Cussing/Cursing: What is it really??

[theBeamisHome]

Jean told me to start this thread here so I am

Me and my dad would always have this debate with my mother. I've also had it with my mom's sister and my mom's aunt. They all think I'm going to hell (not literally really) for it, but it has always been my opinion that there are no "bad words". Words cannot be bad because people give them their meaning. My aunt works in a school and is amazed at how the kids there just use profanity with each other. She, and many other of my older female family members are extremely offended by "cuss" words. I tried to explain that a word is only profane if it is used in a profane context.

For example: Many girls that I know refer to their girlfriends as "bitch". It is a term of endearment. Calling a girl a bitch that you don't like or are mad at is using the word in a completely different way so it basically isn't the same word anymore. This is the reason that many words in the dictionary have seperate entries.

An example without a "cuss" word: People say man that's hot! Which isn't to say that whatever they're talking about is holding a lot of heat, but to say that they like it.

I won't put all my cards out now, I'd like to hear (read) everyone's thoughts on the subject though.

[Matt]

I actually agree completely. Words only have meaning with intent behind them.

Obviously some words are used to specifically hurt people but its not the word, its the hateful intent behind it.

[Mark]

I believe that cussing words are fine, and that there is no reason to take offence unless offence was intended. My schoolyard chums and I swear at eachother for no apparent reason, but i don't think anything of it, because it's just a word. I'm not hurting anyone by saying one, so i shouldn't be told off when i'm heard saying one.

[theBeamisHome]

yes, my aunt was trying to delve into our minds as to why it didn't bother us and i explained it like this: I'm more offended by someone fussing and being mean at another person without using any profanity than I am by someone lightly using words that some consider bad. It's all about the intent. None of them seem to believe that though. I even proved my point. She said she'd get back to me but I'm not sure if she ever did.

[John_and_Yoko]

I kind of like Henry Drummond's whole talk about words and language in "Inherit the Wind."

I especially liked his response to the trial being on the radio:

"Radio? God, this will break down a lot of walls...."

"You're--You're not supposed to say 'God' on the radio!"

"Why the hell not?"

"You're not supposed to say 'hell' either!"

"This is going to be a barren source of amusement...."

[Unfound One]

I think it has a lot to do with in-groups and out-groups.
Among your friends (your in-group) it's usually okay for females to refer to eachother as bitches, but if I were to call someone I didn't know (the out-group) a bitch, it might not go over so well.
The same goes with "derogatory" terms dealing with sexual orientation, gender issues, and racial and ethnic slurs.
Some people find certain words offensive, others don't. Or it depends on who's saying them, and to who. Or the medium of how they're saying them.
Then you get into areas of word-reclamation and it gets even more complicated because everybody has a different opinion, which they are all entitled to.
Did that make any sense?

[theBeamisHome]

sure, but explain word-reclamation to me..

[Unfound One]

Word-reclamation - essentially it's taking a word, analyzing it for what it truely means, and then possibly seeing it in a new light.
I'll use an example I know a lot about.
The word dyke.
Many people see it as an offensive word for a lesbian. But, conversely, there is a movement out there of lesbians who have reclamed the word - they use it themselves and see it as a powerful thing.

[theBeamisHome]

ah! so there's a term for it! lol.. yes that happens in sub/cultures often i think. but i don't even just mean name calling. like if you just say 'shit!' because you stub your toe, should that be considered a curse? I mean it's just an exclamatory. omg and don't get me started on how people come up with "replacement" words. If my great aunt gets frustrated or something like that she just goes "shucks, shucks, shucks" and i'm like that is the EXACT same thing as saying "shit, shit, shit" because you mean the same thing.

[Unfound One]

Yeah, I agree with you.
Shit shit shit and shucks shucks shucks are the same thing, same intent.
I also, don't see "cussing" as anything more than an exclamatory.
Who decided that FUCK was a bad word anyways?

[theBeamisHome]

i actually looked up the origin of the word "fuck" and apparently there's nowhere that it comes directly from but it's like a descendent of another word that was in a poem. it was referring to sex i think, but there is no evidence to suggest that it was a profane word. society makes bad words... another example.. Bloody, here, means with blood basically... in England, I hear, its meaning is something akin to 'fucking'... as an adjective of course

[mia/susannah]

I agree. WOrds are just words but some of the words can and are used to hurt people

[theBeamisHome]

yes that is true. i'm also of the opinion that words can be unappropriate for certain places/times/crowds, but that doesn't apply to only cuss words either. like you probably wouldn't want to joke about sex in front of little kids. as a matter of fact me and my grandma were trying to find a cabinet for her laundry room. we pulled up to this warehouse and i walked up first and the guys there were making a joke that had something to do with penises... they saw me and shut up quickly and apologized. they were so embarrassed. i laughed, but if my grandma had been in earshot she would have turned heel and left.. which would have been awful cuz we did actually find a cabinet she wanted... and a computer desk chair.

[Darkthoughts]

another example.. Bloody, here, means with blood basically... in England, I hear, its meaning is something akin to 'fucking'... as an adjective of course

It's much, much milder than "fucking" - its quite socially acceptable as a fairly strong adjective, its used in children's books and stuff now.

There's been a bit of speculation over its origin. It was originally thought it was derived from the phrase "By Our Lady", but its also thought now it might have come from The War of the Roses, when it would have referred to the nobility (royalty is sometimes referred to as "blue blood/ed" over here).

[Wuducynn]

I know a woman who gets turned on by the word "cunt" when used in a sexual context. But is offended if she gets called one. On the other hand, for me, not only does no word offend me, I take great amusement at being called certain words that others find offensive.

[Darkthoughts]

Really, thats something I'd never noticed about you...

...

[Wuducynn]

Really, thats something I'd never noticed about you...

...

And this whole time I thought you were an observant sort of woman...

[LadyHitchhiker]

I think it's more how you say something necessarily than what you're saying a lot of the time...

[razz]

i usually use profanity more as an emphasis than for meaning
for example:
"one hell of a trip"
"a big fucking gun"

[valtr0n]

I think a curse word originates from any curse, an example being anything hastily said in anger, spite, or malice towards another person.

There's no such thing as a technical "curse word." It's the intent and feeling behind the word that give it the power.

A word is just a word.

[Wuducynn]

Perhaps one of the most interesting words in the English language today is the word 'fuck'. Out of all the English words that begin with the letter F, 'fuck' is the only word that is referred to as "the f word". It's the one magical word. Just by its sound can describe pain, pleasure, hate and love. 'Fuck', as most words in the English language, is derived from German. The word fleichen which means to strike. In English, 'fuck' falls into many grammatical categories:

• As a transitive verb for instance: "John fucked Shirley".
• As an intransitive verb: "Shirley fucks".

It's meaning's not always sexual:

• It can be used as an adjective, such as "John's doing all the fucking work".
• As part of an adverb: "Shirley talks too fucking much".
• As an adverb enhancing an adjective: "Shirley is fucking beautiful".
• As a noun: "I don't give a fuck".
• As part of a word: "Absofuckinglutely", or: "Infuckingcredible", and, as almost every word in the sentence: "Fuck the fucking fuckers".

As you must realise, there aren't too many words with the versatility of 'fuck'. As in these examples describing situations such as:

• Fraud: "I got fucked at the used car lot".
• Dismay: "Aww fuck it!"
• Trouble: "I guess I'm really fucked now".
• Aggression: "Don't fuck with me buddy!"
• Difficulty: "I don't understand this fucking question".
• Inquiry: "Who the fuck was that?"
• Dissatisfaction: "I don't like what the fuck is going on here".
• Incompetence: "He's a fuck off".
• Dismissal: "Why don't you go outside and play hide and go fuck yourself?"

I'm sure you can think of many more examples. With all of of these multi-purpose applications, how can anyone be offended when you use the word? We say, use this unique flexible word more often in your daily speech. It will identify the quality of your character immediately. Say it loudly and proudly: "FUCK YOU!"

[razz]

genius

[Unfound One]

For my part, I love the word fuck.

[Wuducynn]

It does have a viceral satisfaction to saying it.

[Darkthoughts]

Me too, I use it profusely when I'm out, to make up for not being able to say it all day infront of the kids