How do you feel about profanity? (Cussing, swearing)

[Starfish]

(Inspired by the thread on politeness.)

I recently heard a radio commentator say he'd recently been to a baseball game at the Dodgers Stadium. He said they announced before the game, that cussing was not allowed and even gave a phone number for security that the spectators could call if there was a problem. He said the game was the nicest experience he'd had at a sporting event in years.

I personally feel profanity is extremely offensive. IMO it shows the lack of: maturity, self-control and respect for others.

 

[Hexaqua_David(II)]

British national treasure Stephen Fry sums it up nicely.

YouTube - Stephen Fry on the Joys of Swearing

*Some bad language used*

 

[Magic Man]

I have no problem with profanity. They are just words, after all. I understand people's sensitivities about them, and abide by them, but, if others felt as I do, then I would have no problem using them constantly. I will not cuss around certain people, including children and older people, etc. because I respect their sensitivity to these words, but I don't personally feel like I should need to refrain.

It's kind of like certain jokes. I like any kind of joke you can throw at me. I also know that not everyone likes offensive humor, and so I can only tell certain jokes to certain friends.

 

[Lemon]

Profanity doesn't bother me, they're just words. I never really understood the big controversy around them. I use them, my parents use them, my grandfather has even said them a few times around the kids. It's not like all the kids have turned out to be criminals because our parents didn't censor themselves. However, I was also raised in a family that is completely against censorship and strongly encourages self-expression without worrying about how other people will react. This does not mean I'm a rude brat running around screaming the f-bomb at any chance I get. If anything it's taught me that they're just words that people use. No big deal. It's not like it became this huge moment of, "Oh! Mom and Dad don't want me to cuss, time to rebel and cuss every chance I get!" because there was nothing to rebel against.

 

[Hexaqua_David(II)]

My family is very northern, most people around here swear a lot. This does not make us uneducated though. Swear words are such a part of the language in England that we hardly notice them. My father swears, my friend's professor at Cambridge swears, my lecturers at college swear, they are all intelligent people with very wide vocabularies, but swear words are colourful and have their use!

 

[Magic Man]

My family is very northern, most people around here swear a lot. This does not make us uneducated though. Swear words are such a part of the language in England that we hardly notice them. My father swears, my friend's professor at Cambridge swears, my lecturers at college swear, they are all intelligent people with very wide vocabularies, but swear words are colourful and have their use!

Oh, sod off! We don't need your ******* commentary, you ******* ****!

 

[Hexaqua_David(II)]

Oh, sod off! We don't need your ******* commentary, you ******* ****!

That's what my dad's like when he's mad, but the words inbetween the curses are latinate and 10 syllables long! =P

 

[robtex]

Maybe context has impact on how cussing is perceived. For instance during sex it can be used to enhance the experience. Comedians use it in their profession with positive outcomes and its is common in american slang---as a cultural bonding tool..in the hip/hop culture for instance. I guess profanity has it place as far as social acceptance or rejection ---I am too laid back in life to be offended by it but I could see how it some context's it would be against the social norm. I think one may be inclined or dis-inclined based on the value assigned to the words in most contexts..meaning adding them doesn't increase the value or meaning of the sentence they were added to.

On a side in Germany they have flavoring words. I think they exist in other languages too but I can only speak on behalf of the German language because I speak it somewhat. To illustrate it with an example:

Was ist los = What is wrong ?

Was ist denn los = (emphatically) What is wrong?

The word denn doesn't have a meaning. It is a called a "flavoring" word and isn't even in some German dictionaries. I just come to think of it to mean "speaking emphatically).

Profanity might have the same impact on our culture which lacks flavoring words.

Also, I said in the first paragraph that the inclination of the use of the word might be proportional to the value assigned to it culturally, socially to convey emotional intent ect, but in rejecting the users assigned value there are two avenues

1) Assign the value of zero to it and feel apathy towards its use

2) Assign an negative value to it and feel negative towards its use.

I am pretty much # 1 all the time ..I don't get offended by it but I find the rap industry pointless because by the same token I don't assign any (zero) value towards.

So maybe understanding cussing as a social instrument of communication we could see it both in context and on margin and search for the primers for different perceptions we have?

 

[Magic Man]

That's what my dad's like when he's mad, but the words inbetween the curses are latinate and 10 syllables long! =P

I know because I am your *********************** dad. :yes:

 

[nikki]

personally, i try to keep it at a zero but things slip sometimes. i don't really mind when people say a cuss word every now and then but it kinda suX when those are all the words they know. i also dislike some cuss words a lot more than others *shrUg*

 

[ChristineES]

I don't use profanity myself but it doesn't offend me. I believe it is because my stepfather said profanity every third word. There are some words I find offensive: racial slurs and slurs used for women.

 

[Charity]

I use to have a "bad" temper and would say lots of thing that were not very nice. Now I don't say those words anymore. I don't mind others saying something, but I like it when they can carry on a decent conversation without putting a curse word in every sentence. It just turns me off....

 

[The Seeker]

If I'm at a ball game and the team I'm rooting for screws up, what's the big deal if I say "damn it"?! Would it be any better if I said "darn it"? What exactly is the difference but a couple of letters? All I would be doing is voicing my displeasure.

I really don't see what the big deal is with cuss words because they're just words. To me, it's all about context and not the word itself. Stupid and idiot aren't cuss words, but they can offend and hurt ones feelings if used a certain way. On the other hand, if I were to hit my thumb with a hammer and said "****!", where's the harm in that?

 

[Fluffy]

I think it is wrong to swear around people who you know find it offensive.

Also I think location is important. If you are a guest then you should follow host rules. If you are in a public place then go with what the majority of people around you feel. If you are the host then swear as much as you like.

 

[Smoke]

People whose tender sensibilities are offended by hearing profanity at a ballgame should stay the **** at home.

 

[Hexaqua_David(II)]

People whose tender sensibilities are offended by hearing profanity at a ballgame should stay the **** at home.

I was going to comment on this but felt it might offend. (Hehe) I think it's truly ridiculous that people were banned from swearing. If that happened at a football match in England the staff would be laughed out of the stadium.

Madness!

 

[CaptainXeroid]

Using an occasional 'dirty' word is human.

Making a habit of it with profanity laced tirades is the sign of immaturity and a lack of class.

When I hear someone using those type of word in public, I know I'm dealing with one of the biggest idiots I'm going to encounter this week.

 

[Hexaqua_David(II)]

When I hear someone using those type of word in public, I know I'm dealing with one of the biggest idiots I'm going to encounter this week.

Like Stephen Fry you mean? An idiot? Using swear words is by no means a sign of stupidity. Get that out of your head right now! =P

 

[Vasilisa Jade]

Deep down I believe that when people swear too much, it shows thier lack of language skills. Curse words are like default words you can use to express yourself when your diction is lacking and you can't think of a better word. I do believe that they have expressive power when used appropriately though. Sometimes a curse word can be the perfect word to describe something.
An example of bad cursing IMO would be Pulp Fiction, because all the F-words just became vacuous. It was like they were just thrown out there for the hell of it. So too much of it is annoying, but not offensive.
One thing that actually makes me really really mad is when people are loud and cuss in restaurants when there is a family near them with children. My ex used to do that. The first time would be an accident, then if I pointed it out he'd do it agian just to be a childish prick.

 

[feather]

I try not to swear but if I slam my finger in a car door, well, it would be pretty hard not too. But otherwise in my everyday conversations, no.