# Is 'WTF' an obscenity? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 3, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936 "2003-07-03T02:57:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/1 "2003-07-03T02:57:23Z")
I’m curious how people view that particular little bit of netspeak. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/2 "2003-07-03T03:09:53Z")
Oh, why don’t you just STFU! ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/3 "2003-07-03T03:10:33Z")
WTF do you want to know about it? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/4 "2003-07-03T03:16:43Z")
It stands for an obscenity, but is not obscene in itself. It’s like using darn for damn or Jeebus for Jesus (Jesus, of course, is not an obscenity, but when used as a simple expletive many folks prefer to avoid offense by substituting Jeebus.) Mostly its an attempt to get the dramatic power of an expletive without offending those who are bothered by expletives. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/5 "2003-07-03T03:56:15Z")
Of course it’s an expletive. Just because you’re not actually typing out “f-u-c-k,” anyone who sees “WTF” is still going to read it as “what the fuck.” I don’t see how it’s any less offensive, unless you just don’t like the way those letters look next to one another. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/6 "2003-07-03T03:56:32Z")
Of course it’s an obscenity. Just because you’re not actually typing out “f-u-c-k,” anyone who sees “WTF” is still going to read it as “what the fuck.” I don’t see how it’s any less offensive, unless you just don’t like the way those letters look next to one another. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/7 "2003-07-03T03:58:17Z")
Yikes. Thought I’d hit the stop button fast enough to sneak in an edit. Sorry for the double post! ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/8 "2003-07-03T06:09:44Z")
The massive corporation I work for has WTF as an entry in its acronym glossary for frontline customer care help desk type people. Make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/9 "2003-07-03T06:22:22Z")
WHOA! :8 I thought WTF stood for World Taciter Federation. MAN I WAS WAY OFF! _smacks head_ ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/10 "2003-07-03T10:46:13Z")
WTFWJD? RTFB ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/11 "2003-07-03T12:10:33Z")
Can I use WTF as an abbreviation for ‘What The Flip’? ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/12 "2003-07-03T12:58:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Iteki \* > \*\*WTFWJD? > > RTFB \*\* LOL ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/13 "2003-07-03T13:01:03Z")
It technically is, but it loses a lot of points for being an abbreviation (if you haven’t got the balls to even type a curse word, don’t curse) and for being NetSpeak. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/14 "2003-07-03T13:07:32Z")
F is only a vulgarity unless it refers to a credible sex act. If a soldier says FTA, it’s just a rude way of saying he’s angry and frustrated. I only bring this up because obscenity is a meticulously defined legal concept, painfully hammered out by judges in the latter half of the 20th century. * * * This is no belly pack, it’s a superhero utility belt. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/15 "2003-07-03T13:09:38Z")
I feel that way about people who type b_tch or he!! or the like. If you’re going to start a Pit thread about your fucking bitch of a boss, it’s silly to title it "My f_cking b\*tch of a boss." I’m of course referring to boards such as this one that doesn’t filter profanity. That being said, WTF can be typed with only the left hand, so I’ll use it sometimes in AIM or if I’m just feeling lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/16 "2003-07-03T13:10:47Z")
WTF? I mean, Jeebus Cripes, you guys! If you can’t even have a dagnabbed mealy-mouthed semi-obscenity, you’re just up the freaking loser? When in heck did we decide that mild language was so goshdanged forking wrong? I darn you all to heck! ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/17 "2003-07-03T13:54:58Z")
IMHO, “WTF” has a completely different meaning to “what-the-fuck” which has a completely different meaning to fuck. I’ve always regarded WTF as a sort of commentary that the object is creepily surreal in a japaneseque kind of way. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/18 "2003-07-03T13:56:47Z")
WTF - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday I saw this on a club’s marquee, which announced a local band would be playing there. It had the band’s name and underneath it were the letters W T F. I have no idea what the band sounded like, but if they weren’t any good, the letters could certainly take on the meaning we’re more familiar with. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/19 "2003-07-03T16:05:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Iteki \* > \*\*WTFWJD? > > RTFB \*\* Now _that’s_ funny!! 😃 Oh, and btw, for another opinion on [WTFWJD](http://www.wtfwjd.com) … I suppose it was inevitable that someone would have to do it … ---
**Author:** ![Coke\_Addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@Coke\_Addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coke_Addict)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/20 "2003-07-03T16:20:25Z")
WTF = Way Too Funny to me. LOL Sometimes I forget that it means something different to me and type it out in conversation or posts. Others always take it the other way. lol [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936.md?page=2)