# Is 'WTF' an obscenity?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936>\
**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:** 6\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![cabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@cabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cabbit)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/41 "2003-07-05T20:05:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Walloon \*  
> \*\*If you ever try making vanilla ice cream without the vanilla, or accidentally used vanilla yogurt instead of plain yogurt in a recipe, you’ll see how it makes all the difference in the world. Vanilla is _not_ bland. It’s a strong flavor. \*\*

We all use words relative to our own environments to a degree. Here in the California Bay Area, vanilla often refers to unremarkable and ordinary things and people. To refer to someone or something as “vanilla” implies that they are quite average, and certainly not likely to elicit much outrage.

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/42 "2003-07-05T20:22:19Z")

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I’m aware of that definition, **cabbit** , and that was my point: as a figurative term, _vanilla_ should be rethought and maybe disgarded.

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**Author:** ![raisinbread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@raisinbread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raisinbread)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/43 "2003-07-05T21:02:05Z")

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IANAL but YMMV IMHO WBS K TNX

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/44 "2003-07-07T17:31:47Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Iteki \*  
> \*\*WTFWJD?
> 
> RTFB \*\*

WOW! Can I have that as my sig? I’ll credit you if it’s yours.

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**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/45 "2003-07-07T22:41:00Z")

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[**WWUJD?**](http://www.wwujd.com/)

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**Author:** ![ReBusEniGma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@ReBusEniGma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReBusEniGma)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wtf-an-obscenity/185936/46 "2003-07-08T05:26:21Z")

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I always read WTF as it should be. For me, it makes no difference whether it is written out in full or not. Although for some reason this abbreviation seems to invoke a smirk for me, as if the author is trying to say, “Dude, you can’t be serious!” It would seem a little more confrontational if written out in full I think.

When I’m incredulous about something I just say, _whale oil beef hooked!_ 😃

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