# sh*t *nd f*ck *n p*sts



## .   1

I have noticed a tendency for some posters to use f*ck and f*cken and sh*t.
I was wondering if anybody finds these word constructions to be less offensive than the word with the vowel inserted.

.,,


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## danielfranco

I'm guilty of doing that...

It's just that I never know if anyone is going to be offended if I use the expletive in its full glorious detail. 
And because I want to use the cuss word, I resort to using the f*cking curse without the g*dd*mned vowels just in case anyone wants to give me some sh*t about it. That way I can disingenuously protest, "but I didn't use any mother-scratching, goshdarned, frakking, bull-crapping bad words! I swear!"


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## moura

I speak for myself. I found the words less offensive with the *** But it is a kind of instintive feeling. Of course they may be likely offensive with vowells or ***. It is the intention that counts. It is funny, that with the word f*ck (there I am ) regarding the translation to Portuguese, we pick not the right synonimous = foda-se (uff, I was kind of difficult to write it without ***) but another meaning more light. That should mean that this word is English is more banal (usual) than in the Portuguese use. But of course we use it too, particularly on those stressfull situations, where no other word is better to express one's feeling.


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## Talant

Hi,

I don't usually use swearwords. But when I do, I prefer to write  "$%&#!!!" or "*****" rather than "f*ck". It implies the same, but absolutely nobody is going to be offended. And if he does... &#$% him!


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## ireney

Personally I do several tricks with the F word, not because I find it less offencive but because other people do apparently. I can't really see why since they  "see"_ F asterisk C K _ but they read  "fuck" (am I a good girl or what?)

Dang it all to Heck!!


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## cuchuflete

One way of wr*ting a word is no better or worse than an•ther
when it comes to terms that many people find vulgar and offensive.   
There are a few reason for using the *.

- Some very young people use this site to help with language learning.  While they, and their friends, probably use such words when the parents are not around, the parents are around checking what the kids look at on the computer. The administrator of this site receives quite a lot of strongly worded protest mail just because these words are in the dictionary!  I guess some people cannot distinguish between the use of such words--ugly to many ears--and explanations of their meanings.  I think that's pretty small-minded, but I'm not, thank heavens, in charge of what squirrels live in other people's heads.  

-courtesy:  because we know that the words may be offensive to some people, we acknowledge that by deforming them just a little in writing.  The identity and meaning are still obvious.  

Are there other reasons?   None occurs to me at this hour.


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## panjandrum

I would not use these words in thread titles - in any form.

I am not likely to use them "for real" - meaning as part of my normal conversation.

 If the context requires me to include fuck or shit in a post, for example because they are the topic of the thread, I spell them out in full. It seems to me, probably rather perversely, to be strangely less offensive.

It's rather is if writing f*ck says "I know some people might be offended by this word but I am going to write it anyway," whereas writing fuck says "This is a word that we are seriously discussing from a linguistic perspective."

(Sorry .,, - this comment is not intended to be in any way critical of your thread title )


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## GenJen54

On those few occasions when I feel an explitive is absolutely necessary, like others, I use $#%^&*@!, then let the reader fill in their own blank.

Except when we are discussing curse words, this kind language is not allowed in the forums anyway (quotes a notable example). It is important to keep in mind that since this is an educational site, we do get some younger folks who can get their fill of those words elsewhere. I don't know we need to contribute to the influence.

With that, I'll shut the @#*$&  up!


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## jester.

panjandrum said:


> I would not use these words in thread titles - in any form.
> 
> I am not likely to use them "for real" - meaning as part of my normal conversation.
> 
> If the context requires me to include fuck or shit in a post, for example because they are the topic of the thread, I spell them out in full. It seems to me, probably rather perversely, to be strangely less offensive.
> 
> It's rather is if writing f*ck says "I know some people might be offended by this word but I am going to write it anyway," whereas writing fuck says "This is a word that we are seriously discussing from a linguistic perspective."
> 
> (Sorry .,, - this comment is not intended to be in any way critical of your thread title )



I absolutely agree with you. You described my ideas more aptly than I would have been able to do...


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## papillon

cuchuflete said:


> Some very young people use this site to help with language learning.  While they, and their friends, probably use such words when the parents are not around, the parents are around checking what the kids look at on the computer. The administrator of this site receives quite a lot of strongly worded protest mail just because these words are in the dictionary!  I guess some people cannot distinguish between the use of such words--ugly to many ears--and explanations of their meanings.  I think that's pretty small-minded, but I'm not, thank heavens, in charge of what squirrels live in other people's heads.


