Bad Language

[poliphilo]

According to a recent survey British people swore less in 2014 than they did in 1994.

Yes, that accords with my experience.

The fun of swearing is that it's transgressive. As it becomes normalised- as happened in the 90s- the fun factor diminishes. Where's the dividend in saying "fuck" if no-one is shocked?

There's a fashion is swear words. "Bloody" is well out of favour. From my own observation I'd say the same is true of "damn"- which was considered pretty strong when I was a kid but can now be printed without asterisks in even the mildest of family publications.

Incidentally the convention that you can disguise a swearword by inserting asterisks has always struck me as daft. Is there a person on the planet who is doesn't know what is meant by "f*ck", "sh*t" and "b*gg*r"?|

Comments

P** P* B**** B** D*******

[qatsi]

Yeah, it's weird the way some words get "reclaimed" or repurposed by an oppressed group. When I was younger, even the B in "LGB" was a bit out-there; now it can be LGBT, LGBTQ, LGBTQIA, or the future-proofed LGBTQ+ - quite why "queer" became empowering, other than an in-your-face way, I am not sure. Recently I recall there was some controversy over "faggot" too which I infer belongs to a similar category as the N-word. I recall a former colleague claiming to have had some very odd looks at US immigration, say 15-20 years ago, coming off an 8-hour flight and saying "I'm desperate for a fag".

Only the C-word is left for special occasions, but maybe I am just being polite.

Re: P** P* B**** B** D*******

[cmcmck]

And of course in the UK a faggot is also a sort of meatball made from all the less posh bits! :o)

It's been going on for years. I'm a Quaker by faith and that started out as an insult in the 17th century which got owned.

Re: P** P* B**** B** D*******

[poliphilo]

It's never straightforward. "Stupid cunt" is insulting, but "daft cunt" is affectionate. I believe Muriel Belcher of the Colony Room used to address all her favourite customers- Bacon, Hurt, Freud etc- as "Cunty".

"Bugger" has already completed that journey- and is hardly rude any more. No-one takes offence at being called a "silly old bugger".

I caught the Mail putting asterisks in "pussy" this morning- a word which in certain contexts is completely inoffensive.