Language

[DrSLudge]

Hey I'm new and have poasted a bit in the places that interest me here,
I have got good feedback and I enjoy myself.
I have not got any complaints for this but just out of my own curiosity, How does the majority of people here feel about COLLOQUIAL SWEARING
cuz I fuckin LOVE it!

 

[Ermine]

I think it makes people sound stupid. I usually don't complain every time I see it, but when I see someone swearing, I automatically think "this person must have a small vocabulary". Go ahead, and I'll probably keep my derogatory thoughts about your vocabulary to myself. Just know that you may be underestimated in the process.

 

[DrSLudge]

Usually the words I am replacing are "stuff" with shit - which to me are on par for brainlessness.
And I usually only use "fuckin" to express a greater degree of emotion than would otherwise be inferred.

I love that.
vs
I fuckin LOVE that!

example 1 can be read monotonously, example two COMMANDS you to read it with dynamic tone.

So if the only objection to colloquial swearing is that it will make me seem "unedj'micated" n shit -great.
Just don't want to get B& for language ;]

 

[Jordan~]

You can read "I fuckin' love that" in a neutral tone - it just makes you sound like an ass.

Swearing loses its effect if you do it a lot. I don't swear very much, so when I do, it draws attention. If every third word was an expletive, no one would notice. Swearing has to be used sparingly to be effective. One must vary one's language a lot in order to ensure that everything one says will have the intended effect.

 

[Da Blob]

Ummm Generally I see the use of such words in a habitual manner as a sign of lack of intelligence. Unfortunately there are those (re: 1984 - Simple Speak ++) whose practical vocabulary is restricted to one adjective, fuckin'. I can't believe that those who use this language ever listens to how really, really stupid it sounds...
Of course, I do not judge a person just because of the words his upbringing or sub-culture causes him to use. As long as it is not a habit.
Even to this day saying "Well, Fuck!" in the presence of the wrong audience can cause embarrassment. Especially, among those who see the use of such words as an indication of some kind of inadequacy in the Speaker.
(Present Company excluded, of course.)

 

[Fleur]

Normally I don't swear, I don't like it.

I get annoyed if somebody curses after every word hir says. It obstructs to perceive what this person is actually trying to tell me.

 

[didyouknow]

I only swear when I'm really, really angry and only to myself. I agree that it is rather degrading and swearing in public can offend some people. With the use of tone of voice and facial expression, you can get across the same dynamic affect. I see your point within writing, but that is where the author can include tags such as "shouted" or "exclaimed" to illustrate their point.

 

[Madoness]

I don't swear much, but still do sometimes to magnify some issues of the problems in discussions. I never swear when I'm with family or when adolessent people are in a hearing distance.
But yeah, overusing swearing degrades the meaning of it.

 

[sagewolf]

I have actually heard the sentence "I'd fuckin' love to fuckin' fuck that fuck" in this country. It gives the impression that they don't know any other word that they could use.

Generally if I'm mad I say things like 'flip'. Mainly because I do not want to emulate the above example, but also because there's no power in the word over there, and if there's no power in an expletive, then it's just another word.

 

[Devercia]

Devercia presents:

Devercia's Developmental Colloquial Swearing Flow Chart of Science. (Bill Nye trumpet blare[Do Di'do DOOOO])

Stage 1) A person is guarded from swearing and is more or less ignorant of its existence or purpose.

Stage 2) A person becomes aware of swearing in others and points out their badness.

Stage 3) A person realizes no one cares, and snickers as they swear to themselves and close friends.

Stage 4) A person realizes swearing's ability to augment the intensity of their speech.

Stage 5) A person increases the amount of swearing as reactions to their abrasive linguistic idiosyncrasies wane.

Stage 6) A person progresses to swearing at every conceivable opportunity in vain hope that the attention they won't receive for it will make up for their neglected childhood or small sexual organ.

Stage 7) Upon realizing that their speech is now bogged down by meaningless linguistic cancer, a person removes swearing from their common speech to reserve it for the occasional situation in which Stage 4 applies. The person then becomes acutely aware that everyone in stage 5 and 6 has not yet revealed Stage 7 to themselves.

------------

now to find some SJs to enforce the truth of this chart and create a hierarchy with us wordsmiths at the top.

 

[lucazin]

I don't swear when I'm around my friends or family, though I do it many times inside my mind maybe just to force me to concentrate in something that's incredible boring (as Geography).

My close friends still get really surprised when I swear and I found difficult to talk to anyone that just keep swearing everytime (maybe close-mind).

 

[Zealot]

I swear occasionally IRL, but online, I tend to avoid it unless I feel it's absolutely necessary (not often).

 

[Sugarpop]

At very rare occasions, I swear for emphasis or due to some extreme inconvenience. I think swearing, as used on those rare occasions, might be important in relieving stress and maybe even giving a sense of power.

 

[FacetiousPersona]

I think that swearing is acceptable under certain conditions. Leaders add popular phrases and slang to their speech to enhance the sentimental impact of it. The leader's goal is to capture people's interest and support, which typically requires them to appeal to the observers' feelings.

People swear when in specific cultural, social setting to adapt. The norm of the people's speech may include the usage of vulgar language. People wish to appear normal in these environments and adopt the custom of swearing to not be perceived as peculiar. One of the reason for areas having unqiue dialects is for them to have individuality. They wish to be distinguished from those around them (other cities) and known to each other through speech. Ironically, they are removing their individual uniquness to an extent with the embracement of a group's norm. An aspect of their identity is formed through the convention of a group instead of their own individual experience or feelings only (feelings that have not been influenced by the group). However, you could argue that it's natural for the environment to influence the person and should be accepted as a true part of the person's individuality. It's very difficult to not have these influences present, thus they should be regarded as a natural element of an individual.