I agree completely. In fact, I think parents should be jumping with joy if the "bad influence" on their kids comes from the Word Reference forum.


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## Alxmrphi

I nearly opened a thread here about a similar issue. The issue of censorship and how pointless I think it is, if on TV, they think that "sh*t" means ANYTHING different from "shit". That the word suddenlly becomes invisible  to kids and everyone is happy and nobody would be offended.

Everyone knows what the word is, and I really absolutely fail to see the point in bothering to put an asterisk there when EVERYBODY knows the exact word you're refering to.

It's an issue I am yet to understand about our wonderfully clever but sometimes hidiously stupid race


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## fenixpollo

Alex_Murphy said:


> Everyone knows what the word is, and I really absolutely fail to see the point in bothering to put an asterisk there when EVERYBODY knows the exact word you're refering to.


 I agree, and I notice that the same is true of "faux-fux": freaking, fricking, frakking, effing.... the list could go on. If you're going to say the word, just say it!  Enough of this beating-around-the-bush shizzit! 


> It's an issue I am yet to understand about our wonderfully clever but sometimes hidiously stupid race.


 As moura points out above, some words are offensive in one culture and not so offensive in another.  "Stupid" is a word that is not allowed in my (bilingual-Spanish) house because we consider it vulgar (along with _estúpido_ in Spanish). I don't want my son seeing it and using it.  Therefore, you should all respect my sensibilities and write the word as "st*pid" from now on, so that my internet filters will protect my son from your prurient language.


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## Alxmrphi

Please don't take this the wrong way but I have trouble sensing if your last paragraph was sarcastic or not?
(In the context of the whole of your post)


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## Hakro

Alex_Murphy said:


> Please don't take this the wrong way but I have trouble sensing if your last paragraph was sarcastic or not?
> (In the context of the whole of your post)


I think the whole thread is sarcastic, isn't it?


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## Alxmrphi

Yes that's what I thought, but I didn't wanna say what I was going to without making sure, I make that mistake FAR too often, lol.


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## fenixpollo

fenixpollo said:


> I agree, and I notice that the same is true of "faux-fux": freaking, fricking, frakking, effing.... the list could go on. If you're going to say the word, just say it!  Enough of this beating-around-the-bush shizzit!


Sincere.





fenixpollo said:


> As moura points out above, some words are offensive in one culture and not so offensive in another.  "Stupid" is a word that is not allowed in my (bilingual-Spanish) house because we consider it vulgar (along with _estúpido_ in Spanish). I don't want my son seeing it and using it.  Therefore, you should all respect my sensibilities and write the word as "st*pid" from now on, so that my internet filters will protect my son from your prurient language.


Sarcastic.

Sorry for the confusion.


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## Alxmrphi

That's how I split it in my head.
I'm glad we have the same view on censorsh*t. hehehe.


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## Poetic Device

This is soley my opinion, and I have yet to find anyone that shares them (oh well  ).  Words such as the ones that are used as examples in this thread are just that:  words.  It is up to the person reading/hearing them to take offense to them.  Quite frankly, I find both _fuck _and _f*ck _to have the same effect, but I grew up in a naval family, so it does not affect me as much as it possibly would another person.


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## natasha2000

Personally, when I have to use it (when a context requires it), I put asterisk if I think that I might be deleted because of not using it. This is the only reason I use asterisks.
Bad word is a bad word, and no asterisk will make it less offensive.


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## don maico

But are they bad words or is just perception? To me they are just words which are useful at times because they help to express particular emotions. Having said I am very careful with whom and where I use them. In some forums one would get banned for using them( diotto making any sexual references) on the grounds that they are "family forums"- as if children had never heard of them or that they would be in slightest bit interestted in said forums


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## Poetic Device

I firmly think that they are just words.  People put the meaning that they want behind them.  The same goes for obcene hand gestures.  Example:  I was told that in ASL the gesture that kids do when saying "nah na-nah na-nah nah" (thumb to nose and wiggling the other four digits) really means a form of f*ck you.  How true it is I don't know, but it's an example.


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## luis masci

moura said:


> foda-se (uff, I was kind of difficult to write it without ***)


That is funny to me, because for non natives these words have not the same connotation. 
I knew an American madam who avoided to use the words “ass/arse” instead she said “derriere” because it was less rude for her (all the opposite for French people I suppose  )
Even using the same language; as Argentinean is to me shocking to see written the word “coger” used a lot . But it’s not at all for Spaniards. 
All the same, I may write “chingar” without any problem because to me this word means justly “fail”; but it might be shocking for Mexicans. 
So… all is relative.


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## fenixpollo

luis masci said:


> I knew an American madam who avoided to use the words “ass/arse” instead she said “derriere” because it was less rude for her (all the opposite for French people I suppose).


In the US, "derriere" is a euphemism for the anatomical "ass" (which is never spelled with an "r").  So "derriere" is generally considered a polite word to use.

A woman in the US is called a _lady_ or a _woman_; a "madam" is the director of a house of prostitutes.


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## Poetic Device

fenixpollo said:


> A woman in the US is called a _lady_ or a _woman_; a "madam" is the director of a house of prostitutes.


 
While we are on derrogative words and such, another nice way of saying prostitute is "lady of the evening" from what I understand.


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## Etcetera

. said:


> I have noticed a tendency for some posters to use f*ck and f*cken and sh*t.
> I was wondering if anybody finds these word constructions to be less offensive than the word with the vowel inserted.
> 
> .,,


To me, these word constructions are just as offensive as the original words. But it depends on the context, of course: if there's a thread regarding slang in the Other Languages Forum, for example, it's one thing (and it would be just ridiculous to consider the words given there as examples offensive), and if someone's swearing - it's quite another.


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## don maico

fenixpollo said:


> In the US, "derriere" is a euphemism for the anatomical "ass" (which is never spelled with an "r").  So "derriere" is generally considered a polite word to use.
> 
> A woman in the US is called a _lady_ or a _woman_; a "madam" is the director of a house of prostitutes.


 errmm  - ass is a donkey and butt is the end of a finished  fag which in itself is  a cigarette. Absolutely 100% true


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## Poetic Device

Ass, in America, also is a quasi-vulgar word for the buttocks.


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## don maico

luis masci said:


> That is funny to me, because for non natives these words have not the same connotation.
> I knew an American madam who avoided to use the words “ass/arse” instead she said “derriere” because it was less rude for her (all the opposite for French people I suppose  )
> Even using the same language; as Argentinean is to me shocking to see written the word “coger” used a lot . But it’s not at all for Spaniards.
> All the same, I may write “chingar” without any problem because to me this word means justly “fail”; but it might be shocking for Mexicans.
> So… all is relative.



so to coger conchas en la playa is ok then? -------------------in Spain that is!


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## Poetic Device

don maico said:


> so to coger conchas en la playa is ok then? -------------------in Spain that is!


What does that mean?  I went to translate it with my dictionary and it said to take shells on the beach.  ???????


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## luis masci

don maico said:


> so to coger conchas en la playa is ok then? -------------------in Spain that is!


hehe Don Maico…my advise would be you better keep off this expression in your next travel to Argentina. Otherwise people will misunderstand what you say.


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## natasha2000

Poetic Device said:


> What does that mean? I went to translate it with my dictionary and it said to take shells on the beach. ???????


In Spain - yes. Collect shells on the beach.
In Argentina....   

coger - f*ck
concha - c*nt
playa - stays playa - beach
Figure it out by yourself... 

Luis, creo que Don Maico sabe perfectamente lo que significa.... Sólo le gusta hacerse el sueco...


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## maequitos90

Y "coger" no se refiere a "agarrar algo". :-O


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## don maico

luis masci said:


> hehe Don Maico…my advise would be you better keep off this expression in your next travel to Argentina. Otherwise people will misunderstand what you say.


No worries mate! i dont want to be laughed at

incidentally how do you say shells in Argentine Spanish


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## cirrus

Is it just me or does putting asterisks all over the place serve the opposite of what it sets out to do. To me putting in the asterisk draws more attention to the phrase rather than less.  The same goes for the verbal equivalents - minced oaths for example freaking make me think why don't you put on your big pants and swear  properly, better still just shut up.


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## Poetic Device

Some people use minced oathes because they are trying to be polite in front of certain people (i.e. children) and not curse.


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## don maico

Poetic Device said:


> What does that mean?  I went to translate it with my dictionary and it said to take shells on the beach.  ???????



coger = f**k
concha = c*nt

in Argentina that is. dont ask me why


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