# What's with the use of asterisks in swear words here? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 6, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866 "2003-10-06T14:26:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/1 "2003-10-06T14:26:04Z")
This has been bugging the ever-living fuck out of me for a while now. This is the Pit. You don’t get in trouble for using the word “fuck” here, even in the thread title. In fact, you can look at the first page of the Pit and see plenty of examples where this is so. So what’s with the use of “f\*ck” or “d@mn” or whatever? Either cuss or don’t; I don’t care. But quit trying to pretend you’re not cussing when you hide one letter of it. The word is F U C K. If you’re uncomfortable with the word or any swear word, find a substitute. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/2 "2003-10-06T14:27:52Z")
I c\*mpletely agree. I mean, come _on_. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/3 "2003-10-06T14:27:56Z")
\*\*\*\*ed if I know. Actually I don’t believe in spelling out the name of my god, the great god \*\*\*\* you and the \*\*\*\*\* you rode in on. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/4 "2003-10-06T14:28:24Z")
Oh dear, such language! \ ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/5 "2003-10-06T14:39:49Z")
I find them hot. Blonde hair, pink nipples, they’re usually taller. Blah. Jamaican? What’s so special about them? ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/6 "2003-10-06T14:45:00Z")
OK, **Michael** , I have to admit I’m really whooshed by your post. I’ve read it about five times trying to get it and I’m just scratching my head. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/7 "2003-10-06T15:46:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeadlyAccurate \* > \*\*OK, **Michael** , I have to admit I’m really whooshed by your post. I’ve read it about five times trying to get it and I’m just scratching my head. \*\* [Say hallo (and goodbye), to my stupid friend.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=215617) ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/8 "2003-10-06T15:51:45Z")
Oh, so it’s 1920’s-style “asterisks”, then. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/9 "2003-10-06T22:51:29Z")
F\*\*\* y\*\* a\*\*, y\*\* b\*\*\*\* o\* l\*\*\*\*\*! M\*\* G\*\*\*\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/10 "2003-10-06T22:55:31Z")
Ok, everybody just calm the f\*\*\* down. Who gives a s\*\*\*. \*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\* \*\*\* \*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*, ok? I find them hot. Blonde hair, pink nipples, they’re usually taller. Blah. Jamaican? What’s so special about them? ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/11 "2003-10-06T23:04:17Z")
\*\*\*\* — _-_\* -_– / \*\*\* \*\*\*\* \*\* - / -_– — _- / – \* — – - \* / - - \* / -_\* — _-_ \* -\*\* / – _- -_– -\*\*\* \* / -_– — - / \*\*\* \*\*\*\* — - - - / - - -- \* / **- – / - / \*\*\*\* — -** -_\* -_– / — - / \*\*\* — – \* - \*\*\*\* \*\* -_ --\* / \*\* -\* \*\*\* - \* _- -_\* / — _- / – — - - -– \*\* -_ --\* / _- -_\*\* — _- - / – \*\* - -- / - \*\* – – -_ \* \*\*\* / _- -_ -\*\* / \*\*\* - \*\*- \*_-_ \*_-_ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/12 "2003-10-06T23:46:21Z")
- ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/13 "2003-10-06T23:54:53Z")
\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/14 "2003-10-07T00:32:44Z")
\*\* \*\*, **Brutus**? ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/15 "2003-10-07T00:36:33Z")
* * * ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/16 "2003-10-07T00:38:19Z")
\*\* \<—Those ain’t pink nipples, they be Jamaican beauties! \*\* \<---- Thar be pink nipples! ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/17 "2003-10-07T01:16:06Z")
R **k \*\* \* b\*x, I b** n **g y** r d\*g. ---
**Author:** ![hebesphenomegacorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@hebesphenomegacorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hebesphenomegacorona)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/18 "2003-10-07T01:28:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > \*\*\*\* \<—Those ain’t pink nipples, they be Jamaican beauties! > > \*\* \<---- Thar be pink nipples! \*\* Thar be \*\* WRONG NIPPLES! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/19 "2003-10-07T01:36:34Z")
I don’t understand why someone would use asterices in this forum, but I understand why someone would do so in the other forums. We’re not really supposed to cuss in other forums, except for the occasional remark, so sometimes people will cover themselves by using the asterices. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866/20 "2003-10-07T01:47:04Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*\*\*\*\* — -_ -_– / \*\*\* \*\*\*\* \*\* - / -_– — _- / – \* — – - \* / - - \* / -_\* — _-_ \* -\*\* / – _- -_– -\*\*\* \* / -_– — - / \*\*\* \*\*\*\* — - - - / - - -- \* / **- – / - / \*\*\*\* — -** -_\* -_– / — - / \*\*\* — – \* - \*\*\*\* \*\* -_ --\* / \*\* -\* \*\*\* - \* _- -_\* / — _- / – — - - -– \*\* -_ --\* / _- -_\*\* — _- - / – \*\* - -- / - \*\* – – -_ \* \*\*\* / _- -_ -\*\* / \*\*\* - \*\*- \*_-_ \*_-_ \*\* Ok, before I do the geek thing and attempt to decode this, is it _actual_ Morse code, or did you just make shit up? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-use-of-asterisks-in-swear-words-here/205866.md?page=2)