Why do the Irish not realise swearing is offensive?

beks101

I find a certain freedom in it.

Slightly distasteful to litter every sentence with it, but sometimes there really is no other word more expressive than ****

Irish Guitarist

I find it annoying when every second word out if someones mouth is a swear word. It doesn't offend me, it just annoys me.

Swear words lose their impact when you hear too much of them. Working Class Hero by John Lennon contains a couple of swear words and I find it more hard hitting than the average Eminem song where every line contains a swear.

elefant

Ride me sideways.



That was another one.

CJC86

Yorky wrote: »

It's especially cringeworthy when listening to a non-Irish national whom, after being here a while, would make a native blush. I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Is it simply high-level ignorance - Do they actually understand what the words mean?

People using "whom" when they should use "who" is high-level ignorance.

FTA69

BizzyC wrote: »

I live in London, and I can say it's worse here.

The word c*nt gets thrown around an unbelievable amount.

It's the complete opposite. Fair enough if you work in a building site or something, once you start cursing outside of that environment you'll get funny looks to say the least. Swearing is definitely a lot less prevalent in England with "c*nt" never being used in normal conversation.

Sh1tbag OToole

Ah sh1t fcuk it bollox shure feck it there is nothing wrong with it is there?

Daroxtar

Did someone get offended?

conorhal

An awful lot of people do seem to have a problem engaging their 'cop on filter'.
I don't know if it was meant to be deliberately provocative, the individuals simply didn't care or they were simply unaware, but the conversation I heard on the Luas yesterday between two guys about 'wearing the ******* box of some amazing hoors in Amsterdam' was not one the two small kids sat with their young mother opposite them should have to listen to.

On the subject of the simply unaware, I'm frequently amazed at some of the phone conversations poeple have very loudly on a bus or train. Do they imagine that nobody but themselves and the person on the other end of the line can hear them, like a phone creates some kind of magic privacy bubble or something?
I'm thinking particularly of the guy on th DART a while back complaining bitterly to his mother in law about how it's just not right the way his missus humiliates him in front of his children by saying he has a tiny cock.
Again I was sat there thinking,too much information needle dick! Why don't you engage your 'cop-on filter', no it's not right your partner 'belittles you' in front of your kids, but you're doing a pretty effective job of humiliating yourself by announcing what a tiny micky you have to an entire carriage of commuters!

I've no problem with swearing per se, but it is also kind of depressing to be subject to loud conversations in which 'every ******g second ******g word is a ******g swear.
Swearing is grand for effect, for humor, for expression, but it's tiresome when its a substitute for punctuation.

RossyG

I never use bad language myself, but a friend of mine swears like a c*nt.

Plazaman

conorhal wrote: »

Swearing is grand for effect, for humor, for expression, but it's tiresome when its a substitute for punctuation.

Even worse when they use it in the middle of a word for extra punctu-fúcking-ation.

ejmaztec

Plazaman wrote: »

Even worse when they use it in the middle of a word for extra punctu-fúcking-ation.

Absofuckinlutely.

Ghost Buster

Yorky wrote: »

With the exception of this one. It simply displays a distinct lack of vocabulary.

Billy Connolly would beg to differ. he claims that he has a very large vocabulary but has yet to find a suitable alternative to *fukc off.

Sarky

I'll just leave this here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjAyazqtQj8

jimbomalley

Yorky wrote: »

Might've known the sort of replies that Boards would attract...

Jebus, don't we have high opinions of ourself OP? There are plenty of high brow sites out there you can browse at your pleasure. Perhaps you you migrate there and leave boards to us peasants??

ejmaztec

To sum up:

When people are accused of swearing too much, they swear even more at the accuser.:pac:

Miss Lockhart

ejmaztec wrote: »

To sum up:

When people are accused of swearing too much, they swear even more at the accuser.:pac:

I would have said that when people are erroneously accused of being inarticulate and of lacking vocabulary based on nothing more than the fact they enjoy swearing, they swear even more at the user.

ejmaztec

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

I would have said that when people are erroneously accused of being inarticulate and of lacking vocabulary based on nothing more than the fact they enjoy swearing, they swear even more at the user.

