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Last night I've had an interesting discussion that makes me want to ask this question: Why do you, or don't you, use it? I'm not referring to the things that come out of your mouth when you drop the X-acto on your foot for the 10th time....rather to the habitual spicing of ones speech with "the f* this" and "the f* that", and other gems of the english language. What's up with this? Does it make you feel cool? Give you a surge of power? I don't know, clue me in. What would be different if you'd drop it all together? And if you can't, does that make it an official addiction? Would something be missing? Would you feel weaker? Dumb?
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Hi Lotti I am very guilty of having a trucker-mouth. And thanks to me, so do my kids. I try not to swear. I know it cheapens my image and is downright rude, it is just a nasty habit. I don't swear around my mom or customers, but other than that, I say the F word for punctuation sprinkled into almost every sentence. When I was a kid, I thought it was cool to swear. However, I don't think it's cool to hear my 7-year old call his sister an a**-pirate. He didn't learn that from me! I don't really even know what it means. Sometimes I swear on purpose for shock value. But that can rear up and sting me. I know one of these days a minister will call for a sign and I'll say "Holy S**t!" Love- JILL (trying to tone it down a bit)
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Most of us probably let one slip or at least think of a cuss word when we're mad. Right?
Very few of my customers use words like that but two of them come to mind. One in particular seems to make it a point to use the most vile language he can think of during normal, matter of fact, unheated conversation. It's probably a habit but, none of these two guys talk like this around my wife. What's the deal?
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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I find that people tend to believe "If you touch that, I'm gonna rip yer ****in' hand off" more than "If you touch that, I'm gonna rip yer hand off."
So I would say that it lends more credence to my verbal communication.
-------------------- this space for rent Posts: 130 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Apr 1999
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Personally, I very rarely have a foul mouth. It's just been so negative around here lately and it's always the same people churning the waters. When you are constantly surrounded by negative people you turn negative yourself. I let my guard down and fell down to the same childish level I see them on. I know most are just trying to get a rise out of people and I'm letting them win by acting like an idiot myself!
The thing that is really weird is many of these people I have met in person and they are totally different than they portray themselves to be.
I come here to learn about other peoples projects and them in general. I have for years and for the most part I've kept my mouth (fingers) to myself. I wish I had a dollar for everytime I wrote a big long paragraph and then decided it was too immature to post it!! Does that make it right, no.
I have apologized over and over to people through the board, email and by phone for my post on the other thread. Yes, I agree we are all entitled to an opionion. I screwed up. I'm human!
Lotti, no it's not right to have foul language on the board and once again, I am publicly apologizing to anyone I offended along the way. I will from now on keep opinions good or bad to myself.
The one thing no one is seeing is that there is a lot more more negative going on than just one post. Just look around! Some people just don't know when to quit and I reached the boiling point.
-------------------- Amy Brown Life Skills 101 Private Address Posts: 3502 | From: Lake Helen, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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I try to be careful what I say, but in the car stupid drivers get the better of me. I should be better, though, as my daughter is at the "parrot" stage...She just started saying "UH-oh".
In that vein I read that if the Gestapo thought a person was a spy they would walk by them and kick them or spill coffee on them, as a person tends to swear in their mother tongue...saying "DOH!" in the middle of Berlin would have been a bit of a giveaway.
-------------------- Steve Burke Cascades Inc NS Canada
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you Posts: 359 | From: NS Canada | Registered: Jan 2002
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I wish I could remember the exact figures I heard recently, but basically.... people with a larger vocabulary and communication skills earn far more than those without these assets. And I'm certain they weren't talking about a wide range of 4 letter words.
Here's some other interesting tidbits I found:
Research studies have shown over and over that a strong vocabulary is the most noticeable performance characteristic shared by successful professionals. Earl Nightingale wrote of a 20-year study of college graduates. He said, "Without a single exception, those who had scored highest on the vocabulary test given in college, were in the top income group, while those who had scored the lowest were in the bottom income group."
A study by scientist Johnson O’Connor helped quantify a direct correlation between vocabulary and rank on corporate ladder. In the study a vocabulary test was given to executive and supervisory personnel in 39 large manufacturing companies. The test results where conclusive. "Presidents and vice presidents average 236 out of a possible 272 points; managers averaged 168; superintendents, 140; foremen, 114; floor bosses, 86. In virtually every case, vocabulary correlated with executive level and income."
