# Words invented to be polite **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788 "2002-07-19T12:30:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/1 "2002-07-19T12:30:46Z")
Hopefully I’m not the only person who does this–if I am, I suspect someone should change the thread title to “Just how odd is Crusoe?”. Do you ever find yourself using made-up swearwords to avoid screaming ‘fuck!’ (or whatever) in polite company, or in public places where there are children? I only ask as I caught myself mouthing “Genius!” under my breath rather than using “Jesus!” as an expression of incredulity. I think a little voice in my head suggested that a lot of people might not appreciate hearing me use the name as a swearword. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/2 "2002-07-19T12:43:12Z")
All the time. Don’t most people say “Fudge!” and “Darn!” and “Oh, shoot!” around kids? My mother-in-law rarely cusses, she just thinks it’s unladylike, so she’s famous for uttering such memorable curses as, “My word, Charlie Brown!” and “Oh, pickle!” and “I think that’s just bullsugar.” ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/3 "2002-07-19T12:49:56Z")
I go for a lot of the rackin’ frackin’ stuff as made famous by Yosemite Sam. ---
**Author:** ![Pergau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7c8e57/32.png) [@Pergau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pergau)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/4 "2002-07-19T14:15:41Z")
Drink Feck Arse Girls ---
**Author:** ![Pergau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7c8e57/32.png) [@Pergau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pergau)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/5 "2002-07-19T14:20:55Z")
Drink Feck Arse Girls ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/6 "2002-07-19T14:32:41Z")
I am probably the only living person who actually uses the word “freaking”. ---
**Author:** ![keeper0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@keeper0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeper0)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/7 "2002-07-19T14:42:25Z")
Nope, **Kat** , I use it. There is a university in South Bend, Indiana that I can’t stand. In polite company, I refer to it as Notre Freaking Dame. I have been trying to adopt more benign expressions since taking a more professional job. My favorite one is “Crikey!” People accuse me of watching too much Crocodile Hunter, but for me it goes back to the old Dangermouse cartoons. When I was a young teenager, I found that the word “Rutabaga” made a fun swear word replacement. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/8 "2002-07-19T18:07:23Z")
Fark. (see sig) ---
**Author:** ![Nortia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Nortia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nortia)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/9 "2002-07-19T22:19:14Z")
I had started to use “Foof!” which I’d picked up from my friend, who had picked it up from her boyfriend. I’m making a huge effort to stop it. I’m pretty good at stopping myself swearing in front of the kids and normally it comes out as “Oh …!”. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/10 "2002-07-19T22:22:51Z")
I just say “damn” a lot. It’s a grownup’s curse word. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/11 "2002-07-19T22:32:04Z")
I like “Goddam son of a motherfucker,” but I’m not sure how polite that is. ---
**Author:** ![Gopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gopher)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/12 "2002-07-19T22:44:03Z")
I don’t even say words. Growls and unintelligible mutterings are good enough. grrraarrgharhgarrrarghauugharrgh ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/13 "2002-07-19T22:48:49Z")
I use “indubitably” for “No Shit!” and “excoriate” for “ass-chewing”. My boss wanders thru the office and will exclaim “BANDERSNATCH!!” for some unknown reason, but its kinda funny. * * * No time for a sig, Miss. I’m just here to read the meter. ---
**Author:** ![Nenya\_Elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@Nenya\_Elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nenya_Elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/14 "2002-07-20T04:01:41Z")
I use “freaking” too; also “blinking”, “bleeping”, “blanking” etc. “Aargh!” or “urk” get a workout when I’m just frustrated but don’t feel the urge to swear. I’ve picked up “\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ on a pogo stick” from the SDMB, where the blank is filled in by whatever strikes me at the moment. “Genius” is a good one…I’ll have to remember that, since I don’t care to swear using Jesus’ name since I pray to him. Although there are definitely times when I pray in a very upset tone of voice, so sometimes it _is_ appropriate. Of course there is always the generic heck and darn, but “drat” seems to me to trump both of them for sheer coolness. ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/15 "2002-07-20T04:18:35Z")
Holy Feckin’ ay thats the biggest hunk of frikin shnaps and shanz I ever saw. Fer the love of kaboulion… ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Bianca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@Miss\_Bianca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Bianca)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/16 "2002-07-20T04:43:02Z")
I have an unfortunate habit of just letting loose with a barrage of profanity without even thinking about it. I’m working on toning it down, but the other day I was wrestling with a barrette that was coming to pieces and muttering to myself when my husband started laughing. When I asked why, he said I’d said "Shoot. Stink. MOTHERF_ **ER!!!" Nice accleration there – zero to motherf** _er in only 1.2 seconds. Anyway, when I have myself under better control, I love to use the word “dang.” It never fails to crack me up. I also use freaking, frigging, and fricking, sometimes all in the same outburst, just for variety’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/17 "2002-07-20T05:03:33Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **LifeOnWry** _ > **Don’t most people say “Fudge!” and “Darn!” and “Oh, shoot!” around kids?** Bill Cosby, in one or another of his stand-up routines, does this bit about censoring yourself in front of children, and sounding like an idiot, because you constantly stop short, unable to come up with an alternative curse fast enough to finish your thought. The bit was mildly amusing to me for years, but not that funny. Until I had a 15 month old daughter in the house. For those of you without children/nephews/nieces/very young siblings, this creature is also known as a parrot/tape recorder. Now it cracks me up, because, _geez louise_, I **do** sound like an idiot. “What the h… heck?” “Get that f… freakin’ thing outta my face!” “Would you please turn that s… stuff off?” I’ve found myself getting more and more milage out of bleedin’, freaking, and my daughter’s latest favorite “Oh, **man**!” Being that f\*\*k used to be my goto default curse word, I also tend to just say “ffffffffff” a lot. (This is, naturally, simply an extended sibilant F, without the satisfying part of the word at the end.) ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/18 "2002-07-20T12:17:50Z")
I use UK cursewords, as they’re not considered dirty over here. "Bloody . . . " and “oh bugger.” Also, cursing in German is quite satisfying. “Verdammte Scheisskopf!!” ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/19 "2002-07-20T13:21:56Z")
Does no-one else here say “Oh, _sugar!!!_” in front of their parents/children? ---
**Author:** ![Neptune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@Neptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptune)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788/20 "2002-07-20T13:33:12Z")
Dagat frak! Smeg! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-invented-to-be-polite/119788.md?page=2)