Why are people offended by swearwords?

Dr Lobster* · Fri 16 Apr, 2004 13.55

Something I've been wondering for a while now, is why is that so many people get offended by swearwords?

I can understand why people get offended by ideas and concepts, but a single word that doesn't really mean anything on its own?

We have been over exposed to words such as fuck and cunt to such a degree that they now do not have any meaning, so why do people continue be offended by them?

Are you offended by any such swearwords, and if so what are they and why?

Gavin Scott · Fri 16 Apr, 2004 14.03

Expletives are by design supposed to be held in reserve for maximum impact.

The more they are used, the less impact they have and less offensive they become. Its little wonder then that 18-30's would ask, "why are they offensive?", since arguably they use expletives more than people of an older generation.

I use the "F" word fairly often, but hold the "C" word back for moments where no other word will express my disgust with such vigour.

James Martin · Fri 16 Apr, 2004 14.55

No fuckin' problem with 'em myself.

rts · Fri 16 Apr, 2004 15.04

Flava wrote:No fuckin' problem with 'em myself.

I was waiting for someone to do that...

I personally use swear words to emphasise certain things/show my utter disgust/strong feelings towards something. So I do get a little pissed off when every other word is an expletive. It, well, spoils things for people who use swear words correctly.

I do have to say though that I find the 'c' word rather fowl, and think I have used it no more than twice in my whole life.

Pete · Fri 16 Apr, 2004 15.31

I was reading my teacher's enormous dictionary the other day and fuck as a verb "adds nothing to the conversation". Which I'd agree with.

Generally I'd say the *KEY WORD* is context.

Joe Public · Fri 16 Apr, 2004 22.31

I save fuck for serious arguments. Cunt and twat are words that I would never use. They are the worst of the worst.

nwtv2003 · Fri 16 Apr, 2004 23.16

I say the word fuck quite often, the only time I don't say it is at work, as we could get bollocked for it, as someone made a complaint that one of us said 'You sad bastard' Like someone said, I only use it to emphasise something. (eg You sad fucker) Though the majority of people I know aren't offended by it.

Though I don't say Cunt very often and frankly I don't see any point by doing so.

Though if you want to be offended I suggest you go a Manchester United (Or any football game really) match, as I lost the count of how many times people say fuck or cunt.

Anonymous · Sat 17 Apr, 2004 13.23

Fu*k,Basta*d,Sh*t

there in the dictionary after all

rts · Sat 17 Apr, 2004 13.43

Barrett wrote:Fu*k,Basta*d,Sh*t

there in the dictionary after all

Boom boom.

Pete · Sat 17 Apr, 2004 14.04

On a related note.

Why does Cheese Head have to swear in the majority of his posts when there is no need for it? I find it tiresome and annoying. Like him.

Cheese Head · Sat 17 Apr, 2004 14.13

I use to swear to much actually. I seem to have stopped now... I actually found my self reluctant to say fuck the other day, in no peticular context, just seemed to fit. I thought that was a bitweird.

Then later on that evening were playing on my mates dancemat and i found my self saying fuck quite alot :roll: