Pre-Adolescent Utilization of Colorful Metaphor

[protege]

For example, if you rarely ever as much as say "What the hell?" and then one day you really need to get a point across, dropping an F bomb would probably get everyone's attention.

That's exactly it! People are bound to notice if you curse occasionally. However, if you use "fuck" as every word in the sentence, they're going to ignore you... or tell you to "move out of the damn trailer park, you uneducated asshole" Seriously though, using that word constantly sort of takes away its "punch."

[Lace Neil Singer]

Oh, just fornicate off. XXD

I don't swear all the time and certainly not at work; I've got a huge list of words I can say at work if I bash my elbow or drop something. Like Stickleback; that's always a good one.

[bunnyboy]

Oh, just fornicate off. XXD

I don't swear all the time and certainly not at work; I've got a huge list of words I can say at work if I bash my elbow or drop something. Like Stickleback; that's always a good one.

I've gotten looks for my creative ways of not-swear swears.

Son of a Basketweaving Leper gets some laughs.

[fumblebee]

I work with children so I definitely don't swear at work - but it also means I try not to get in the habit of uttering profanities during my off hours either. Of course, this means I end up saying things like "Oh Sugar!" or "Bother" or "Fooey" My friends find this to be HILARIOUSLY funny and those words stick out more than if I had used the swear-word equivalent. We go bowling and the ball slips - and "bother" comes out of my mouth - the group goes silent then proceeds to mock me and my pg 13 mouth for the remainder of the evening but I don't mind and they aren't doing it to be cruel - they simply think it's quirky! Don't get me wrong - I have used stronger words and those REALLY stand out when I use them. And I don't just let out the odd "Fuck this" oh no... I add my own special "flair" to make it stand out.

As for when I first started using swear words , i would have to say around 18 months or so I started repeating my dad when he would call a driver an arsehole. If I was in teh car with him I would just say it right back. he didn't notice but it shocked my mother some! After that, I really didn't swear that much until university. And once I was out of that environment, I really didn't swear that much.

[Hobbs]

I prefer "fudge-monkey" myself.

[aurelemsrealm]

If you actually have a large vocabulary you don't have to use swears. Swears should be reserved for situations that deserve them. Like if a guy rapes and murders 30 people he is a bastard. It cheapens the word when you call somebody who brought 23 items to the express lane a bastard

This comment made me think of Dr. Cox on Scrubs talking about people being bastard coated bastards with bastard filling. I tend to wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Cox on this one, and frequently contemplate that particular concept when dealing with customers at work. As far as I am concerned, people are whatever words I decide to call them. Don't want me to call you by that name, don't live up to it.

I have to disagree with you Red Panda, words aren't sufficient to describe the likes of rapists and murderers. I won't even go into what I think needs to happen with those kinds of monsters, but I can assure you that an equally heinous and grizzly demise as their victims suffered fits somewhere into that equation.

I was young when I first became aware of curse words, but I don't know exactly what age. I'd heard my parents and other family use them. I'd heard kids at school use them. I was corrected for saying a few in childhood, but it wasn't a frequent thing because I learned that I would be corrected if I did use them. Probably about high school was when people stopped telling me to watch my mouth if one slipped out.

Now, I sometimes do cuss like a sailor when I get frustrated or angry, but it's not an everyday thing. Usually, it's just something that pops out when I'm muttering to myself about something. The only time I'll probably have to worry about my kids picking up curse words from me will be in the car as I cuss out other drivers on the road for being stupid. I don't worry too much about it overall. However, I do get annoyed with people who use curse words just to use them like it's a default setting, especially in situations where children are involved or a level of politeness and professionalism should be expected.

There was one funny time I remember when my sister and I were small children, my dad was in a bad mood ranting about something at the dinner table. My sister piped up, "Dad, you're being such a bitch!" Everyone just gave her for a moment before laughing about it. Undoubtedly, she'd heard Mom tell Dad that at some other time, and picked up on it. We used to overhear them cuss each other out when arguing even though they tried not to do it in front of us.

[fumblebee]

There was one funny time I remember when my sister and I were small children, my dad was in a bad mood ranting about something at the dinner table. My sister piped up, "Dad, you're being such a bitch!" Everyone just gave her for a moment before laughing about it. Undoubtedly, she'd heard Mom tell Dad that at some other time, and picked up on it. We used to overhear them cuss each other out when arguing even though they tried not to do it in front of us.

REminds me of the time I was at my friends for supper. Her daughter was about 18 months at the time. She was on the phone with someone and she let out the word " Fuck!" - Lily (the daughter) was right there - and boy was my friend mortified! She decided to pretend it didn't happen so we wouldn't draw attention to the word, and we thought we got away with it until about 20 minute later when her husband came home from work, said "Daddy's Home!" and Lily just screamed out "FUCK!"

[Hyena Dandy]

I've gotten looks for my creative ways of not-swear swears.

Son of a Basketweaving Leper gets some laughs.

I only swear when its something big, or I'm with friends who swear. If I'm not, I'll use 'frak' , 'dagnabbit', or 'curses'