dont have a problem with swearing. I think that the intent of the word is far more offensive then the word itself. I have seen people be down right mean and never swear.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Interestingly, I've known Americans to get very upset about "damn" and I've been told off for using it or had it starred out online. It's not a swear word where I am - more a sort of exclamation word. But it really seems to be as strong as fuck in the USA.

Most young worldly people I know (in the US) don't mind so much about damn, but absolutely there are a lot of people who really care about it.

My local paper a while back ran a front page article about a local small dam that has had some problems (some people have drowned near it when they capsized canoes in just the exact wrong place and were done in by the current). Some people want to save the dam because it makes good fishing, and were wondering about safety improvements, but it's too expensive, so the whole thing has to go. This is unfortunate.

So the headline was "It's a Dam Shame". Witty, right? I thought it was pretty good.

Well, it got quite a few letters from people who were scandalized at the mere HINT of the word "damn" in the paper. Hilarious part is, the paper didn't use the word "damn" anywhere in it, so only people who already KNOW the colloquial use of "damn" (as opposed to the straight "you are damned") would GET the joke anyway!!

As for Russian swearing, ages ago on a linguistics newsgroup I read there were some Russian-speaking Israelis, who said that among the Russian-speaking young people in Israel there's a sort of language that is 99% swearing, and quite inventive.

[alba]

This is just so (fucking) sanctimonious. I have no problem with people who choose not to swear or don't like profanity, but they're not any more intelligent, better -educated, or superior to those of us who do.

I was told growing up that cursing was for people who weren't well read enough to come up with other words. Only heard Mom cuss once and Dad - never. It isn't something they or their families do. Not related to religion or anything.

I've heard this before, and I tend to disagree. I have a degree in English, I write extensively, and I swear. In fact, as my reading material has expanded and I've become more eloquent, I've started swearing more. This is most likely correlation rather than causation, but nevertheless I don't swear due to an inability to find the right word.

Sure, there are some people who repeat the same swear words ("fucking this" and "fucking that"), but there are also people who don't swear, but for whom everything is either amazing or depressing. Swear words are just words, and it's the intent that matters. Profanity, when well-chosen, can lend a certain emphasis or connotation to a sentence.

My cube-mate is French Canadian, and from her I have learned that every French curse word is related to the Catholic Church. When she gets pissed at a co-worker she will call her mom and vent in French, dropping "tabernac" quite often. :lol:

Tabernac's a great one, as is the portmanteau I heard from a bilingual French Canadian once: "taberfuckingnac" XD

[pomology]

Well, it got quite a few letters from people who were scandalized at the mere HINT of the word "damn" in the paper. Hilarious part is, the paper didn't use the word "damn" anywhere in it, so only people who already KNOW the colloquial use of "damn" (as opposed to the straight "you are damned") would GET the joke anyway!!

Um, not that I find the word damn offensive, but isn't the colloquial use of "damn" pretty damn common? I feel like the only people who wouldn't understand it would be young children and people who are isolated from society, anyway.

Also, these people better never visit the Hoover Dam. Not that I've been, but I've definitely heard that they use that pun all the damn time there. So it's use in your local newspaper isn't even particularly original.

I'm not sure why people are so offended by curse words. Words are nothing but sounds and they only have the meaning that people arbitrarily ascribe to them. I mean, I understand why people are offended by words like the n-word, which have been used for a long time in conjunction with the very serious discrimination of African-Americans. But what is so fucking offensive about the word fuck?

[Elle]

And this is why I love FJ!

LOL! I've been watching a lot of South Park lately. And the movie is one of my favorite comedies. Perfect for this thread, seeing how it's all about how swears will destroy society while blatant sex and violence is okay as long as no one says any naughty word! I love when Cartman was shown the flash cards so exhibit how saying certain words shocked him, and there was "Big floppy donkey dick" illustrated. I saw that movie in the theater with my brother, dad, and an aunt, and when Stan found the giant clitoris, I think half the theater died laughing.

