Why do the Irish not realise swearing is offensive?

rubadub

Clareboy wrote: »

Dublin is now considered to be the gutter language capital of the world

Was there an award ceremony or something? have you anything to back it up, exactly who considers it? or is it only yourself.

Clareboy wrote: »

Irish Thick Mick or Biddy

I could understand why people would consider you offensive, using phrases like that. I just don't get why people are offended by slang terms for genitals or intercourse. Can you give examples of what you consider "foul language" and logically tell me why?

RossyG

And why does this website have a ****ing **** of a swear filter?

BlaasForRafa

Fup off ya baxtard

RossyG

Melon farmer!

Millicent

Deleted User wrote: »

Unfortunately, the OP is correct. When you live abroad for a little while you realise how awful it is here.

Its not just the bad language but the fact that using f***ing all the time means that other, more descriptive, words don't form part of the vocabulary any more.


But it's not so much offensive as just ignorant.

Someone should have told James Joyce that swearing limits language choice...

who the fug

RossyG wrote: »

And why does this website have a ****ing **** of a swear filter?

to expand our facking ducking ability, so Dublin stays number one

ViveLaVie

Millicent wrote: »

Someone should have told JamesJoyce that swearing limits language choice...

Yeah, to those who claim that swearing is the refuge of the illiterate and indicates a limited vocabulary.. I suppose you find Shakespeare too profane to be clever? He used a lot of 'filthy language' in his day.

Storm 10

Yorky wrote: »

With the exception of this one. It simply displays a distinct lack of vocabulary.

And pray tell what fine piece Nationhood are you from?

Doc Ruby

Yorky wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Irish swear- just in routine conversation & the more relaxed they seem to be the more profane they get. Men & women alike - young or old - men in front of women, women to women, women to men, even adults in front of children.

It's especially cringeworthy when listening to a non-Irish national whom, after being here a while, would make a native blush. I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Is it simply high-level ignorance - Do they actually understand what the words mean?

The sooner you realise that Irish people are basically pirates, the happier you'll be here.

In fairness though this falls under the oul "ignorant generalisations" category. My father, god rest him, never swore, not even after he tore his leg open from knee to knob with a circular saw by accident.

Lenmeister

Yorky wrote: »

Might've known the sort of replies that Boards would attract...

If you knew the reactions you would get then why bother posting? Surely the amount of bad vibes flowing your direction right now should tell you something no? In a day and a half there's 13 pages of responses, mostly about their dislike of your comments.

Yorky wrote: »

Is it simply high-level ignorance

The way you come across just reaks of high level ignorance. Which is surprising since judging from your posts you've been here for a while. If you haven't then I'll take this back but for someone who's been here for a while, why stay if it botheres you so much? I'm sure it exists in all levels of society to some part. I would have thought living here, you would see how relaxed and down to earth Irish people are, and that would rub off on you, but your posts don't come across that way.

Yorky wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Irish swear- just in routine conversation & the more relaxed they seem to be the more profane they get.

Surely from your own sentence here, you'd see that it's just a natural thing the Irish do that isn't meant to offend anyone. Why do you see it as offensive?

Yorky wrote: »

I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Excuse me? That's one of the most rediculous things I've ever heard. You make it sounds like every other english speaking country is filled with only people who use Oxford english dictionary vocabulary. I lived abroad and the people I lived with did not find it in any way offensive. I'm sure plenty of boards people will echo this.

But you're probably right. I guess those reasons you mentioned are what keeps bringing people here to experience the warm easy going friendliness of the Irish people and "the craic". Idiot.

Millicent

Millicent wrote: »

Someone should have told JamesJoyce that swearing limits language choice...

Thats just plain silly.

Anybody read the new Roddy Doyle at Christmas?

Its about 50 pages long and literally 10% of the words are 'feckin'.

Millicent

Deleted User wrote: »

Thats just plain silly.

Anybody read the new Roddy Doyle at Christmas?

Its about 50 pages long a literally 10% of the words are 'feckin'.

What's silly?

elefant

Deleted User wrote: »

Anybody read the new Roddy Doyle at Christmas?

I did yeah, ya big gobshíte.

Shenshen

As a non-native speaker, I can assure you they don't swear more than others.
It's just that for some very odd and unfathomable reason, a lot of the English-speaking world seems to be obsessed about being offended by words. To the point of ****ing or beeping them out where possible.

Germans and French swear just as much, they're just not offended by it. And they'd have no qualms at all teaching their kids new interesting turns of phrase.

sydthebeat

Offence is something that is taken not given.

Personally I find the indifference that irish people treat swear words with is endearing.

kylith

Doc Ruby wrote: »

The sooner you realise that Irish people are basically pirates, the happier you'll be here.

In fairness though this falls under the oul "ignorant generalisations" category. My father, god rest him, never swore, not even after he tore his leg open from knee to knob with a circular saw by accident.

He should have. Swearing like a docker has been proven to increase tolerance to pain.

lilium inter Spinas

I might just be perverse, but as a non-native speaker... I find Irish swearing makes me giggle. I dunno, I kinda like it really. You could probably insult my mother and I'd at the very least smirk (sorry mom).

But don't get me started on Spanish swearing... cause that sh*t just sounds wrong no matter how you say it. >_>;

Lollipops23

I don't mind swearing most situations (besides those people who say fúck literally every second word in a sentence- it just makes them sound feeble minded).

It can add humour to a story or emphasise a point really well.

And I don't know many people who openly swear in inappropriate situations, such as a professional setting or around kids. Dunno what kind of people OP is hanging out with.

Grand Moff Tarkin

Yorky wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Irish swear- just in routine conversation & the more relaxed they seem to be the more profane they get. Men & women alike - young or old - men in front of women, women to women, women to men, even adults in front of children.

It's especially cringeworthy when listening to a non-Irish national whom, after being here a while, would make a native blush. I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Is it simply high-level ignorance - Do they actually understand what the words mean?

Don't go near Australia if you are offended with such ease.

Eve_Dublin

Grand Moff Tarkin wrote: »

Don't go near Australia if you are offended with such ease.

Or Spain. C*nt is a bit like our use of "man" in Dublin. My personal favourite is, "I **** on the Holy Communion" or "I **** on god". First time I heard that I was :eek:

RainMaker

I guess you have never seen:

Goodfellas
Casino
End of Watch
Summer of Sam
Pulp Fiction
The Big Lebowski

All those movies have over 250 uses of the "F" word.

Add in "The Sopranos" for example and that's a lot of good movies and TV you are missing on just because you take offence so easily...

wolfpawnat

All I did was read the thread title and thought "Is this person for fúcking real?"

RossyG

Doc Ruby wrote: »

The sooner you realise that Irish people are basically pirates, the happier you'll be here.

All rise, please, for the national anthem.

Dejvice

listermint wrote: »

Its not offensive.

You sir offend me with your off the cuff comments and general sneary attitude

Why is it not offensive?

I don't like excessive swearing, but that's personal preference really

MurdyWurdy

Dejvice wrote: »

Why is it not offensive?

Did you bother to read the rest of the thread that came after that post before commenting? There's a huge number of posts about why people don't think it's offensive

strobe

Doc Ruby wrote: »

The sooner you realise that Irish people are basically pirates, the happier you'll be here.

wolfpawnat

Dejvice wrote: »

Why is it not offensive?

Because this is Ireland, we don't find every second word people say offensive. It's just part of who we are. I am friends with people from different European countries and they swear just as much as us.

Dejvice

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Because this is Ireland, we don't find every second word people say offensive. It's just part of who we are. I am friends with people from different European countries and they swear just as much as us.

Funny.....I was expecting such a reply.

'Because this is Ireland'...I look forward to reading a billboard in Dublin Airport........ 'Because this is Ireland.......... it is ok to swear. Failte.'

'We don't find every second.......' I can only assume you are now speaking on behalf of all the population?

'I am friends with with people from different countries and they swear'........so that makes it ok to swear?

If that is your opinion why it is not offensive to swear then good luck to you.

Regards

wolfpawnat

Dejvice wrote: »

Funny.....I was expecting such a reply.

'Because this is Ireland'...I look forward to reading a billboard in Dublin Airport........ 'Because this is Ireland.......... it is ok to swear. Failte.'

'We don't find every second.......' I can only assume you are now speaking on behalf of all the population?

'I am friends with with people from different countries and they swear'........so that makes it ok to swear?

If that is your opinion why it is not offensive to swear then good luck to you.

Regards

But you have stated you don't live here so you are not used to it like we are.

I grew up with it, I went to school with it, I hear it everyday around me, is it right, I dunno. To others probably not, but to the vast majority of Ireland, it is. And if you think that is me talking for the vast majority, then read through this thread you will find it is pages of people who for the greater part seem to agree.

The reference to foreign friends is to signify it is not solely an Irish thing, it is International, so those who think it is only us, it's not.