Stop and think about what this provocative research reveals. Everyday that you’re without the right vocabulary words, you’re letting opportunity, potentially more income, respect, and status slip through your hands.
It doesn’t matter if you spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a new wardrobe, hairdo, or appearance enhancers … because if you don’t have an impeccable vocabulary to match, your first impression is blown.
Words matter. Every time you speak, people formulate opinions of you and judge you by what you say. Say the wrong things, and people will form bad judgments and opinions of you. Say the right things, and people will respect you, admire you, and windows of opportunity will swing open up for you.
_______________________________________________
I'm guilty of occassionally slipping ...but rarely in front of family, friends, and never in front of my kids. When it does occur, I instantly recognize my lack of control and regret it.....
Genererally speaking, I form a very low opinion of those that can't carry on a conversation without spewing forth a barrage of profanity.
Some famous philosopher said: "The unexamined life isn't worth living". But don't go out and kill yourself over it.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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i just do...can't explain it. i know i don't do it to impress anyone because i swear out loud when i'm alone...obviously i have issues...lol! i do have a kind heart to go with my big bad potty mouth...i must be an enigma
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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I've heard this stuff all my life, and in my younger days was as guilty of using it as anyone else. Got hauled up short by a supervisor at work once upon a once and being fired was threatened. Nothing like that to give one religion.
The "F" word and all the others have been so over-used that they have no shock value anymore. They were never cute or charming or anything else positive. Movie and TV scriptwriters these days wouldn't be able to write at all if they didn't have the 4 letter stuff to fall back on. Too many people in ordinary conversation would be in the same leaky boat.
This verbal diarrhea coming out of the male mouth is bad enough, coming out of the female mouth is IMLTHO worse. If it were possible for this kind of language to leave something visible, then some people would have a brown stain from their nose to their toes, and twice around.
Charming and cute? About like a nail driven into one's ear.
-------------------- Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
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See, interesting stuff! Amy, it's not geared at you or anybody in particular on this board. Can we blame the entertainment industry for giving us worse than life examples? ( gotta blame somebody )
quote:If it were possible for this kind of language to leave something visible, then some people would have a brown stain from their nose to their toes
LOL and you thought getting fired was incentive... I think your quote just about gave me religion...
& jimmeny cripes... I'm from the gosh darn midwest, & I'd hate to rot in heck! (humor borrowed from a recently posted canadian comedian's skit)
posted
A young family moved into a house next door to a vacant lot. One day a construction crew turned up to build a house on the lot. The family's six-year-old daughter naturally took an interest in all the activity going on next door. She hung around and eventually the construction workers adopted her as a kind of mascot. They chatted to her and gave her little jobs to do and at the end of the week presented her with a pay envelope containing a dollar.
She took this home to her mother, who said all the appropriate words of admiration and suggested that they take it to the bank the next morning to deposit it in her account. When they went to the bank, the teller was equally impressed, and asked the little girl how she had come by her earnings.
"I've been building a house this week," she replied proudly.
"Goodness!" said the teller. "And will you be building a house next week, too?"
"Yes," answered the little girl. "If we ever get the f--ing bricks."
posted
Two young brothers were talking one morning and the oldest said to the youngest, "Hey Joe! I heard some kid's at school swearing the other day and it seemed pretty cool. Why don't we try that on Mom?" "I don't know Ben....Mom probably isn't going to like that." "Aw come on. If I do it will you?" "Well alright, I guess." So the two of them proceed down to the kitchen for breakfast. As the cereal was being served, the oldest said, "Hey Mom, where's the damn corn flakes." Mom in one swoop, picked him up from the table and carried him into the bathroom and washed his mouth out with soap! She stomped back into the kitchen and said to the younger child, "All right, young man. What kind of cereal do you want?" He looked at her and in a shaky voice said, "Well, it sure as hell ain't gonna be corn flakes!!"
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
I have the problem of having a seven year old daughter who hears EVERYTHING. It is amazing to me that she will repeat a phrase that I used weeks before. But what is most amazing is that she consistently uses the phrases and words in the right context. It hard to not be a little proud of her.
-------------------- Joe Endicott NEXCOM (Navy Exchange Service Command) Signing Programs Specialist Virginia Beach, VA jeendicott@msn.com
"I want to be Stereotyped....I want to be Classified." Posts: 681 | From: Virginia Beach, VA USA | Registered: Mar 1999
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When I was in the Navy, I use to cuss every other word at work. Where do you think the saying came from "cusses like a sailor?" The odd thing was that I didn't cuss at home around my daughter. I made the decision that I would quit cussing totally. I prayed about it for a week and quit. In the last ten years I have said three cuss words. In each case I had been around people that had been cussing alot, and it just came out when I said something in normal conversation. I believe it does affect you when you are around it alot.
On a side note did anyone else hear that the radio and t.v. people have approved the use of the word f**k as long as it isn't use in a sexual content?
posted
This topic appears on lots of forums. I've not replied to the question before though. "Do or don't I swear & why?" At school, yes, 'we all' did a little bit. "Bloody" is known as 'The Great Australian Adjective' and was sort of permissable. I then got a job working amongst 16 girls and 14 of them would outswear any bloke I know. After that, I just decided personally, that whatever happens or happened, there were always better words which weren't foul, and were more of an 'intellectual exercise' to try and think of & use, even if you've just hit your thumb with a hammer, ot been stood on by a Clydesdale- it is NOT difficult to NOT swear, honestly- the mind just has to learn to work ahead of the mouth, and the mouth needs to take a deep breath (sometimes a VERY deep breath) and consult the mind first! Maybe some friends consider we're prudish, but that doesn't bother me/us. They seem to hold their tongues in our company which is nice. Really, if you don't consider some occurrence a disaster, then why are you swearing? If you do consider that some awful occurrence is a bad disaster, then rethink it and decide that you ought to be grateful it isn't worse, so you have an occasion to be somewhat happy, rather than cheesed off. We have had a few really nasty tragedies in our life (car double-roll & crash at high speed with brake failure, and house completely burnt down with no insurance, amongst others), but nothing worth swearing about- you can only be grateful that it wasn't worse- life & limb survived both times what more do you need. I also don't enjoy hearing foul language on TV, nor reading it, real or disguised, on the web. Some say it's just the way society is going. I say that's a comment by the lazy who don't want to try and better themselves. Perhaps I'll put some people off with those comments, if so, well, sorry, no offense was or is intended. I'm not here judging people, just answering Lotti's questions with my honest opinions. I was flamed quite rudely on another board for an honest opinion tamer than this one. The only answer to that was to not reply to the response. We can all choose to turn the computer off & get back to work or sleep, can't we! With the aussie dollar at 72c US, my 2c worth will cost me 3.5 c, so there's my 3.5c!
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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Has anyone ever heard the term "ODDS BODKINS"? I'm told that in the 18th century, this was a terrible slang phrase, much like "HOLY SH**"! Well, all I can say is....ODDS BODKINS!!!!!
posted
Well, actually, Bob, I have! I think it might stem from the medeival curse phrase "God's Teeth!" or "God's Toenails!" I just don't know where His bodkins are. Seriously, this post has made me strive NOT to swear as much.Thanks,Lotti! Love- JILL
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Rodney, there's a song I used to know, but for the life of me I've forgotten most of the verses. The chorus went something like "Popcorn, chewing gum, peanuts & bubblegum, **** cream, candy floss & eskimo pie, Agh daddy, how we miss........pepsi cola, ginger beer & Canada Dry!
Never could quite figure out if that kind of cream was swearing or not I suppose it depends on your accent! Best wishes
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
Heres a jem from John O'Grady Author of "Their a weird mob" amongst others.
The Integrated Adjective John O'Grady 1965
I was down the Riverina, knockin round the town a bit, An' occasionally restin' with a schooner in me mit; An' on one of these occasions, when the bar was pretty full An' the local blokes were arguin' assorted kinds o' bull, I heard a conversation, most peculiar in its way, Because only in Australia would you hear some joker say, "Where yer bloody been yer drongo? Aven't seen yer fer a week; An yer mate was lookin' for yer when 'e came in from The Creek; 'E was lookin' up at Ryan's and round at bloody Joe's. An even at The Royal where 'e blody never goes" An' the other bloke said, "Seen 'im, owed 'im 'alf a bloody quid. Forgot to give it to 'im but now I bloody did. Coulda used the thing me-bloody-self; been orf the bloody booze, Up at Tumba-bloody rumba shootin' kanga-bloody roos.
