Swearing

[Gabriela]

I just want to thank the OP for this thread. There have been some seriously interesting insights and opinions expressed in here. I am a devoted cusser, and even though I often think to myself, "If you were in a habit, would you keep this up?" I can't help but get around my language training, which taught me that words are just words, with no power of their own except that which we infuse into them. So, no, I don't cuss around people I know it would offend, but I do figure that, if I am super-angry or -frustrated, dropping the f-bomb a few times is helpful. But I do worry people will perceive me as "classless", and I do think there are often adjectives that would better describe my feelings, and maybe I'm just copping out on thinking by cussing. Then again, curse words communicate anger and frustration in a way I think no other words do, so...

In short, I've been mighty conflicted about this for a long time, so I am really enjoying the discussion!

Edited November 17, 2012 by curiousing

[Spem in alium]

Pretty much straight into my first Linguistics class, my professor asked everyone to say the F word multiple times. He wanted to show us that it was just a word, and said that he didn't want us to shy away from using it in his classes. It was kind of funny...even though I couldn't say it

I have never been a devout swearer. "Bloody h&ll" is fairly common where I come from. I try to limit my use of that as much as I can, but it can be hard when people around me say it often.

[Anastasia13]

I never drink, smoke, or cuss.

D*** it, I left my cigarettes at the bar.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Light and Truth