vulgarity

[Cruise Director]

I was approached by one of my employees yesterday who told me she didn't like the way I used the word "hell" in front of her and asked that I "not use vulgar language in front of her." Now, in my off-work life I would have told her exactly where she could go and have intercourse with herself, but being at work, I apologized for the offensive language and told her I'd try harder not to curse around her.

The entire conversation got me thinking about vulgarity and what makes something "vulgar." According to dictionary.com it means "crudely indecent.." Who decides what is or is not crudely indecent? What makes the word "fuck" indecent all over the globe and the word "fanny" indecent in parts of Australia and nowhere else? These are just words. What makes some words taboo while others are completely acceptable even with the exact same meaning?

You need to take in to account where I live. Utah is a highly religious State where instead of phrases like "Oh my hell!" you will hear "oh my heck!" People, for the most part, don't use foul language here. But what makes language foul? If the meaning of the two phrases above are identical, what makes one vulgar and one acceptable?

I haven't found a lot of information on who or what makes something obscene or profane. The best I can find is that it goes by society's standards. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me and still doesn't answer the question of what makes something profane. I agree that someone may take offense at certain language but that doesn't necessarily make it wrong. We encounter things everday in our lives that we don't agree with or that we might find offensive but language always seems to draw criticism from those who find it offensive.

Anybody want to take a crack at it?

[Jenny]

I'll sure as fuck try. I think what offends some assholes is words that their goddamn parents told the little bastards not to use all the fucking time. Shit like that tends to stick with some people, whereas people whose parents called people "cunts" and "cocksuckers" and then expected their offspring to NOT use those kind of words are just a pain in the ass. Motherfuckers like that just really piss me off. I'm glad as hell my fucking parents weren't like that.

They raised me to be a classy broad.

(If I know this crew, about fifteen people wanted to give an obscene reply first. Nyah nyah, beat you to it.)

[mute]

Where I live, lets say my home town of Fall River, all of us use foul language probably in almost every sentance. By 'us' I mean my friends and the people I hang out with. It's no surprise though, they're either alcoholics or potheads. Our town doesn't have a pub because it's full of 'bible thumpers'.

I grew up being allowed to swear. I can remember swearing in grade 2, telling my dad to fuck off and he would just laugh. Of course I was just trying to be funny. If I told him fuck off when he asked me to wash the dishes.... that wouldn't be funny and I never tried it.

As for your lady employee, you handled it good. I propbably would of handled it different, and worse. I say if you ever see her out of work give her an honest and gentlemen like reply to why you think using the word 'hell' is okay in your opinion.

Shit! I'm still clueless as to how you decide what is offensive and what isn't. I pretty much agree with you. DAMNIT. Hey! I remember when my friend's mom used to get mad when we said "damnit". That's a little over board don't ya think?

I'd say there are certain phrases that are unappropriate. Say this guy is pissing you off and you want to scare him. Saying something like "I'm going to kill you like Hitler killed the Jews" is totally unappropriate. I know because I got one of my gaming accounts banned for saying that to someone. But saying "FUCK" when you stump your toe, that's just a stress and pain reliever.

[PB]

it's all about perspective. Like the word Bitch.. dog breeders may use this term alot in their line of work, and it's completely normal.. go out on the street and call someone a bitch and see what happens. The same exact word that yes means the same type of things.. hell I call myself a bitch half the time, but usually it's because I really am not one. it's context. I don't think a word is necessarily foul, but the way it is used makes a big difference.

Example - the word Dick.
Some people name their kid this...
Some people refer to their penis's as this....
and some people are considered to act like one....
Same word, several meanings.... but context.... is what makes a big difference.
If i'm talking about some one... and I say.. "man, what a dick" well that could be taken two different ways, depending on the context.

I don't think it's the word.. hell.. if i called you a wonderful person, depending on the context and how i say it, it could also be considered as my being vulgar to you ....

[Venus]

If I ever told my dad to fuck off trying to be funny or not, I'd probably get slapped into yesterday. Way back when, before we were all born (yes, even before Wonder if you could believe it), someone decided that certain words just weren't appropriate to be used when others could replace them. That how we get "vulgar" or "rude" language. Shit is considered rude, it could be replaced with crap (which I think sounds worse anyway) or simply poop. Hell is a place that religious people believe to be...well, very very bad. That's what makes it offensive to them (well, some of them).

[Koliedrus]

Context has a lot to do with it. For instance, when I first "met" PB, she learned that I meant no offense when I called her "Bitch". I stopped soon after, though, since it just didn't feel right.

Words. They'll always be an obstacle. What wasn't vulgar before now is (gay, for example. Hoser)

New ones crop up daily. (chode)

Some words are universal. Carlin has a list that the television crowd used to find offensive. Today, they're still *bleeped* but they find their way into radio for free. You can pay for them to be broadcast to your television if you want.

I suppose it depends on the setting.

What's offensive in one situation isn't in another. Sometimes you have to think first and let your mouth follow your brain's lead.

Originally posted by Jenny
(If I know this crew, about fifteen people wanted to give an obscene reply first. Nyah nyah, beat you to it.)

:p

[Escape Artist]

I make people cringe due to my obscene nature and the choice of words...I find it amusing. :p

If'n someone doesn't like it, they do not necessarily have to talk to me in the future.

Then again, in the interests of keeping jobs and otherwise conducting myself professionally I turn into uber-nice EA.

:p

[Venus]

Originally posted by Escape Artist


Then again, in the interests of keeping jobs and otherwise conducting myself professionally I turn into uber-nice EA.

:p

Damnit EA! Why can't I edit your posts? Heh, hit the wrong button at first...anyway...

And ya know, after all that...I don't remember what I was gonna say about that in the first place. FUCK!

[Billyman]

Society did it! Those bastards!

[Escape Artist]

Originally posted by Venus


Damnit EA! Why can't I edit your posts? Heh, hit the wrong button at first...anyway...

And ya know, after all that...I don't remember what I was gonna say about that in the first place. FUCK!

NO KITTY, MY POSTS!

BAD KITTY :mad: