Anti-Profanity Campaigner Gives Up

"The English language isn't used to its full extent and purpose," she said. "There are plenty of explanatory words that can be used instead of swearing. So why not use those?"

Hmm. Is the f-word explanatory or exclamatory?

Hmm. This is interesting. I'll try to see how many times I use a curse word in a day.

In a typical conversation I don't swear. Swear words are just fillers, like "um", or "like" and I consciously try to avoid fillers. Using fillers detracts what you are trying to say.

When speaking French, I know that when I'm really angry, I'll say "ah, tabernacle." Or if I want to utter an aggressive "I don't care," I'll say, "J'm'en calice." I'm always in a good mood, am rarely extremely angry or aggressive, so it isn't common that I'll swear, but it happens.

In English, I know that I'll use Jesus F** Christ if I've had an accident or something really terrible has happened. I'll pay attention to see if I use other words. Sometimes, you get into habits without realizing it.

Klingon invectives can be scathingly caustic, while still preferable to blasphemy.

I had a completely bilingual friend who neither swore in English when speaking English nor in Spanish when speaking Spanish but would use English curse words when speaking Spanish. He said that they had no meaning to him that way. They didn't feel like profanity because he learned them without meaning (from tourists) before he learned English.

Back in the Sixties, I had a chum who taught German at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, who did not swear at all -- she was devoutly Eastern Orthodox -- but would exclaim �Scheibenkleister� in situations where I would use profanity. I think it means something like "window putty" but sounds very much like a curse.

Back in my Navy days I had a shipmate, Thiggy, who was a backwoods North Carolina Mormon. He didn't smoke, he didn't drink coffee, he didn't go out with women and, most of all, he didn't cuss. One day he came back from working on the SPS-40, our ancient, air search radar. He said, "The 40's f***ed!" After we all picked our jaws up off the deck he explained that that was the only way to put it, it was f***ed.

That sounds rare, as once heard or read that a way to discern one's native language is to provoke swearing, which is by reflex normally in that one.

[Do parsons swear?]

Aramis, I don't understand your phrase.

The assertion was that it is a natural reflex to swear in one's original language, suggesting that it may be possible for some spies to be caught by poking them with pins. Reflex, not reflux; like blinking at a bright flash or the physician hammer on the knee scenario.

*tosses Aramis some much-needed hyphens*

- - - -

(I got more in my back pocket if you need them

)

Okay Anna, campy Aramis did consider typing "physician-hammer-on-the-knee scenario", but feared it might appear too pompous, or be mistaken for a Kafka quote.

One should probably be careful sitting down with pointy hyphens stored that way.

Quote:

*tosses Aramis some much-needed hyphens*

- - - -

(I got more in my back pocket if you need them )

Yeahbut do you have a caret on a stick?

You should really like this one from Sparteye:

Quote:

I have a self-imposed I'm-not-going-to-turn-into-the-weird-cat-lady two-cat limit, and at the time our household was already at the limit, so...

Do parsons swear?

Some have, within my hearing.

Southern Baptist preachers don't.

They sublimate.

Yah, and they don't go into liquor stores, either.

This is rather habitual for me, especially since I mostly swear to myself, if I do, not addressing anybody in particular.

I also come down on the side against the use of profanity in ordinary discourse, but admit that I haev picked it up in a reflex way.

I think it is a reflex. While it would be great to be able to shout "Great spangled frittilaries!" when shocked (or "Scheibenkleister" it takes training or non-reflexive conscious effort.

Say what one will about the lack of expression of profanity (and obscenity) I think it illustrates intensity of feeling even at an unconscious level.

My most recent example: Moving furniture in a cellar I struck my head very hard on a low beam. As I dropped to one knee, I exclaimed "Coc****ker!". Some minutes later, I took a good rap on the shin from a metal rod. My unthought yet vocalized exclamation as I kept walking: "Ow! gee whiz!"

The range between these phrases drew comment. I had no explanation since both were unconscious.

Quote:

I think it is a reflex. While it would be great to be able to shout "Great spangled frittilaries!" when shocked (or "Scheibenkleister" it takes training or non-reflexive conscious effort.

Great spangled frittilaries!

I feel a little sorry for the young adults--their uninhibited use of
formerly forbidden words must leave them at a loss when they REALLY
want to say something scathing!

I *really* hate using ellipses instead of using the actual word, but here goes:

Mr Sammler makes all kinds of observations of his strange world, but one of the funniest is when he inquires, "Who made s--- a sacrament?"

their uninhibited use of formerly forbidden words must leave them at a loss

This helps to explain why some young people, standing in court before a judge, where they sense that the use of such language is not appropriate, have such a difficult time expressing themselves at all.

and there are such wonderful insults and evocative superlatives available. Maybe if there was an insults course available to grade 7's we could give them more options.

Does anyone know if this is a strictly English phenomenon or are other languages having the same slide into the scatalogical and/or profane?

Well, there's always this old reliable, thou puny reeling-ripe ruinous-butt!

http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/shake_rule.html