ok, I’ll admit it, I swear too much…everywhere!
I swear. Not a lot, but enough. I don’t exactly swear the same at work as with friends, but “fuck” is certainly fine in work situations. Don’t ask, I’m a banker - that species swears a lot.
I also swear in whatever language I happen to be speaking at the time 
This is rather coincidental, since Wild Bill had a ‘cursing’ theme to his query in General Questions.
I don’t swear, not even when hurt or angry. The worst I’ve ever said, was ‘BLAST’ really loud, and that was at my dog, Molly when she was beating up our other dog, Watson.
Occasional swearing from others doesn’t particularly bother me, though I did once speak up to a few teens when my kids were both small. Being in the South, they apologized and quieted down…though, they kept on swearing at each other!
As a child, I would never have used profanity anytime it might be heard, or get back to, my parents. Naturally, when I left home, I developed quite the potty mouth.
Once my first child was born, though, I cleaned up my language. It wasn’t because I don’t want my kids to swear, (I assume they will) I just didn’t want them to use the words until they understood both their meanings and when their use might be appropriate. It’s bad enough when your child can’t quite pronounce the word “fork” and there is a picture of said item in her favorite board book.
These days I am in constant search for amusing euphemisms. I use all the old standbys-sugar, fudge, etc. My oldest came back from camp with “shitzu”, which I intend to steal. Since it is likely to be misheard and get her into trouble at school, we have suggested substituting other dog breeds. Poodle! is the current favorite.
I swear a lot . Don’t know why . The older I’ve gotten the more I swear . In work I would say fuck but that would be about it and it wouldn’t be a big deal. Not in meeting or anything official but in general chatter .
With friends I would have no scruples . Racial or sexuality swear words do not enter my mind never mind leave my lips .
My fav. is bollocks . It’s so flexible and can be used in numerous circumstances and IMO it sound really good with a Dublin accent . Dubliners are known for their use of bad language ( aswell as some of the greatest pieces of modern lit. ) just go rent The Commitments to see what I mean
Maybe I lazy , maybe I stupid or maybe I’m just rude . I do know I change my language for different occasions but what you see is basically what you get I’m afraid .
i don’t use profanity. i use mrs. byrne’s dictionary of unusual, obscure, and preposterous words. using this book stuns the person you are cursing and you can make a great exit.
about the worst thing i’ll say is: poo. yes, you may laugh, thinking, poo, yah, that’s harsh. saying poo actually got me tossed out of a sporting good store, and a book store. when was the last time someone got tossed out a store for the f word?
should a person use profanity in a conversation with me i just take them literally. the person using such words either laughs or says,“huh???”. either way they usually don’t repeat “those” words around me. examples: calling x a puppy, isn’t that cute. why do you want to condemn the copier to the uttermost depths of hades? look bucko, if you want to have intimate relations with the office eqiupment you’ll have to do it in your own office! by the way, just out of curiosity just how would you go about it…
I’m gonna answer them survey style anyway!
Do you swear a lot? A little? Not at all?
A bit. Not every other word, but I don’t try to hold back just because it’s a swear word either.
Do you swear only in front of friends, and not in front of your family? Or do you swear only in front of your family or
significant other, and not with friends?
I swear in front of either and all.
Do you swear at work?
With co-workers and my supervisor, yes. We’re all pretty casual with each other. In front of the owner? Nope.
How “severe” is your swearing? Are there certain words you refuse to say? Or do you modulate your swearing based on
the situation (these words okay at work, these other words okay at home)?
Not very. I say “damn” a bit, but don’t use the others on a real regular basis. No real reason why not, except that I tend to be more creative with my cursing of things and would rather say “the infernal television” than “the fucking television”.
Do you do most of your swearing on these message boards?
Nope. I mainly post here and in GQ, neither of which need a lot of swearing.
Do you think you swear more or less than the people around you? Are you bothered by other people swearing?
Same to less. Not bothered.
If you have children, how do you feel about them swearing?
He’s not really old enough to intentionally swear. I don’t intend to beat him with a stick for swearing, but would explain that some words aren’t appropriate.
Do you remember the first time you used a “bad word”? (I do.)
No, but I remember the first time I swore in front of my mother. I was doing something else wrong and when caught said “Oh, shit”. I was more worried about her hearing me swear than what I was doing wrong. She didn’t seem to notice.
Yup, I hardly swore at all until I went to work in banking. Well, the computer side of banking, but I worked with men who used GD as a sort of punctuation in every sentence. And some of the equipment I had to work with would have provoked a saint. I swear more than I want to, less than some, and pretty much evenly around friends, family and co-workers (but only in casual situations–never when I need to make an impression.)
Depends on the situation and who I’m with. I can express myself perfectly well without swearing, but some things just cry out for it. I don’t believe in the idea that some words are “bad”–I find the concept somewhere between silly and stupid–but I tailor my words to my audience, at least up to a point.
I swear like a drunk Russian sailor when the situation calls for it, i.e. when I need to vent some frustration.
Professionally, that happens quite often - it’s either that or throwing a couple of hundred thousands worth of networking equipment in the Elbe. Some of the equipment I work with seems to carefully built by sadistic behavioural psychologists, trying to figure out exactly how hostile a man-machine interface can be made. If I couldn’t call upon higher powers to have a little justice done, I’d develop an ulcer.
In private life, I live by myself and proper swearing falls flat without an audience. That doesn’t keep my from being profane in whatever language I was thinking in when I break, lose or drop something.
Generally, when in a stressful situation, well-placed and creative profanity provides a bit of stress-relief and it might even improve the communication.
S. Norman
This was really true for me. I could be plastered and not slur a word, but I would curse like a sailor. That’s how you could tell if I was drinking.
The thing that really fucks me off is this American thing about using the word ‘Freakin’ -It’s started colonizing films and all sorts. It’s like writing c**t instead of CUNT! We all know what’s being said so why hide behind a transparent veneer?
Because, IMHO, that is the ugliest word in the English language. But, go ahead, feel free to say that in front of your mum the next time you see her.
I swear way too much, but I only do it at work, with friends. Mrs. Chalupa doesn’t care for it in the house, in front of the kids, and I have no problem in respecting her wishes.
…actually, I’m thinking of going with Eutychus55’s “L. Ron F**kin’ Hubbard” as my new crutch phrase…I like it!
Only when I’m driving.
I used to swear all the time. After I became a father, it did not seem appropriate. So I started to really watch it. It really was nothing more than a habit. I only swear now when I am really angry or have gotten hurt (Stubbed toe, mashed finger, etc…)
Ooh, I swear way more than I should. But I think it’s even more fun to use words that either aren’t exactly swears, or are less commom. Fucknut is a favorite, as is buttmunch. My sister recently used (invented?) buttnut, which cracks me up every time I hear it.
I swear occasionally while at home but save most of it for the Pit it seems… Lola told me last night that I am always so nice IRL I need to go somewhere where I can just blow off steam … this probably keeps me from climbing in to tall buildings with a high powered rifle…
Addendum
I work in an office (admin asst.) and swearing just doesn’t seem appropriate in most cases. But I worked in a warehouse as a clerk a few years back, and I guaran-god-damned-tee, every other word uttered was “fuck”. From the supervisors on down to the forklift operators. And in the most benign situations.
E.G.
“How many more F’ing truck we got to load?”
“F’ing 2”
“Holy F, we’ll be outa here by midnight.”
“F’ing-A”
“What you F’ing bring for lunch tonight.”
“F’ing PB&J sandwhich.”
“I F’ing love PB&J”
“Me F’ing too.”
There is a show on Bravo (a cable arts network, for the non-TV people) called Inside the Actor’s Studio, where big actors come and are interviewed about their craft. At the end of the show, the host asks a series of questions that are the same for everyone. Things like, what’s your favorite sound or noise, what profession would you like to try other than your own, …
My favorite question is: what’s your favorite curseword? It really gives a unique look at these big stars. They are almost always bleeped, but you can usually tell what they said.
My favorite is MOTHERFUCKER!!!
I think it works best when said in all caps, with a few exclamation points following. It is, in my opinion, appropriate in any situation. If I can’t say it out loud, I say it in my head. MOTHERFUCKER, Motherfucker, motherfucker, mother fucker, MOTHER FUCKER!!!
Woo hoo!
I try to control my language - there are so many interesting words for the choosing, I hate to fall back on obscenities. The exceptions seem to be:
- when something goes really wrong or I mess something up, I’ll let loose with a string of “Shitshitshitshit”
- when I drive, I’m pretty liberal with “ass” and “asshole”, since the roadways seem to be full of assholes…
- when I’m feeling frisky, I’ll ask my sweetie “Wanna fuck?” … does that count as cussing?
I’ve commented to my daughter that I’m trying to watch what I say, and she told me that she hears it all and more at school. <sigh> my poor innocent baby…