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What would be the most offensive word in the English language now?

245

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,844 ✭✭✭py2006


    I'm surprised it's not 'male' or 'man' these days...


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,084 ✭✭✭statesaver


    Male


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,364 ✭✭✭✭Kylo Ren


    If you want to know which of two words is more offensive, and you won't even type one of them - that's the one.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,736 ✭✭✭Irish Guitarist


    I wish people would just say the fucking word instead of this 'n word' bollocks. There's a difference in shouting abuse at someone and saying a word.

    Philip Schofield had a go at Katie Price on This Morning a couple of years ago when she said someone had called her son a nigger. Then a load of fucking morons on Twitter started talking shite about her 'white privilege'. They were more incensed about her saying the word nigger than the fact that someone had called her son a nigger.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭Simple_Simone



    Edit: the boards filter blocks the N-word in singular but not in plural, they might want to look at that....

    Interesting edit - am I correct to assume that you'd prefer that both were unblocked? :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,067 ✭✭✭368100


    Miriam O'Callaghan


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭BBFAN


    I agree with a previous poster "retard" is the most offensive word I can think of.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,291 ✭✭✭lbc2019


    Gammon apparently...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,951 ✭✭✭✭Mam of 4


    BBFAN wrote: »
    I agree with a previous poster "retard" is the most offensive word I can think of.

    Retard and Spastic , I hate anyone using either of those words to describe someone , makes my blood boil tbh .


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,591 ✭✭✭SafeSurfer


    I always thought referring to people as coons was more offensive than calling them ****.

    Multo autem ad rem magis pertinet quallis tibi vide aris quam allis



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭BBFAN


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Retard and Spastic , I hate anyone using either of those words to describe someone , makes my blood boil tbh .

    Jesus yeah, spastic is even worse. :mad::mad:


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,231 ✭✭✭Hercule Poirot


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    I always thought referring to people as coons was more offensive than calling them ****.

    Whenever I hear the word coon I automatically think of the scene outside the school in Forrest Gump


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭BBFAN


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Retard and Spastic , I hate anyone using either of those words to describe someone , makes my blood boil tbh .

    What's gas is those that use these words are usually of limited intelligence themselves and don't even see the irony.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,930 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    BBFAN wrote: »
    What's gas is those that use these words are usually of limited intelligence themselves and don't even see the irony.

    But that means they have the word pass!
    Much like rappers and gangstas of the African American persuasion having the Nigga pass...


    People of limited intelligence on the cusp of sentience have the retard pass...

    I thought that's how this "trigger word" system worked?

    Dammit this is getting complicated :pac:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭demanufactured


    **** pot


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Fûcktard


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭BBFAN


    Btw I don't accept ****** or Coon as words in the English language, that's why I just ignore them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭BBFAN


    Fûcktard

    Or Libtard, they're all versions of the word retard which are just disgusting.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,420 ✭✭✭✭sligojoek


    Poor old Larry alway's puts his foot in it.

    NSFW due to the F word and the N word



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭orourkeda1977


    gimptranny


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭orourkeda1977


    BBFAN wrote: »
    Or Libtard, they're all versions of the word retard which are just disgusting.

    mongtard


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,887 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    Liberal


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,274 ✭✭✭✭Purple Mountain


    Cina wrote: »
    Context?

    There are very few contexts where it's not an offensive word.

    Ahh you can't be giving out to the 4 year olds for singing 'catch a nígger by the toe'.

    To thine own self be true



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,900 ✭✭✭✭gormdubhgorm


    NIMAN wrote: »
    From the last few years, I'd say it has to be the 'N' word.
    (Afraid to type it in case it isn't censored properly on Boards and the Gardai come to arrest me).

    I find this amusing considering it is an appropriated Americanism, ironically from a problem they created and perpetuated themselves!
    Through the American media's proliferation worldwide and particularly in Western Europe they decide for what is and what is not offensive.
    I can also assume from the post that you are white because in general parlance among the black community it is used all the time!

    Is it just an American white man's guilt issue which has now become everyone else?



    For me as an Irish person and Dublin supporter the most offensive word is M*ath.
    :D

    Is the N word NIMAN by the way?

    Guff about stuff, and stuff about guff.



  • Registered Users Posts: 386 ✭✭Zirconia
    Boycott Israeli Goods & Services


    BBFAN wrote: »
    I agree with a previous poster "retard" is the most offensive word I can think of.

    Well if you're that sensitive, it's a good job you didn't become an airline pilot, the plane's computer isn't slow to insult you if you don't nail the landing just right :D




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,900 ✭✭✭✭gormdubhgorm


    Agatha Christie wrote a novel in which a poem called "Ten Little ****" featured prominently. The title upon release in the UK was also "Ten Little ****". It was even set in a place called ****** Island. In the US it was released under the title "And Then There Were None" (which is what it is released as internationally today) and references to the word ****** were removed and replaced. The poem was called "Ten Little Indians" or "Ten Little Soldiers" depending on the year of publication.

    Now what I've written to there uses the word ****** multiple times. Is it racist? No, no it's not. I think it's perfectly to OK to use the word ****** when describing historical facts. Because were the words that were used, no more, no less

    And no one ever quotes Muhammed Ali as saying "No Vietnamese man ever killed an N-word"

    Edit: the boards filter blocks the N-word in singular but not in plural, they might want to look at that....


    The "Huckleberry Finn" had an original character called 'N1gger Joe.'
    But those who are offended by it has now been changed to 'Slave Joe'.



    Personally I think that is worse.
    Ironically it is a whitewash.

    Are the Brits still allowed to call us Paddy's?

    Guff about stuff, and stuff about guff.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,274 ✭✭✭✭Purple Mountain


    trump

    To thine own self be true



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭orourkeda1977


    trump

    Hillary


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,900 ✭✭✭✭gormdubhgorm


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Retard and Spastic , I hate anyone using either of those words to describe someone , makes my blood boil tbh .

    I disagree a lot of people do not even understand the meaning of the word spastic.
    People use the word spa to mean fool, stupid person etc.
    I remember a girl who is very PC referred to a fella with Cerebral Palsy 'your a spa' (her meaning - thick/eejit) not realising it's true meaning. But he just replied 'I know'.
    I am not sure she understood the joke! :D

    As regards the retard one. I was on the bus before and a fella with Downs Syndrome was chatting to another fella with Downs Syndrome.
    One fella got off the bus. The other fella says out loud to himself '****ing retard!'

    It is all about context and use of words.
    What is dangerous is others deciding what other groups should find offensive! Then getting offended on thier behalf.

    Words change meaning all the time. There used to be legislation years ago called 'Idiots Act 1886'
    It refers to idiots,imbeciles and lunatics. Now these words are in common usage. No one gives them a second thought.
    Even the like of Kevin Kilbane who has a Downs Sydrome child gets very offended when he hears the word mong. Yet he uses the words moron, idiot, lunatic regularly.

    Guff about stuff, and stuff about guff.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭Paddy Cow


    Cina wrote: »
    Depends whether you are.

    Call someone a c**t in America and you'll get a lot of disgusted looks. Call someone a c**t in Cork and you'll be best mates for life.

    Australians are super comfy with the use of c*nt. It's even their National Anthem!

    WARNING Do not play at work with the sound on ;)



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,420 ✭✭✭✭sligojoek


    Again NSFW



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 108 ✭✭t1h9mgqsxopj0r


    Nothing because everyone gets offended over something nowadays


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,583 ✭✭✭✭M.T. Cranium


    Russia.

    Say that word and you'll offend either because (a) people are sick of hearing about it or (b) they believe tales of Putin's hidden hand behind every politically incorrect utterance.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,231 ✭✭✭Hercule Poirot


    Russia.

    Say that word and you'll offend either because (a) people are sick of hearing about it or (b) they believe tales of Putin's hidden hand behind every politically incorrect utterance.

    Nice try...... Vladimir!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    I think you have to imagine you're at a dinner party.

    Which words would cause people to want to disassociate from you?

    Certainly words like k*ke or n*gger.

    I'm pretty much sure every swear word is mostly acceptable, assuming the context isn't horrible. Like if you use c*nt to describe vaginas, most people are going to think you're a horrendous person.

    I think political opinions are up there with the racist words. Like if you used MAGA in a sentence, I think a lot of people would think you're a ****.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,434 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Retard and Spastic , I hate anyone using either of those words to describe someone , makes my blood boil tbh .

    Neither of which get blocked by boards.ie, sending a clear message that it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual or physical disabilities, but not other minority groups.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    Neither of which get blocked by boards.ie, sending a clear message that it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual or physical disabilities, but not other minority groups.

    I don't think they're trying to send a message that "it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual or physical disabilities".

    I think they have a naughty words list, and they just did a half assed job.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,485 ✭✭✭harr


    I have a son with special needs and the words retard and spastic obviously would be the words I find most offensive.
    A few months back I happened to be in the company of a friend of a friend who happened to be a black man he was using the retard word quiet frequent, obviously he didn’t know about our sons situation. He wasn’t only using it to call someone a retard he was in fact using to describe kids with special needs and how they freak him out.
    So you can imagine the commotion when I turned around started to describe black people as nig..gers he still couldn’t see that he was in the wrong and he was coming out with all sort of **** why his use of the word retard wasn’t the same as me using the N word.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    harr wrote: »
    I have a son with special needs and the words retard and spastic obviously would be the words I find most offensive.
    A few months back I happened to be in the company of a friend of a friend who happened to be a black man he was using the retard word quiet frequent, obviously he didn’t know about our sons situation. He wasn’t only using it to call someone a retard he was in fact using to describe kids with special needs and how they freak him out.
    So you can imagine the commotion when I turned around started to describe black people as nig..gers he still couldn’t see that he was in the wrong and he was coming out with all sort of **** why his use of the word retard wasn’t the same as me using the N word.

    Retard isn't the same as n*gger.

    No one went around lynching retards.

    Retard is an actual dictionary word, whereas n*gger is an insult with a very clear meaning.

    I agree though that people from refrain from calling people retards.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,485 ✭✭✭harr


    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    Retard isn't the same as n*gger.

    No one went around lynching retards.

    Retard is an actual dictionary word, whereas n*gger is an insult with a very clear meaning.

    I agree though that people from refrain from calling people retards.

    Retard is very much the same as n*gger if you are using it in context as an insult.
    Just because it’s a word in the dictionary doesn’t make it ok to use as an insult.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,311 ✭✭✭✭weldoninhio


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Retard and Spastic , I hate anyone using either of those words to describe someone , makes my blood boil tbh .

    Never go full retard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    harr wrote: »
    Retard is very much the same as n*gger if you are using it in context as an insult.
    Just because it’s a word in the dictionary doesn’t make it ok to use as an insult.

    As I stated, it's not the same because n*gger is defined as an insult. It was used when white people used to lynch black people.

    Retard was literally the word for people with physical/mental disabilities until recently.

    You're too close to this issue (son with special needs) to have a neutral opinion.

    I'm not saying retard isn't an insult. It's just not as insulting as n*gger.

    In fact, our society tells us this. People use retard all the time, but almost no one uses n*gger.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,705 ✭✭✭BrookieD


    jimgoose wrote: »
    Minge, furburger, beef curtains, pork portcullis and kebab, in no particular order. Note that these may or may not be moist.

    Just took a sup of coffee and you made me spit it out laughing at this... salute to you :D

    yes i am that childish!:P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,698 ✭✭✭Feisar


    I find the abbreviated word "hubby" to be really annoying. I'd look down of the user far more than if the same person said c*** or n*****.

    First they came for the socialists...



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Words change meaning all the time. There used to be legislation years ago called 'Idiots Act 1886'
    It refers to idiots,imbeciles and lunatics. Now these words are in common usage. No one gives them a second thought.
    This. Varies a lot by culture too. So Americans will be far more OK with saying "retard" rather than "cnut", whereas Aussies will use the latter word and it's about the same level as "fcuk".

    While "retard" "spa" etc were always not exactly suburban cocktail party speak, they've gained a lot more disapproving looks over the last say decade, yet "idiot, "imbecile" and "lunatic" - words which were also medical terms just like "retard" and "spastic" - barely rise an eyebrow. Ironically and the joke is "retard" was originally suggested as a less offensive word for those with mental impairment as a replacement for "idiot" and "imbecile" which had become offensive. Roll on a few decades and the offence pendulum has swung again. Maybe one reason is that "retard" started to be associated with autism and Aspergers and as that condition gained much more mainstream traction "retard" became more offensive?

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,175 ✭✭✭tritriagain


    "offensive"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,194 ✭✭✭foxy farmer


    Cina wrote: »
    Call someone a c**t in Cork and you'll be best mates for life.

    Wanna bet?


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,844 ✭✭✭✭somesoldiers


    Wibbs wrote: »
    This. Varies a lot by culture too. So Americans will be far more OK with saying "retard" rather than "cnut", whereas Aussies will use the latter word and it's about the same level as "fcuk".

    While "retard" "spa" etc were always not exactly suburban cocktail party speak, they've gained a lot more disapproving looks over the last say decade, yet "idiot, "imbecile" and "lunatic" - words which were also medical terms just like "retard" and "spastic" - barely rise an eyebrow. Ironically and the joke is "retard" was originally suggested as a less offensive word for those with mental impairment as a replacement for "idiot" and "imbecile" which had become offensive. Roll on a few decades and the offence pendulum has swung again. Maybe one reason is that "retard" started to be associated with autism and Aspergers and as that condition gained much more mainstream traction "retard" became more offensive?


    The Black Eyed Peas song "Lets get it started" was originally "lets get Retarded"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,434 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    harr wrote: »
    I have a son with special needs and the words retard and spastic obviously would be the words I find most offensive.
    A few months back I happened to be in the company of a friend of a friend who happened to be a black man he was using the retard word quiet frequent, obviously he didn’t know about our sons situation. He wasn’t only using it to call someone a retard he was in fact using to describe kids with special needs and how they freak him out.
    So you can imagine the commotion when I turned around started to describe black people as nig..gers he still couldn’t see that he was in the wrong and he was coming out with all sort of **** why his use of the word retard wasn’t the same as me using the N word.

    Retard isn't the same as n*gger.

    No one went around lynching retards.
    You might want to do some research on hate crimes and indeed mate crimes that are still happening against people with disabilities today.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,434 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    OMM 0000 wrote: »
    Neither of which get blocked by boards.ie, sending a clear message that it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual or physical disabilities, but not other minority groups.

    I don't think they're trying to send a message that "it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual or physical disabilities".

    I think they have a naughty words list, and they just did a half assed job.
    Not true - the issue has been raised several times over the years and they have refused to add 'retard' to the list of blocked.

    Boards.ie policy is literally as I described above - that it's OK to take a swipe at people with intellectual disabilities, but not other minority groups.


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