Now their voices were a little loud, an' everybody heard The particular integration of this adjectival word. But no one there was laughin', an' me i wasn't game, So I stood around an' let them think I spoke the bloody same. An' one of 'em was interested to ask 'im what he'd got- How many kangaroos he'd bloody went and shot- An' the shootin bloke said, "Things are crook; the droughts too bloody tough; I got forty bloody seven, an' thats good e-bloody-nough." An' this polite rejoinder seemed to satisfy the mob, An' everyone stopped listenin' and got on with the job, Which was drinkin' beer and arguin' an' talkin' of the heat An' boggin' in the bitumen in the middle of the street,; But as for me, I'm here to say the interestin' news Was "Tumba-bloody-rumba shootin' kanga-bloody-roos
Words are tools, the same as computers & brushes, hammers & nailguns or any other analogy you can think of. Personally I enjoy collecting euphemisms, the best (and usually funniest as well as most decriptive) are the more profane. I deal daily with people from all backgrounds and I style my language to suit the circumstances. Education has little to do with general conversation from my experience, perhaps this is a locality thing. I would be wary of assuming any moral high ground based on your use of language though. Or for any reason for that matter. As for the study Todd mentions, the figures don't surprise me, the only conclusion I see are that the people in management positions in that study group showed better language aptitude. Big deal, if they cannot communicate with the people they are in charge of, what good is the supposed advantage. Last but not least, and this is where it comes down to personal preference, its sometimes enjoyable to vent, and to vent using evil, mean and nasty words, whether its a customer, a hammer that just hit your thumb for the third time, or some person that just can't comprehend the meaning of the term "merge" I have a pretty reasonable vocabulary, but for some things the only words that come close to describing how you feel, are the ones that are just gosh darn rude It all comes down to context. David David
-------------------- David Fisher D.A. & P.M. Fisher Services Brisbane Australia da_pmf@yahoo.com Trying out a new tag: "Parents are the bones on which children cut their teeth Peter Ustinov Posts: 1450 | From: Brisbane Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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quote:Originally posted by mike meyer: If ya could not swear, nothing would get done in Glasgow Scotland .
You've been hanging around with Stewart Mac too much mate, my grandmother used to say that "swearing was no excuse for a poor vocabulary", to which my grandfather would reply "Shut up you silly ****ing cow!" so I guess I got it off him, and Billy Connolly wouldn't be funny if he did'nt swear. But now it only happens with me out of frustration or anger.
-------------------- Steve Broughton Alpha Grafix Signs Lowfields Road Benington, Boston Lincolnshire, England Posts: 315 | From: Boston, Lincolnshire, England | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
cussing is because of ignorance. people do not know the right words to use so they swear.
-------------------- Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 468 stark st Commerce, Ga 30529 Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I'm not too sure where I land on this one...
I've got a jagged tounge when I get upset, but usually only then. Also, when your telling a joke, substituting a cuss word with a more watered down version somehow loses the "punch" it originally had.
I guess it all depends on how they are intended and wether the person you speak them to is offended by them.
Last year I had a customer come in who started every third word with the letter "F" and asked him to back off on it. I found it offensive. Not that he meant any ill intent by it, but just because it was distracting.
Words can be harmful, be they swears or not. It's the context and message that remains when all is said and done.
Then again, I'm a S**THEEL anyway, so nevermind. Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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David... Loved your little poem...reads better than Burns, who alluded to cursewords but was not a Weegian as far as I know? And I love to talk to Stewart...his swearing is part of his charm. Ian...the ***cream reminds me of 20+ years ago when I was a shy Diner waitress. A southern trucker would come in & order coffee, then complain it was too hot and ask for a piece of a** for in it. I told him he would have to marry me first! As for having a big vocabulary, I actually do. Like I mentioned earlier, it just gives me a naughty little thrill to swear sometimes. Love- JILL
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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When my oldest boy was little, I had a construction related job and worked around a lot of folks that peppered their speech with cuss words. I developed a potty mouth too, and one day I heard my boy use some foul language. He was f---ing this and that and I sat him down and scolded him good and hard. He said, "Dad, I heard you say that just a while ago!"