[Elle]

Personally, I define swearing as the way you use a word rather than what you actually say. Shit can be a noun, a verb or a swear word. It all depends on context and tone of voice. "Sugar" can be quite offensive, given the tone of voice some of my students use.

I agree. Tone of voice, body language...those things are more important than the word itself. In high school in theater we had an exercise where we'd act scenes in gibberish, relying only on tone of voice and body language and no real words.

[Burris]

Well, here is what I think:

FUCK.

That is all.

(Okay; no it isn't. I once wrote a long article about the suckitude of preacher Paul Washer and did what I consider to be a fairly thorough job of deconstructing his arguments, most all of which involved what Christians oughtn't do.

When he got to the point of talking about martyrdom, I quite properly asked what the FUCKITY FUCK his problem is. One commenter responded that I had "ruined [my] testimony" - whatever the hell that means - by daring to swear about what a lackwit Paul Washer is. So there you have it; telling people they're going to hell because they watch MTV is fine, but calling Washer out on his vainglorious dickery is completely out of the question.)

In closing,

FUCK.

[thoughtful]

TCM is showing "I Remember Mama," and, as I was reading this thread, it got to the scene with Uncle Chris teaching the little boy the "Norwegian swear word." How fitting!

Wish I could find a clip to post.

[Minerva]

I heard this from some people too...I just disagree. I'm very well read and well-educated, as are most of my friends, and we all swear like sailors. I do moderate it depending on who I'm around, of course. I'd never swear around my profs, my students, or my grandma. ;) I guess in a way it connotes being relaxed and around friends for me, although it also connotes just being really fucking angry, excited, etc. and needing that ultimate bit of emphasis. I actually DID avoid swearing once for a whole year, when I was trying to be a good Orthodox Jew. (I gave up on both.)

However, now that I've sung the praises of swearing, I'll share a cautionary tale about it being maybe just a smidgen too much a part of my vocab. I was 22, about to graduate college, and going on job interviews to try and secure that elusive and coveted "job right out of school." I went to interview at an org that I really supported, for a job for which I was well-qualified. When I walked into the door, I immediately saw someone I recognized from synagogue youth group, which was exciting for both of us. We said our hi's, and then I went into my interview, which went well, I thought. When I came out, I saw my old friend again, and we chatted while my interviewer was finding some organizational brochure for me. We were talking about the weather, and without even thinking about the fact that I was in the middle of the office and that my interviewer was right behind me, I blurted out, loudly: "God, it's fucking cold today!"

Needless to say, I didn't get a second interview. :? However, it did teach me to be very careful about what kind of language I use where. But I still think it's totally ok to do it if you're not in a professional environment.

Ahh, that's a lesson my partner has yet to learn. He's sworn at the top of his voice in all kinds of public settings - in front of the elderly, small children, in restaurants, movie theatres, you name it - because he doesn't believe in censorship, he says. Well he can practice his beliefs that extremely if he wants, but there's such a thing as manners and one of these days it will come back and bite him, I've told him that. I just worry that it'll be in the form of some big angry dad having a go at him.

I've also had friends be squeamish about swear words, and it's quite irritating. Like, really, you need to interrupt every conversation you have to complain about people swearing? You're an adult, shut the fuck up and deal with it! Who gets butthurt over a few swears that weren't even directed at you? You want your surroundings to be G-rated? Go live in an elementary school. When I'm among people my age in a casual setting, I'm entitled to be at least 14A.

Also, who the fuck names their kid McKay?

Edited because it's casual setting, not causal setting.

[C Potter-Pirbright]

I'm just going to defer to Stephen Fry on this, because face it sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than swearing in multiple languages if needed. :D

“THE KIND OF PERSON WHO SAYS SWEARING IS A SIGN OF A POOR VOCABULARY USUALLY HAVE A PRETTY POOR VOCABULARY THEMSELVES. THE SORT OF TWEE PERSON WHO THINKS SWEARING IS IN ANY WAY A SIGN OF A LACK OF EDUCATION OR A LACK OF VERBAL INTEREST IS JUST A FUCKING LUNATICâ€-- Stephen Fry.

edited because I really can spell, and 2am isn't play on the computer time. thanks Julie Paradox.

[alba]

I'm just going to differ to Stephen Fry on this, because face it sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than swearing in multiple languages if needed. :D

“THE KIND OF PERSON WHO SAYS SWEARING IS A SIGN OF A POOR VOCABULARY USUALLY HAVE A PRETTY POOR VOCABULARY THEMSELVES. THE SORT OF TWEE PERSON WHO THINKS SWEARING IS IN ANY WAY A SIGN OF A LACK OF EDUCATION OR A LACK OF VERBAL INTEREST IS JUST A FUCKING LUNATICâ€-- Stephen Fry.

I love Stephen Fry! Did you see 'Fry's Planet Word'? He had an episode devoted to swearing on that show.

[ilovetchotchkes]

I'm just going to differ to Stephen Fry on this, because face it sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than swearing in multiple languages if needed. :D

I swore in multiple languages with my first labor. What was I supposed to do, say "oh golly gee! that was a doo diddly doozy of a contraction there? " And I have a huge vocabulary dude. I use "defenestrate" instead of "throw out the window". I use nefarious instead of evil...

[julie paradox]

I'm just going to differ to Stephen Fry on this, ...

Normally I wouldn't bother, but this made me think you were arguing with SF's point.

You mean "defer".

[Beammeup]

hab sosli' Quch

verengan Ha'DIbaH

P'Tok

I can swear in made up languages!

[Kitty]

Anyone who says swearing is a sign of a lack of vocabulary is full of shit. My vocabulary is quite fucking advanced, thank you very much. What kind of assface would be that ignorant? Swearing feels fucking awesome, it's a huge release of tension. Also, it happens to be my native language, bitch.

Also, I've developed new swearwords in my own time, like dickbag. Oh, how I love the word dickbag. Or, bag of dicks. It's rather versatile. Basically, I take commonly-used prefixes and attach them to different swearwords. Like "douchewaffle." What's a douchewaffle? Fucked if I know, but it's a fun word and anyone who disagrees can piss up a rope.

Edited because of course ignorant assfaces are ignorant. :doh:

[ilovetchotchkes]

Anyone who says swearing is a sign of a lack of vocabulary is full of shit. My vocabulary is quite fucking advanced, thank you very much. What kind of ignorant assface would be that ignorant? Swearing feels fucking awesome, it's a huge release of tension. Also, it happens to be my native language, bitch.

Also, I've developed new swearwords in my own time, like dickbag. Oh, how I love the word dickbag. Or, bag of dicks. It's rather versatile. Basically, I take commonly-used prefixes and attach them to different swearwords. Like "douchewaffle." What's a douchewaffle? Fucked if I know, but it's a fun word and anyone who disagrees can piss up a rope.

:clap:

There has actually been scientific studies that if you're in pain, swearing relieves or helps you tolerate it. http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... o-we-swear

[mirele]

Well, here is what I think:

FUCK.

That is all.

(Okay; no it isn't. I once wrote a long article about the suckitude of preacher Paul Washer and did what I consider to be a fairly thorough job of deconstructing his arguments, most all of which involved what Christians oughtn't do.

When he got to the point of talking about martyrdom, I quite properly asked what the FUCKITY FUCK his problem is. One commenter responded that I had "ruined [my] testimony" - whatever the hell that means - by daring to swear about what a lackwit Paul Washer is. So there you have it; telling people they're going to hell because they watch MTV is fine, but calling Washer out on his vainglorious dickery is completely out of the question.)

In closing,

FUCK.

"lackwit"? Just come out and say it...Paul Washer is a FUCKWIT.

[celestial]

This thread makes me think of this clip.

26UA578yQ5g

[Talitha Cumi]

I swore in multiple languages with my first labor. What was I supposed to do, say "oh golly gee! that was a doo diddly doozy of a contraction there? " And I have a huge vocabulary dude. I use "defenestrate" instead of "throw out the window". I use nefarious instead of evil...

Do like Michelle. "Oh, praise the Lord! Praise you, Jesus!" :dance: