Why do the Irish not realise swearing is offensive?

Cienciano · 13-02-2013 02:44PM

Great line that runawaybishop quoted:

I haven't met anybody who's truly shocked at swearing, really, they're only shocked on behalf of other people.

The only thing this thread has done is confirmed that Stephen Fry is a legend

Thomas_I · 13-02-2013 02:47PM

demixed wrote: »

Tommy Tiernan has a bit that explains we say f*ck so much, he wrote it just for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RKn0YAOlvk

That´s a good one.:D

Herb Powell · 13-02-2013 02:53PM

FUCK YOURSELF.

SINCERELY, WANKBOLLOCCKSCUNNTFACE

April O Neill · 13-02-2013 03:04PM

mike65 wrote: »

Swearing is the refuge of the inarticulate

I couldn't disagree more - sometimes there is nothing that works better than a well-placed swear word. If it fits the sentence, it's articulate.

Yorky wrote: »

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

No, it doesn't.

1ZRed · 13-02-2013 03:05PM

jimjimjimmy wrote: »

Aussies swear just as much if not more than the Irish. Especially the word c*nt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-SUhJT3g1c

**** yeah, but Aussies are ****ing rides! I'd be seriously ****ing tempted ya ****ing ****wit :P

Lingua Franca · 13-02-2013 03:08PM

The Scots are fond of saltier language.

Never the English though. No sir, they're above that sort of thing.

I wonder if those links will work?

Thomas_I · 13-02-2013 03:08PM

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?

I suppose you´re still disgusted by the replies you´ve received on this your own thread. Pity for you that you´ve to encounter people with rather un-snobbish attitudes. I wouldn´t had such a thread getting started, it´s just like an invitation to swearing.

The Big Red Button · 13-02-2013 03:11PM

I don't swear in work, as I don't think it's appropriate. I work in a professional environment, and I think that the use of inappropriate language implies a lack of professionalism and lack of self-control. As far as I'm concerned, there shouldnt be any need for strong language in a day-to-day business environment. If I hear someone swearing over numbers and paperwork, it's not that I'm offended - it just doesn't give a great impression of their capabilities, doesn't give you any reassurance that they're on top of things, if they're getting upset so easily.

Outside of work - f*ck all that! :pac: I don't curse an awful lot, but I don't have a problem if others do in a social environment.

I've never understood why c*nt is seen as being so much more offensive than any other work?! As ibarelycare said, it's just a word, just an arrangement of letters. Yet it often seems to be considered the 'worst' swear word. I don't get it?!

Tim the Enchanter · 13-02-2013 03:12PM

ejmaztec wrote: »

Near the Tourettes ghetto?

I find those at the bottom of the social ladder in the UK have mouths like drains, whereas the rest of the people restrain themselves, and "ladies", for example, only swear when it slips out.

In Ireland there's no fucking restraint from anyone, whichever bit of the ladder the person happens to be on.

As in 'ah for fu*k sake will ya put it back in'?

hooradiation · 13-02-2013 03:21PM

atheists ate my baby wrote: »

I don't swear in work, as I don't think it's appropriate.

As a test i just checked our codebase for the word "cunt".
398 occurrences.

Not sure your theory is gonna pan out universally.

lahalane · 13-02-2013 03:21PM

Swearing is about as rude as people saying 'am', 'ah' or 'um'. Everybody swears. I bet the Pope has sweared a few times. So what?

LittleBook · 13-02-2013 03:23PM

krudler wrote: »

Fuck is the greatest word in the English language.

And the most versatile

Greetings

How the fúck are you?
Fraud

I got fúcked by the car dealer.
Dismay

Oh, fúck it!
Trouble

Well, I guess I'm fúcked now.
Aggression

Fúck You!
Disgust

Fúck Me!
Confusion

What the fúck

?
Difficulty

I don't understand this fúcking business.
Despair

Fúcked again.
Incompetence

He fúcks up everthing.
Displeasure

What the fúck is going on here?
Lost

Where the fúck are we?
Disbelief

Unfúckingbelievable!
Retaliation

Up your fúcking ass!

It can be used to tell time

It's five fúcking thirty in the morning!

It can be used in an anatomical description

He's a fúcking asshole!

It can be used in bussiness

How the fúck did I wind up with this job?

It can be maternal

as in "Motherfúcker"

It can be politcal-- "Fúck Obama"

And never forget General Custer's last words : "Where did all them fúcking indians come from?"

Also, the famous last words of the mayor of Hiroshima "What the fúck was that?"

And, last, but not least, the immortal words of the captain of the Titanic, who said, "Where is all this fúcking water coming from?"

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~choh/fcuk.htm

ejmaztec · 13-02-2013 03:25PM

Tim the Enchanter wrote: »

As in 'ah for fu*k sake will ya put it back in'?

I'm glad someone was awake enough to get it.:D

Ooh matron!

GarIT · 13-02-2013 03:28PM

What is swearing? What decides which words are swear words? Why is a swear word any different to other words?

MaxSteele · 13-02-2013 03:35PM

OP you sound like you belong in the temperance league of women in 1920. Get the fcuk over yourself.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 13-02-2013 03:43PM

Well now I'm hardly the shrinking violet, and I'm sometimes a grumpy fecker but I'm in agreement with the OP.

I'm not offended by bad language but I try to keep it to a minimum myself and I do sometimes wonder why Irish people curse so much.

I posted in another thread re. South Africans and working security with them.

When they started coming here (in large numbers) around 2001 there was always trouble because someone would tell them to "fu*k off* (over something trivial), I had to explain (and took pains to do so) that everyone here uses bad language and that there is a hundred ways we tell people to ''fu*k off".

Bad language is simply avoided and used only when necessary in most other cultures.

lahalane · 13-02-2013 03:49PM

But how do people who dont like swearing only using bad language when they feel it is necessary? What constitutes necessary?

hooradiation · 13-02-2013 03:51PM

lahalane wrote: »

But how do people who dont like swearing only using bad language when they feel it is necessary? What constitutes necessary?

It's totally arbitrary, which is why people saying that it only should be used when necessary or kept to a minimum are so full of shit.

The Big Red Button · 13-02-2013 03:57PM

hooradiation wrote: »

As a test i just checked our codebase for the word "cunt".
398 occurrences.

Not sure your theory is gonna pan out universally.

Is that a lot or a little?

How big is your company?

dark crystal · 13-02-2013 03:59PM

Mocha Joe wrote: »

Because it isn't.

If swearing is considered so inoffensive, then why are so many words on this thread replaced by stars??!

*Not offended by them myself, especially when driving. I curse like a sailor when I'm driving.....

Solair · 13-02-2013 04:00PM

It happens in lots of countries and lots of languages!

Ireland's FAR from unusual in that regard.

If you think Irish / British English speakers are bad, try Spanish! It's like ¡Hola!**** **** ***** beep ***** **** ***** BEEEP @£;$$£ !!

Same in French most of time!

The big issue is when you're interacting with post-puritanical North Americans who are offended by 'potty mouths'.

Incidentally, there's plenty of swearing in the big cities in the US, especially the Northeast.

the_syco · 13-02-2013 04:02PM

Yorky wrote: »

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

If you came on AH looking for a polite discussion on swearing, I'm left to assume that you're missing some of your marbles.

Yorky wrote: »

It simply displays a distinct lack of vocabulary.

What do you say if you stub your big toe into the table leg in your kitchen whilst walking barefoot?

Yorky wrote: »

Never in front of women

One could therefore claim that he was a chauvinistic bastard who thought that women would be mentally scarred by bad words?

Yorky wrote: »

My last reply to the omnipresent Boards pond life

I somehow doubt this very much, as can't seem to fully fcuk off :pac:

=-=

Also, the foreigners don't use english swear words, as they have their own swear words; http://www.youswear.com

lahalane · 13-02-2013 04:07PM

Personally I hate seeing f**k in newspapers. Its like theyre getting away with cursing? If they realise that the word is 'bad' then why type it in the first place?

2ndcoming · 13-02-2013 04:15PM

Knox Prehistoric Wheelbarrow wrote: »

Bad language is simply avoided and used only when necessary in most other cultures.

Frankly, and fittingly, that is bollocks.

I don't know if you've met any of our Polish friends but I can tell you that the word you will hear them say the most, kurwa, is not a "nice" word. English, Aussies, Scots, even the French are fond of a bit of merde and salope, and worse. Scheise! Fanculo!

The only people I've ever met who actively refrain from colourful embellishments in their language are upper middle-class white Americans. They're generally shockingly boring though, so that's no great surprise.

tin79 · 13-02-2013 04:27PM

Yorky wrote: »

My last reply to the omnipresent Boards pond life

You will be back.

C U next tuesday.

rubadub · 13-02-2013 04:27PM

Yorky wrote: »

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

I would guess they do know, and they do not find slang words for genitals or sexual acts offensive, which I am guessing are the slang words that you find offensive -since these are the most common words banned in films & media. Do you find any other slang terms offensive, like scoops for alcoholic drinks or anything?

It can be down to phonetics too, most people have no problem with urination, but might be offended by the slang term piss, but not wee. cunt/fanny, willy/dick. Some just phonetically sound more harsh.

ibarelycare wrote: »

Take two people in a situation where they're suddenly surprised by something. Person A might say "Fuck". Person B might say "Golly!" Why, if these two words are expressing the same emotion, is one word deemed more offensive than the other.

+1, also golly is knowingly used by some people in place of God, like Jeez is used by some in place of Jesus, or people casually saying OMG. So it would make sense that many religious people would/should be FAR more offended by this breaking of one of the 10 commandments, than somebody using slang terms for body parts or sexual activity.

hooradiation · 13-02-2013 04:40PM

atheists ate my baby wrote: »

Is that a lot or a little?

How big is your company?

70 people, and that's number gets bigger when you add other choice words.

Gbear · 13-02-2013 04:52PM

To be clear, it's entirely reasonable to be offended by anything under the sun.

Personally I don't like girls saying c*nt. It's a weird little neurosis I have.

What isn't ok is thinking that offense - which is the result of your own ****ed up brain generating this nonsensical feeling - grants you some sort of rights over how other people talk or act.

MaxSteele · 13-02-2013 05:01PM

If you want a great laugh, use the word cunt like you would use the word "the" in front of Americans.

The look of horror on their faces is side splittingly hilarious.

--Kaiser-- · 13-02-2013 05:03PM

Yorky wrote: »

My last reply to the omnipresent Boards pond life

I think I speak for the majority when I say:

Good
Fucking
Riddance

Why do the Irish not realise swearing is offensive?

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