I said, "You know what, you're right and that's going to change. We'll help each other." He kind of liked that fact that I admitted I was wrong and needed his help. So we made a deal that if he caught me cussing it would cost me a quarter, and if I caught him it would cost him a nickle. Hey--the kid was too young to make his own money. Anyway he didn't lose one stinking nickle where I lost the farm. In the process I created a monster, because he would pounce on me from behind closed doors or wherever he could and demand payment. If he caught a stranger cussing, he was on him too. I did manage to improve my speech and he has become a wealthy junior vice-president for a fortune 500 company. Sometimes things work out for the best.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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I occasionally slip, and it's "Gopfertelli", ha ha, I know, makes about as much sense to you as "Odd Bodkins", but my kids understand swiss --ooops. I have an agreement with them, much like Bill. They are allowed to kick me when they hear it from me. They get behind with the punishment, but they never loose track of the score, I think I'm up to 17. Or was it 27?
posted
Hiya Ian It's Called AG PLEEZ DADDY , written by Jeremy Taylor - and it was banned cos he said "VOETSEK" at the end (Which means "bugger off " in Afrikaans.) That song takes me back a while "Ag please Daddy wont you take us to the drive in"..........
-------------------- Rodney Gold Toker Bros Posts: 57 | From: South Africa | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Bob Burns: Has anyone ever heard the term "ODDS BODKINS"? I'm told that in the 18th century, this was a terrible slang phrase, much like "HOLY SH**"! Well, all I can say is....ODDS BODKINS!!!!!
Yes Bob, I have heard of that term, and it's interesting that I learned it from a video (computer) game.. "King's Quest".. a looooong time ago, like back when I had a 286! Not that I ever knew what it meant or had a reason to use it..
I'll use four letter words every once in a while, most of the time I don't 'cept when I drop an X-acto on my toe, and sometimes it depends on the present company. If I'm with other people that don't use the language (which includes most of my friends and my immediate family) I don't use it either, which isn't hard to do since I don't normally use those words. If I'm with people that do use them, I might let a few slip, knowing nobody is going to care.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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First of all to answer Mike Meyers input..Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ... Glasgow in Scotland is notoriously bad for swearing in that it is now basically part of the language..For the last 2 weeks I have been working alongside Stewart Mclaren doin some decorative work inside a Glasgow Chapel. On arrival at the Site the works foreman met us with the words . Right lads ,,No F"""ing Smoking, No F"""ing Radios and |No F"""ing Swearing.
posted
Hey I can turn the air blue with the best of you...but it is totally inapropriate on the bb as far as I'm concerned.
I mentioned this the other night on chat..."When I post on the bb I always proof read it then I make sure I haven't said aany thing my mother couldn't read".
I have invited her to read a few posts and have been embarrassed from tme to time when she remarks about some of the content here.
Since it is a community of sorts it seems odd to me that people think it's ok to swear like it's the norm in in every home and business in their own community...(when we all know it's not).
Oh and I also have stated I steer clear of the "off topic" posts...well this one caught my eye and I checked it out to find it an interesting post and pretty clear of actually swearing.
Interesting to see the confessions...maybe we need a priest in Letterville or maybe a "Cussers AA"
Nice post Lottie oh and if I should come in here cussing one day ...you'll know I'm really hot about something!
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
posted
It would be my guess that the term "cussing" is derived from "cursing", as in "may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits".
Or from civil war era: "Devil be jabbers!"
And that "swearing" is derived from empty oaths, as in: I swear to G..." or "cross my heart and swear to die..."
The bible condemns these things, and I think most people have no idea of some of the things they say.
Edit: Also, I'm no major theologian, but it's my understanding that when the bible says: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain", Vain means emptiness, not just anger. As I said, most people probably have no idea...
[ November 21, 2003, 07:15 PM: Message edited by: James Donahue ]
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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i know i don't do it to impress anyone because i swear out loud when i'm alone...obviously i have issues...lol! i do have a kind heart to go with my big bad potty mouth...i must be an enigma 
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