# Foul words that now are acceptable (yes, foul language in this post)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [August 12, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480 "2004-08-12T02:41:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/1 "2004-08-12T02:41:00Z")
I was born in 1973, and growing up, like everyone else, I was taught which words were acceptable, and which weren’t. Well, nowadays, I constantly seem to hear some of those words that were once considered rude, crude and/or obscene.
Two words that I’m the most curious about are _ass_ and _bitch_. The word ass is used non stop on TV, by my friends, coworkers, etc… When and why did this stop being considered a crass word?
Also, one time on this board, someone posted a question wondering if the word bitch was being used to much, and pretty much all of the female dopers here (or at least, that’s what it seemed like) jumped in to support the word, which kind of surprised me, considering that growing up it was considered a highly insulting word to call a woman, pretty much as bad as the gender neutral _ass hole_, but now it has seemed to drop down to the level of the word _jerk_ (I hope that made sense to you). So again, when and why did that word stop becoming so offensive?
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/2 "2004-08-12T03:14:20Z")
I hear the word _fart_ a lot on television and radio now. I think it became mainstream in the late 1990s.
I think it was M_A_S\*H that introduced _son of a bitch_ to American television.
_Tits_ might have been used on Saturday Night Live. I’ve heard other borderline profane words for breasts on free-to-air television, like _rack_.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/3 "2004-08-12T03:36:26Z")
Remember when “sucks”, as in “This movie sucks, turn it off and let’s order a pizza”, was a bad word? Kids today don’t seem to think of the origin. It’s still not the sort of thing my parents say.
There was a comedian a while ago who did a piece on how you have to watch what you say around Grandma, that you can’t say things like “sucks”, and how when we all get old the nursing home will be an entirely different place.
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### Author:  [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/4 "2004-08-12T03:56:15Z")
My mom was pretty well against me saying ‘sucks’ when I was in high school until the day I ripped off a Bart Simpson-ism in front of her: “I didn’t think it was physically possible, but this both sucks _and_ blows.”
She got a huge kick out of that. She lightened up a bit after that.
What’s really odd is that now I’m 21 and almost done with college, my parents swear in front of me almost constantly. And they apparently don’t mind if I swear in front of them (if it isn’t gratuitous). My mom likes to say I get it from my father. I think I got it from her. 😉
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/5 "2004-08-12T14:05:47Z")
I find that “bastard” doesn’t have quite the kick to it that it used to have.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/6 "2004-08-12T16:24:36Z")
When you spell it “basstard,” it means “an annoying angler.” 😛
Oxymorons often result from using _fing_ as an all-purpose modifier. For example, “She’s still a _fing_ virgin.” :smack:
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### Author:  [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/7 "2004-08-12T19:54:27Z")
**Pissed**
I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard that recently.
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/8 "2004-08-12T19:55:51Z")
Does “crap” count as a bad word? I frequently use it as a polite alternative to “sh\*t”, but I know some folks consider it to be equally offensive…?
Where’s the offend-o-meter when you need one?
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### Author:  [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/9 "2004-08-12T20:06:48Z")
> [@Zsofia](#):
>
> There was a comedian a while ago who did a piece on how you have to watch what you say around Grandma, that you can’t say things like “sucks”, and how when we all get old the nursing home will be an entirely different place.
Dane Cook.
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### Author:  [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2004, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/10 "2004-08-13T02:59:42Z")
Balls.
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### Author:  [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/11 "2004-08-13T03:10:39Z")
> [@Garfield226](#):
>
> Dane Cook.
No, it was Nick Swardson.
(Paraphrased) “Yeah, when we’re old, it’s going to be weird. I mean, I cuss, all the time.
(in kids voice) Grandpa grandpa, wanna go to the zoo?
(in old man voice) Zoo? I don’t wanna go to no zoo. F\* that. What are you, gay? (kids voice) Mom, grandpa just called me gay.
(old man voice) Don’t tell on me bitch.”
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### Author:  [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/12 "2004-08-13T03:12:12Z")
> [@rjung](#):
>
> Does “crap” count as a bad word? I frequently use it as a polite alternative to “sh\*t”, but I know some folks consider it to be equally offensive…?
>
> Where’s the offend-o-meter when you need one?
I should give you some vague answer and let you figure it out for yourself, like everybody else’s reply to this post, but I’ll be nice and give you a direct answer.
Shit - Most offensive
Turd - Offensive
Crap - somewhat Offensive
Manuer/Stool/Fecies - Acceptable
Poop/Poo (or Poo Poo) - Childish
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### Author:  [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foul-words-that-now-are-acceptable-yes-foul-language-in-this-post/259480/13 "2004-08-13T14:04:36Z")
Hmm, I’m not really a cusser and I’ve gotten into the bad habit of using “ass” all the time as an intensifier. Such as “wow, that was a big-ass cat!” or “What a lame-ass movie.” I still think of “asshole” as a cussword but not “ass”.
**rjung** , I also use “crap” and invariably wind up forgetting and saying it in front of my grandmom. And it does offend her so it’s not completely innocuous.
What do y’all think about “tit”? I think of it as a kinda neutral slang work for “breast” that isn’t as silly as “gazoomba”. But, the other day, I was complaining to my coach (a guy who’s 40, about three years older than me) that the oar was hitting me in my tit and he got offended. Is “tit” still considered offensive?