The "F" word

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Originally Posted by Potter75

I think that the C*unt word is much worse in terms of the reaction one would get if one used it in normal conversation. My girlfriends and I aren't shy about dropping an F bomb, around here it just isn't that big of a deal when one is goofing around or telling a story or something. I'd never use it around my kids or someone I don't know very well/am not very close with/know that they wouldn't be offended by it.

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I agree with this. I hear the f-word at work a lot but not the c-word!

I don't really react to the F-word but I do my best not to use it around the kids or people I don't know.

I really hate the word b*itch and the one time somebody used it lightly in reference to me I let her know it was not okay. It just really bothers me for some reason. I don't mind saying someTHING is one, but if you're talking about a person, it means someone who is just mean and nasty and don't want anyone calling me that. I would not be offended if someone told me I was a f**ker, though, because that sounds more playful.

SO to me, that is NOT one of the worst words at all. I don't know why it's a big deal out there in the world.

I cannot think of a single situation where the word c_nt would be okay. I think it is much worse then then f_ck

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Originally Posted by mom3girls

I cannot think of a single situation where the word c_nt would be okay. I think it is much worse then then f_ck

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I agree that it's like the most foul word ever....however, I have encountered a couple of people in my life that have been worthy of the word. Not that I ever called them that word, but yeah I probably thought it.

When I was a waitress many years ago there were a couple of evil female customers....like, fru-itz of the deveeel evil...and before they would leave after their lunch break we would say "See you next time" aka "C U Next Time". We never actually said the C word, but the sentiment was there, for sure. My bad ;)

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Originally Posted by freddieflounder101

I would not be offended if someone told me I was a f**ker, though, because that sounds more playful.

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This made me laugh. DH and I will (very occasionally and not in front of other people and certainly not in front of T) react with mock annoyance to each other by saying "You f*cker." Totally 100% meant as a joke, and it makes us both laugh every time. It totally *is* playful. It's meant to make the other person laugh, not meant as a serious insult.

I have thought about this quite a bit. Read a book all about the word f*** and did a paper about it long ago in a linguistics class. I argued that in fact, f*** is the most useful and versatile word in the English language. Verb, Noun, prefix, suffix, interjective. . . you name it, F*** works.

Why is it the worst? While I don't particularly feel that it's so bad, it has to do with agreements in culture. To the point of FCC regulation. We are a people who likes boundaries to be clear and that is a decided and agreed upon limit. Yet again proving it's marvelous utility.

Language and cultural norms are always changing and evolving and c*** shows itself smartly to be taking up the place of f***. From a linguistic perspective, I think it is fabulous and shows the power and weight that women's opinions carry.

F*** is posited to be a contraction of Fornication Under Consent of the King. Allowable rape - via war & pillaging. Now with c*** taking the lead in offensiveness, we may be seeing a shift to where we have less of the war-rape scenario, because we culturally no longer accept it, to finding a slur aimed at the beautiful lady-parts more offensive.

Progress people!

:)

I don't think it's that "the F word" is so much worse than other curse words, but that it's become a more common word to use in general and is, therefore, more likely to be used in the wrong place, such as live TV.

I can't link to any particular video (thanks, work computer YouTube ban!) but Google George Carlin and watch his "seven words you can't say on television" routine. Hilarious. And shown on TV. Because apparently if you say them all smashed together really fast, they become one new & different word that is not banned on TV. :p

That is hysterical!

George Carlin - Seven Dirty Words - YouTube

^ thanks!