I find that the ones who swear the most have severely restricted vocabularies, and the ones swearing less often use more imagination when they have a go at someone.

One of my old bosses could have called me a "useless fucker", but instead, if I screwed up something, used to say "I keep forgetting you're not anywhere near as good as me."

dollypet

Yorky wrote: »

The references to Stephen Fry are a case in point. He knows precisely when to use & when he is using such terms. Could not ascribe ignorance to him.

My last reply to the omnipresent Boards pond life

What LUCKY LUCKY peasants we are to have you show us the error of our ways- Thank you so much kind Sir.

How we have reached this stage in our collective social evolution and not had your guidance before now shocks and terrifies me. How did we do it???

And being a lady and not realising that the sound of some words is whats been making me faint all these years..... will you hold my hand as I cross the street too?

Cursing shows my stupidity...... so if I stop cursing I'll instantly become smarter. Thanks for that insight.


Flawed argument is fúcking flawed like! and at this point fla'd.

Also should you not like the pond, float off on some f'n lilypad.

mikom

Yorky wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Irish swear- just in routine conversation & the more relaxed they seem to be the more profane they get. Men & women alike - young or old - men in front of women, women to women, women to men, even adults in front of children.

It's especially cringeworthy when listening to a non-Irish national whom, after being here a while, would make a native blush. I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Is it simply high-level ignorance - Do they actually understand what the words mean?

Curse a lot up in Monaghan, do they?

brummytom

FTA69 wrote: »

It's the complete opposite. Fair enough if you work in a building site or something, once you start cursing outside of that environment you'll get funny looks to say the least. Swearing is definitely a lot less prevalent in England with "c*nt" never being used in normal conversation.

I wouldn't find that the case at all. In both Birmingham and Manchester, every third word is a fucking swear word with most people, and cunt is definitely used by 90% of lads/men I know, less so by girls/women.

Miss Lockhart

ejmaztec wrote: »

I find that the ones who swear the most have severely restricted vocabularies, and the ones swearing less often use more imagination when they have a go at someone.

As I said before, my experience would be the opposite. Personally I don't swear much, and only in the company of those I know well, but the most articulate and intelligent people I know swear a lot. I doubt they're worried if other people want to underestimate them.

ejmaztec

brummytom wrote: »

I wouldn't find that the case at all. In both Birmingham and Manchester, every third word is a fucking swear word with most people, and cunt is definitely used by 90% of lads/men I know, less so by girls/women.

You must be mixing with them there low-lifes.

I started out working for a firm of Chartered Accountants in the UK, and there were four of us lads in a room. One of the bosses told us that a new "public school" girl was starting with us the following Monday, and we were all told to curb our language. When the Monday arrived, we all suddenly became "frightfully" posh and didn't so much as get a "bloody" into the conversation. This lasted until about half two when the same boss came in to ask the new girl if she'd finished the job that he'd given her to do.

"Fack off, I've barely started it!" She said.

After that it was business as usual.:D

Clareboy

The Irish are the most foul-mouthed of the English speaking peoples. Dublin is now considered to be the gutter language capital of the world and people actually come to Dublin to study it. I am widely traveled and it's always some Irish Thick Mick or Biddy who introduces foul language into the conversation at any international gathering.

Stark

Casse-toi, putain.

J_E

I avoid swearing when I talk, generally speaking. I think if you're going to speak a language where you have a hundred ways to express anything, you may as well not decimate it. When I hear people replace 'err' with 'fucking', it just gives me a headache.

Freddy Smelly

Yorky wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Irish swear- just in routine conversation & the more relaxed they seem to be the more profane they get. Men & women alike - young or old - men in front of women, women to women, women to men, even adults in front of children.

It's especially cringeworthy when listening to a non-Irish national whom, after being here a while, would make a native blush. I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Is it simply high-level ignorance - Do they actually understand what the words mean?

when will the rest of the world realise the the irish swear alot and dont regard it as offense :rolleyes:

Unfortunately, the OP is correct. When you live abroad for a little while you realise how awful it is here.

Its not just the bad language but the fact that using f***ing all the time means that other, more descriptive, words don't form part of the vocabulary any more.


But it's not so much offensive as just ignorant.

ejmaztec

Freddy Smelly wrote: »

when will the rest of the world realise the the irish swear alot and dont regard it as offense :rolleyes:

I know a lot of Irish people who find it offensive, so it's not just the rest of the world.:P

Nodin

Clareboy wrote: »

The Irish are the most foul-mouthed of the English speaking peoples. Dublin is now considered to be the gutter language capital of the world and people actually come to Dublin to study it. I am widely traveled and it's always some Irish Thick Mick or Biddy who introduces foul language into the conversation at any international gathering.

Total crap. "Irish Thick Mick" my bollocks.

Mark Tapley

Clareboy wrote: »

The Irish are the most foul-mouthed of the English speaking peoples. Dublin is now considered to be the gutter language capital of the world and people actually come to Dublin to study it. I am widely traveled and it's always some Irish Thick Mick or Biddy who introduces foul language into the conversation at any international gathering.

For some people travel broadens the mind , for others it just makes them feel superior.

rubadub

Clareboy wrote: »

Dublin is now considered to be the gutter language capital of the world

Was there an award ceremony or something? have you anything to back it up, exactly who considers it? or is it only yourself.

Clareboy wrote: »

Irish Thick Mick or Biddy

I could understand why people would consider you offensive, using phrases like that. I just don't get why people are offended by slang terms for genitals or intercourse. Can you give examples of what you consider "foul language" and logically tell me why?

RossyG

And why does this website have a ****ing **** of a swear filter?

BlaasForRafa

Fup off ya baxtard

RossyG

Melon farmer!

Millicent

Deleted User wrote: »

Unfortunately, the OP is correct. When you live abroad for a little while you realise how awful it is here.

Its not just the bad language but the fact that using f***ing all the time means that other, more descriptive, words don't form part of the vocabulary any more.


But it's not so much offensive as just ignorant.

Someone should have told James Joyce that swearing limits language choice...

who the fug

RossyG wrote: »

And why does this website have a ****ing **** of a swear filter?

to expand our facking ducking ability, so Dublin stays number one

ViveLaVie

Millicent wrote: »

Someone should have told JamesJoyce that swearing limits language choice...

Yeah, to those who claim that swearing is the refuge of the illiterate and indicates a limited vocabulary.. I suppose you find Shakespeare too profane to be clever? He used a lot of 'filthy language' in his day.

Storm 10

Yorky wrote: »

With the exception of this one. It simply displays a distinct lack of vocabulary.

And pray tell what fine piece Nationhood are you from?

Doc Ruby

Yorky wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Irish swear- just in routine conversation & the more relaxed they seem to be the more profane they get. Men & women alike - young or old - men in front of women, women to women, women to men, even adults in front of children.

It's especially cringeworthy when listening to a non-Irish national whom, after being here a while, would make a native blush. I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Is it simply high-level ignorance - Do they actually understand what the words mean?

The sooner you realise that Irish people are basically pirates, the happier you'll be here.

In fairness though this falls under the oul "ignorant generalisations" category. My father, god rest him, never swore, not even after he tore his leg open from knee to knob with a circular saw by accident.

Lenmeister

Yorky wrote: »

Might've known the sort of replies that Boards would attract...

If you knew the reactions you would get then why bother posting? Surely the amount of bad vibes flowing your direction right now should tell you something no? In a day and a half there's 13 pages of responses, mostly about their dislike of your comments.

Yorky wrote: »

Is it simply high-level ignorance

The way you come across just reaks of high level ignorance. Which is surprising since judging from your posts you've been here for a while. If you haven't then I'll take this back but for someone who's been here for a while, why stay if it botheres you so much? I'm sure it exists in all levels of society to some part. I would have thought living here, you would see how relaxed and down to earth Irish people are, and that would rub off on you, but your posts don't come across that way.

Yorky wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Irish swear- just in routine conversation & the more relaxed they seem to be the more profane they get.

Surely from your own sentence here, you'd see that it's just a natural thing the Irish do that isn't meant to offend anyone. Why do you see it as offensive?

Yorky wrote: »

I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Excuse me? That's one of the most rediculous things I've ever heard. You make it sounds like every other english speaking country is filled with only people who use Oxford english dictionary vocabulary. I lived abroad and the people I lived with did not find it in any way offensive. I'm sure plenty of boards people will echo this.

But you're probably right. I guess those reasons you mentioned are what keeps bringing people here to experience the warm easy going friendliness of the Irish people and "the craic". Idiot.

Millicent

Millicent wrote: »

Someone should have told JamesJoyce that swearing limits language choice...

Thats just plain silly.

Anybody read the new Roddy Doyle at Christmas?

Its about 50 pages long and literally 10% of the words are 'feckin'.

Millicent

Deleted User wrote: »

Thats just plain silly.

Anybody read the new Roddy Doyle at Christmas?

Its about 50 pages long a literally 10% of the words are 'feckin'.

What's silly?

elefant

Deleted User wrote: »

Anybody read the new Roddy Doyle at Christmas?

I did yeah, ya big gobshíte.

Shenshen

As a non-native speaker, I can assure you they don't swear more than others.
It's just that for some very odd and unfathomable reason, a lot of the English-speaking world seems to be obsessed about being offended by words. To the point of ****ing or beeping them out where possible.

Germans and French swear just as much, they're just not offended by it. And they'd have no qualms at all teaching their kids new interesting turns of phrase.

sydthebeat

Offence is something that is taken not given.

Personally I find the indifference that irish people treat swear words with is endearing.

kylith

Doc Ruby wrote: »

The sooner you realise that Irish people are basically pirates, the happier you'll be here.

In fairness though this falls under the oul "ignorant generalisations" category. My father, god rest him, never swore, not even after he tore his leg open from knee to knob with a circular saw by accident.

He should have. Swearing like a docker has been proven to increase tolerance to pain.

lilium inter Spinas

I might just be perverse, but as a non-native speaker... I find Irish swearing makes me giggle. I dunno, I kinda like it really. You could probably insult my mother and I'd at the very least smirk (sorry mom).

But don't get me started on Spanish swearing... cause that sh*t just sounds wrong no matter how you say it. >_>;

Lollipops23

I don't mind swearing most situations (besides those people who say fúck literally every second word in a sentence- it just makes them sound feeble minded).

It can add humour to a story or emphasise a point really well.

And I don't know many people who openly swear in inappropriate situations, such as a professional setting or around kids. Dunno what kind of people OP is hanging out with.

Grand Moff Tarkin

Yorky wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me how much the Irish swear- just in routine conversation & the more relaxed they seem to be the more profane they get. Men & women alike - young or old - men in front of women, women to women, women to men, even adults in front of children.

It's especially cringeworthy when listening to a non-Irish national whom, after being here a while, would make a native blush. I sometimes contemplate the rude awakening they will get if they move on to another English-speaking country.

Is it simply high-level ignorance - Do they actually understand what the words mean?

Don't go near Australia if you are offended with such ease.

Eve_Dublin

Grand Moff Tarkin wrote: »

Don't go near Australia if you are offended with such ease.

Or Spain. C*nt is a bit like our use of "man" in Dublin. My personal favourite is, "I **** on the Holy Communion" or "I **** on god". First time I heard that I was :eek: