So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[tonyb]

^^^^^
I’ve read that before, and I’ve also read that that account is looked upon quite skeptically by etymologists.

Although there is agreement that it was once not considered vulgar. It meant something akin to “strike” or “penetrate,” so it takes little imagination to see how it came to mean what it does today.

 

[tonyb]

Oh, and yes, when I drop something heavy on my toes the F-word might be the first thing to cross my lips. Either that, or the name of my Lord and Savior. Or a mashup of the two.

 

[GHT]

^^^^^
I’ve read that before, and I’ve also read that that account is looked upon quite skeptically by etymologists.

Although there is agreement that it was once not considered vulgar. It meant something akin to “strike” or “penetrate,” so it takes little imagination to see how it came to mean what it does today.

Penetrate? What's penetrate got to do with the moron that pulls out of the junction right in front of you, or runs the red light causing you to utter that word? Truth be told I think it more than say it. The acronym FFS has saved me from saying aloud, that which comes to mind, when a motoring moron instigates a life threatening reaction to their stupidity.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^
Not much. Which is really beside the point. Jesus H. Christ ain’t got much to do with it, either, yet we say that in anger or frustration, too.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Has anyone noticed? Immigrants to the English speaking countries all seem to learn about two to three hundred words that gets them by until they master the intricacies of the language, yet they all learn, no matter where they come from, the 'F' word profanity. So many times I have heard someone speaking a language I don't comprehend, perhaps on their phone, then, right out of the blue, and in English, they might say: "You must be f-----g joking!" Is the 'F' profanity in our language so grammatically poignant? Or do the non-English speakers pick up on the universal use of the profane amongst native English speakers?

The first thing that the two brothers whom we adopted from Russia learned at school from the other kids was how to curse in English. They, in turn, tutored their classmates in Russian maladicta.

A little girl in the younger one's second grade class (She was also fluent in Russian: there were a number of such immigrant families in our suburb. Scuttlebutt was that cash flushed Russian mob types moved their wives and kids to our suburban US village out of safety concerns over having them stay in Russia.) told the teacher that he had a "... really filthy mouth." Growing up in an orphanage teaches that, we'll presume. Aren't cross cultural exchanges wonderful?

 

[Zombie_61]

^^^^^
I’ve read that before, and I’ve also read that that account is looked upon quite skeptically by etymologists.

Although there is agreement that it was once not considered vulgar. It meant something akin to “strike” or “penetrate,” so it takes little imagination to see how it came to mean what it does today.

Somewhere around here I have a documentary on DVD about the "F" word, and the truth is that no modern scholars or etymologists know how it came to be. The "Found Under" story is a nice bit of possible history that ties it up nicely, but there is apparently no actual evidence to support any theories on how the word came into existence.

 

[Touchofevil]

Yeah, it’s as if they forgot that part of “camping” is doing without all the conveniences of modern civilization.

I avoid campgrounds in state and national parks. People get packed in cheek by jowl, and you end up knowing a lot more about your immediate fellow campers than you’d ever wish to.

There are a few state parks that we enjoy, but the privately owned parks have been our favorite. This was a nice campground in the sense that we had space, we were about 15 feet from the water, and surrounded by some really cool neighbors. It is a family owned campground without hookups. We all know this going in. I am always confused as to why it is that they need a generator on all day, but there is always at least one bonehead. Overall, we had a great time. Great weather/temperatures and sites, I am looking forward to the next trip.

 

[tonyb]

Somewhere around here I have a documentary on DVD about the "F" word, and the truth is that no modern scholars or etymologists know how it came to be. The "Found Under" story is a nice bit of possible history that ties it up nicely, but there is apparently no actual evidence to support any theories on how the word came into existence.

Do you recall the name of that documentary?

 

[Zombie_61]

Do you recall the name of that documentary?

Yes Sir, it was called, simply, "F***" or "F***, A Documentary" (2005). It's mostly comedians, actors, and journalists discussing the word and it's use in more modern times, but a bit of the word's history was thrown in for good measure (and probably to give the documentary a bit of legitimacy).

 

[Harp]

There was a time when the 'F' word wasn't profane. Had you lived in Medieval times and got caught dipping your wick into anywhere other than your spouse's vajayjay, you might find yourself hauled before the courts, where, if you were unlucky enough to be told that you are guilty, the judge would imprison you for being:
Found
Under
Carnal
Knowledge.
You would spend your incarceration with other prisoners who have also been caught "flagrante delicto." The occupants of the cell were known as: Well I'm sure that you can work out the acronym.

Back in law school days wandering to Medieval England and the development of Common Law
in the Assize it was often a Tort of Misadventure to kill the King's deer and the like stuff.
But you really can never find too much of that concubitus malum in see stuff or the next tier
malum prohibitum pedicabo invenerunt autum sub carnis scientia case analysis review....

 

[tonyb]

2300 hours on July 10 and the local amateur pyrotechnicians are still celebrating our nation’s independence.

 

[ChrisB]

Oh, and yes, when I drop something heavy on my toes the F-word might be the first thing to cross my lips. Either that, or the name of my Lord and Savior. Or a mashup of the two.

In that situation I use a compound form involving an immediate ancestor.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

The first thing that the two brothers whom we adopted from Russia learned at school from the other kids was how to curse in English. They, in turn, tutored their classmates in Russian maladicta.

A little girl in the younger one's second grade class (She was also fluent in Russian: there were a number of such immigrant families in our suburb. Scuttlebutt was that cash flushed Russian mob types moved their wives and kids to our suburban US village out of safety concerns over having them stay in Russia.) told the teacher that he had a "... really filthy mouth." Growing up in an orphanage teaches that, we'll presume. Aren't cross cultural exchanges wonderful?

The opening scene from one of my favorite comedies:

 

[Hercule]

Maybe there is a need for a new one. Something to do with buggery, maybe, seeing how references to the vanilla version are no longer taboo.

Yes indeed a new one, but it should be universal in it's shock value. Not all expletives have meaning outside of their country of origin. Case in point. My dad always referred to "little bugger" this, or "a bugger of a time" that. It meant nothing to him or those usually in his company. Except, that is, Lavinia, the young Scottish girl who used to work with my mom and was a friend of the family. It was funny to see her reaction. Her eyes would get enormous and she'd scold my dad for swearing. We of course didn't understand.

Perhaps the "C" word could fill the void. Seems to be used more popularly in Britain than the US. Speaking of which, some years ago, we picked my son up from school (must have been 5th grade or so) and shortly after he got in the car he blurted out that Mr. Soandso had used the C word in class. Needless to say that caught our attention really fast. Oh? we enquired. What word was that? we feigned. Turns out he said "crap." Ah the innocence of elementary school. To be fair though, my mom used to scold me for saying "crap" all the time. That and "geez". the latter probably too close to Jesus for her liking. I've got to check the etymology of these words some day. I didn't think I was swearing, and to think I could have done so much better at it too!

 

[tonyb]

You know how on those “reality” home-improvement TV shows they blur out the logos of certain products and contractors and the like? You know, like on house wrap and truck doors and concrete mixers? And not on others?

Product placement, eh?

 

[Edward]

Oh, and yes, when I drop something heavy on my toes the F-word might be the first thing to cross my lips. Either that, or the name of my Lord and Savior. Or a mashup of the two.

I'll never forget my second form English teacher telling us that "Swearing every other word is a sign of a limited vocabulary, but it's a remarkable person that can hit their thumb with a hammer and not say something very rude."

^^^^
Not much. Which is really beside the point. Jesus H. Christ ain’t got much to do with it, either, yet we say that in anger or frustration, too.

I cracked up at Outlander when she came out with "Jesus H Roosevelt Christ"!

2300 hours on July 10 and the local amateur pyrotechnicians are still celebrating our nation’s independence.

We're likely due a run of it here if they Sassenachs win the kicky-ball tonight. It's been quite funny - we don't watch it at all, but we've been able to tell the result of the last few England games from the noises round the neighbourhood.

Yes indeed a new one, but it should be universal in it's shock value. Not all expletives have meaning outside of their country of origin. Case in point. My dad always referred to "little bugger" this, or "a bugger of a time" that. It meant nothing to him or those usually in his company. Except, that is, Lavinia, the young Scottish girl who used to work with my mom and was a friend of the family. It was funny to see her reaction. Her eyes would get enormous and she'd scold my dad for swearing. We of course didn't understand.

Perhaps the "C" word could fill the void. Seems to be used more popularly in Britain than the US. Speaking of which, some years ago, we picked my son up from school (must have been 5th grade or so) and shortly after he got in the car he blurted out that Mr. Soandso had used the C word in class. Needless to say that caught our attention really fast. Oh? we enquired. What word was that? we feigned. Turns out he said "crap." Ah the innocence of elementary school. To be fair though, my mom used to scold me for saying "crap" all the time. That and "geez". the latter probably too close to Jesus for her liking. I've got to check the etymology of these words some day. I didn't think I was swearing, and to think I could have done so much better at it too!

Always fascinating how things travel. In Ireland, 'feck' is a mild swear, on the level of damn or bloody, perhaps. A bit naughty, but it wouldn't get the reaction of the other eff word. As it has travelled into Britain since the 90s, however - largely off the back of the popularity of Father Ted, it has become used as a euphemism for that other word, despite having a whole etymology of its own.

As to said, other, eff word, I always thought it to be Anglo-Saxon, but who knows...

 

[tonyb]

Yes indeed a new one, but it should be universal in it's shock value. Not all expletives have meaning outside of their country of origin. Case in point. My dad always referred to "little bugger" this, or "a bugger of a time" that. It meant nothing to him or those usually in his company. Except, that is, Lavinia, the young Scottish girl who used to work with my mom and was a friend of the family. It was funny to see her reaction. Her eyes would get enormous and she'd scold my dad for swearing. We of course didn't understand.

Perhaps the "C" word could fill the void. Seems to be used more popularly in Britain than the US. Speaking of which, some years ago, we picked my son up from school (must have been 5th grade or so) and shortly after he got in the car he blurted out that Mr. Soandso had used the C word in class. Needless to say that caught our attention really fast. Oh? we enquired. What word was that? we feigned. Turns out he said "crap." Ah the innocence of elementary school. To be fair though, my mom used to scold me for saying "crap" all the time. That and "geez". the latter probably too close to Jesus for her liking. I've got to check the etymology of these words some day. I didn't think I was swearing, and to think I could have done so much better at it too!

I was raised in a home with a man who rarely uttered a sentence without at least one swear word. But even he didn’t say the F-word.

I don’t recall ever not knowing that I wasn’t allowed to speak that way, although “hell” and “darn” and “crap”were permissible but “damn” and “sh*t” weren’t. If Mom used a word or phrase, it was okay for the kids to use it too. That was just understood.

It wasn’t the only way in which the self-appointed, self-regarding “head of household” was exceptional.

 

[tonyb]

I'll never forget my second form English teacher telling us that "Swearing every other word is a sign of a limited vocabulary ..."

I’ve heard numerous variations on that basic idea. And it might be true, but no more so than the endless repetition of pet words and phrases.

In my experience, that observation is usually made by people looking to silence the swearer by belittling him.

 

[Harp]

I'll never forget my second form English teacher telling us that .......

Off topic I realize, strayed a tangent

I recently remarked Shakespeare ...occasioned remembrance that my English master Brother Sloan-a curmudgeon's curmudgeon and most cantankerous ba***rd adamantly insisted that Romeo did not love
Juliet, but was in love with love itself. Vaguely recall he once muttered "flick" as regards Romeo,
whom he truly despised...brought back a memory...

 

[Edward]

Off topic I realize, strayed a tangent

I recently remarked Shakespeare ...occasioned remembrance that my English master Brother Sloan-a curmudgeon's curmudgeon and most cantankerous ba***rd adamantly insisted that Romeo did not love
Juliet, but was in love with love itself. Vaguely recall he once muttered "flick" as regards Romeo,
whom he truly despised...brought back a memory...

I think few people really caught on to the true nature of R&J until Baz Luhrman perfectly skewered it as teenage infatuation, and nothing more. A more common crime, though, is people thinking Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra were in love with anyone other than themselves.