• gerryflap@feddit.nl
    0·
    2 months ago

    Because words have different weight for different people. I feel like Americans are so sensitive about words like “fuck” (and many other words). Here in the Netherlands I grew up with much more liberal use of swear words. So to me it’s way less harsh to say “fuck this rain” or something, it’s just a way to communicate my feelings about the rain, just like I’d say “kutweer” in Dutch. Saying it in a more eloquent way, i.e. “this rain is pretty suboptimal” would not accurately convey my feelings.

      • scoobford@lemmy.zip
        0·
        2 months ago

        Except violence, supposedly.

        I’m american, so I obviously wouldn’t know. Overseas travel is fuckin expensive…

    • Bob@feddit.nl
      0·
      2 months ago

      “Fuck” and “kut” don’t have the same weight and it’s as simple as that. I can go around saying “kanker” everything and I won’t feel a thing, because Dutch isn’t my mother tongue.

  • Zier@fedia.io
    0·
    2 months ago

    Swearing is actually normal for all people. Any word can be classified as a “swear” or “bad” word. That’s how language works. There is nothing wrong with using a word that is deemed a cuss word. The actual “bad” part is always the context the word is used in. If you smacked your foot into a chair accidentally and you called the chair a Bastard, you used the expletive correctly. But if you walked into work one morning and walked by your boss and said to him, “Good morning you Bastard.”, that’s going to get you in trouble. The context matters.

    You can make any word a cuss word in the context you use it. You can ask a person if they like Bananas, “Are you a banana eater?”. Or you can accuse a person, “What kind of a sick banana eater are you? What is wrong with you?”, ‘banana eater’ is now a bad phrase/thing.

    Context in language always matters, regardless of the taboo of a word/phrase.

    Words only have power over you if you let them. Language is to be used, enjoyed and laughed at.

    • morrowind@lemmy.ml
      0·
      2 months ago

      You can’t entirely remove a word from it’s main meaning and there’s a reason all popular swear words are negative or taboo things, fuck, damn, hell etc

      • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.works
        0·
        2 months ago

        Well gosh darnit the study of etymology is gonna want a word (hehe) with you. a faggot used to be an old unpleasant woman who was like baggage, as difficult to carry around as a bundle of sticks which was also called a faggot. Brits smoke fags.

        Literally is another example. Through use, it now has a secondary definition which is exactly the opposite of its primary one. (figurative, emphasis)There are less popular examples but your premise as i understand it is just wrong friend

        • morrowind@lemmy.ml
          0·
          2 months ago

          I didn’t say the main meaning can’t change, just that you can’t remove it from said meaning by using it in a different context

            • morrowind@lemmy.ml
              0·
              2 months ago

              The main meaning of a word can change, but at any given time, you can’t use the word in a different context, and expect how people receive it to be completely divorced from its current main meaning

              • Zier@fedia.io
                0·
                2 months ago

                This is true, which is why context matters. Like if you love a song so much and say, “That’s sick!”, people might think you mean “ill” and assume something negative.

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
    0·
    2 months ago

    Everything has its place - swearing is great for communicating intense emotions.

    But for me, swearing for no reason just makes you appear overly-dramatic, or that you have a limited vocabulary and don’t know a more useful word. I’ll probably ignore half of what you say.

    Here’s relevant documentation

    Plus y’all are ruining swearing. If everyone is rebelling against social convention, then rebelling against social convention no longer has value. What’s the point of swearing being normal? It no longer has any power or purpose

  • PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    2 months ago

    Why is it not for some people? Serious question - seems like a few mixed in here and there would be the norm but I’m not sure tbh. But just based on movies, tv, etc, that’s what I’m accustomed to hearing. And real life too.

    • neidu2@feddit.nl
      0·
      2 months ago

      Technically not a sailor, but I’ve worked on ships enough for it to have a noticeable effect on my English vocabulary.

      STORY TIME

      15ish years ago I was on a ship in Brazil on a steady rotation. It was a two vessel operation, and I had to pay the other ship a visit for some technical work.
      Onboard there was this petite older catholic lady who showed me around where my cabin was, where to find linen and all that. She spoke English with a heavy accent, but it was fine, and I had no problem understanding her. It quickly became apparent that she’d learned most of her English in this environment. Think about the accent of Conzuela from Family Guy: “…and here is the bathroom for when you have a massive shit.” Those words came as unexpected as suckerpunch and I really struggled to keep a straight face.

  • Chadus_Maximus@lemm.ee
    0·
    2 months ago

    Because the cunts at social media companies want to censor every fucking thing. I don’t want to swear, but I am forced to do so In order to fill the chasm left by any large company deciding to be thought police and robbing us of our ability to use colorful language.

    Also the way words “retard” and “retarded” sound is funny, so I opt to use them any time I need to refer to someone or something stupid.

  • Tazerface@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    2 months ago

    I’ve read that swearing is the sign of an honest person.

    Studies have shown that swearing makes dealing with pain easier.

  • Kimdracula@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    2 months ago

    Because life fucking sucks, unless I’m in a church I’ll swear all the fuck I want, life is tortuous enough already, let me have that. And right now I’m angry.