• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

Swearing, cursing, vulgarity, verbal abuse

Lark

Active member
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
29,569
Do you swear a lot in posts or in person? Are you in a job were you cant or shouldnt? Is it a conscious thing or a habit? Do you have to correct others who speak this way?

I work in a job were I have to do this with young people, a lot of them are from cultural backgrounds were its typical and will tell you that its discriminatory to tell them not to speak that way, I tell them that the words are generally words of hate without any love and repeating them can get your blood boiling before you know it but I've noticed that I almost unconsciously correct others now and its lead to risky situations on occasion.

Anyone got any views?
 

Such Irony

Honor Thy Inferior
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
5,059
MBTI Type
INtp
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I don't swear that much and was raised not to. Occasionally, I mutter things like "oh shit!" to myself and am careful not to express these words out loud. I don't use the F-word at all unless I'm in a situation where I'm extremely angry at someone.

I've never heard of the discriminatory angle brought up before. Couldn't you just tell the people something like "That kind of language isn't appropriate in the workplace, any workplace?" That way it's a work related issue, not a culture one.
 
T

ThatGirl

Guest
Sometimes I can have a real pody mouth. I think there is an impression or feeling that a cuss word can evoke. Used like any other word, it can communicate a principle.

When working I do not cuss, and have no problem filtering my language. I think it is tacky to be in a public place, and not conscious of your audience. Most of the time, through out the day, a conversation where a cuss word would be appropriately used is not one I would prefer to participate in. The inappropriate use of swearing during these times is trashy.

Like being out to lunch with someone who thinks it is appropriate to cuss at the waiter.

Vs.

A conversation where someone is casually describing an interaction, and choses a swear word to fill in some blanks.

The latter is not a conversation I would take place in during professional time or in mixed company.


If I am angry I will use cuss words to shock someones attention and make them focus. Like you fucking son of a bitch! Followed by explanation.
 

Orangey

Blah
Joined
Jun 26, 2008
Messages
6,354
MBTI Type
ESTP
Enneagram
6w5
Sometimes I can have a real pody mouth. I think there is an impression or feeling that a cuss word can evoke. Used like any other word, it can communicate an principle.

When working I do not cuss, and have no problem filtering my language. I think it is tacky to be in a public place, and not conscious of your audience. Most of the time, through out the day, a conversation where a cuss word would be appropriately used is not one I would prefer to participate in. The inappropriate use of swearing during these times is trashy.

Like being out to lunch with someone who thinks it is appropriate to cuss at the waiter.

Vs.

A conversation where someone is casually describing an interaction, and choses a swear word to fill in some blanks.

The latter is not a conversation I would take place in during professional time or in mixed company.


If I am angry I will use cuss words to shock someones attention and make them focus. Like you fucking son of a bitch! Followed by explanation.

Agreed.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
Enneagram
594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp

Yeah. Same.

I tend to use it for emphasis or as a tool to trigger a particular response from someone / deliver a particular social cue, and otherwise it's just usually driven by situational context.

It's not inappropriate to tell employees/staff what is required on them in their job, as a general "work environmen" thing, and expect them to live by it. Swear words are typically frowned upon in public/professional settings, even if behind the scenes in a private office people can talk however they'd like, and depending on the language used could lead to dismissal.
 

Beargryllz

New member
Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
2,719
MBTI Type
INTP
I swear for emphasis, because non-swear words can't always give me the right kind of emphasis. Besides, everyone knows these words, even people who don't speak english probably "feel" what I'm saying to some extent (I hope).

Vague and strong, that is the power of fuck and shit.
 

iwakar

crush the fences
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
4,877
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Cursing (swearing, salty talk) etc. is just part of our language. I cannot make sense of relegating segments of any language as taboo (ideas sure, but vocabulary?), therefore socially inappropriate. I think that intent and context are critical, and the spirit of the speaker's dialogue should be subject to criticism moreso than the vocabulary itself.

The only thing I object to in its usage is that f-bombs and the like can be such multipurpose words that it can indicate laziness on the speaker's part to express themselves more articulately... I'm a bit of a stickler for clarity, precision (or artful ambiguity pregnant with meaning if the occasion arises)... So, I don't like it when my tongue habitually gets too lazy to sort out the particulars of expression. I am aware, however, that other people are offended by its usage (however nonsensical) and I attempt to curb my use of it in their presence. Frankly, I have bigger battles to fight and more important points to make, so I'd rather bend on this issue to achieve an improved level of connection with them.

Sometimes, life is about compromise. I can live with my compromises^, some cannot. I accept that.

Great question OP.
 

rav3n

.
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
11,655
Fuck yeah, swearing amuses me. :laugh:

But when serious, I find swearing to be a limiting overly-aggressive way to communicate.
 

swordpath

New member
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
10,547
MBTI Type
ISTx
Enneagram
5w6
I've toned my swearing down quite significantly since getting off active duty with the Marines.
 

Aquarelle

Starcrossed Seafarer
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Messages
3,144
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
so/sp
I swear a fair amount, but not as much as some people. Too much of the F word or gratuitous swearing makes me uncomfortable, but I do use those words sometimes myself. At our workplace, swearing is okay, sometimes. I sometimes say "hell" or "damn" but not much beyond that, at work. I will definitely have to tone it down when we have kids, but my spouse will have to tone down more - he swears more than I do.
 

mmhmm

meinmeinmein!
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
2,280
i say 'motherfucker' so much, my old japanese boss
started saying it too "mutha-fucka desu ne mmhmm-chan"
 

Jaguar

Active member
Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
20,647
What are people's fav curse words when they get injured? I yell, "Fuck me!" Lol.
 
V

violaine

Guest
^I was renovating one day and a friend dropped a cupboard on my foot. Apparently I made up whole new kinds of swear words, haha. I wish I could remember them.

I never swore growing up and I still think it sounds coarse though I occasionally swear. I very rarely swear AT someone. Sounds too aggressive. I do use the occasional well-timed f**k in chat and sometimes real life. The main reason I don't swear much if at all irl is that I think it sounds uncouth coming out of my mouth, it doesn't suit me. Other people can sound really funny when they do though.
 

funkadelik

good hair
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
1,614
MBTI Type
lmao
I don't like swear words (ie. dirty talk) during sex. I guess I just don't think it's necessary. But maybe it's just cause I don't like to hear you chatting away on the other end. :laugh:

Other than that I swear all the time.
 

xisnotx

Permabanned
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
2,144
I don't swear out loud. It's not a rule or anything it's just that I tend not to do it.

I think I probably have sworn online at one point in time..but it's very very rare.

I swear in my head all the time. My favorite seems to be the f word.

I'm not particularly bothered if other people swear but I do notice. In fact one of the things that puzzles me about girls is that they tend to swear in a conversation after you've talked to them a couple times. Actually..the majority of my first "dates" involved the person swearing..which I found interesting.
 
Top