News reporting

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

It must be remembered that the English language is still a growing language and probably always will be. What is and is not considered to be acceptable, be it in phraseology, pronunciation or the context that a word is used in, changes day by day. What our parents considered to be swearing or cursing is quite probably either ignored, or just plain forgotten about, by each and every single one of us.

 

What we have grown up seeing as rude, coarse and socially unacceptable will be seen totally differently by those that come along after us - and there is nothing that can be done about it.

 

 

 

Stop with the censorship, just print the words in full, and teach children when and where it's appropriate/acceptable to use such 'colourful' language.  For example, one wouldn't swear in church.

 

 

 

 

Yes, stop the censorship - but compel swearing in church. All religion is a lie, inflicted upon us as a control mechanism by the rich and powerful.

 

What we have grown up seeing as rude, coarse and socially unacceptable will be seen totally differently by those that come along after us - and there is nothing that can be done about it.

 

 

 

Blimey, and there was me thinking we were about the same age.  As for nothing that can be done about it, are you seriously considering that every single person younger than us will never take into consideration anything someone older than them says?  Not every person is a sheep; hell, not everyone of our own age holds the same opinion on swearing.

 

Why would you want to encourage someone to swear in church?  If people want to have religious beliefs then provided they don't interfere with my way of life, fine by me.  Just because I'm not a Christian doesn't mean I don't possess enough nouse to realise that if I attend a place of worship that by doing so, I'm expected to behave in a certain manner.  Swearing in front of a vicar?  In a place of worship?  Nope, I wouldn't.  However, if they crossed my threshold, different matter.  I'd be adopting acceptable behaviour in 'their house' but in my house, different rules apply.  Now if that flies against the etiquette of society, then define society - because it's not an offence to use lewd language as far as I'm aware in your own home provided you're not heard out in the street.  

[George.]

 

It must be remembered that the English language is still a growing language and probably always will be. What is and is not considered to be acceptable, be it in phraseology, pronunciation or the context that a word is used in, changes day by day. What our parents considered to be swearing or cursing is quite probably either ignored, or just plain forgotten about, by each and every single one of us.

 

What we have grown up seeing as rude, coarse and socially unacceptable will be seen totally differently by those that come along after us - and there is nothing that can be done about it.

 

 

 

Stop with the censorship, just print the words in full, and teach children when and where it's appropriate/acceptable to use such 'colourful' language.  For example, one wouldn't swear in church.

 

 

 

 

Yes, stop the censorship - but compel swearing in church. All religion is a lie, inflicted upon us as a control mechanism by the rich and powerful.

 

What we have grown up seeing as rude, coarse and socially unacceptable will be seen totally differently by those that come along after us - and there is nothing that can be done about it.

 

 

 

Blimey, and there was me thinking we were about the same age.  As for nothing that can be done about it, are you seriously considering that every single person younger than us will never take into consideration anything someone older than them says?  Not every person is a sheep; hell, not everyone of our own age holds the same opinion on swearing.

 

Why would you want to encourage someone to swear in church?  If people want to have religious beliefs then provided they don't interfere with my way of life, fine by me.  Just because I'm not a Christian doesn't mean I don't possess enough nouse to realise that if I attend a place of worship that by doing so, I'm expected to behave in a certain manner.  Swearing in front of a vicar?  In a place of worship?  Nope, I wouldn't.  However, if they crossed my threshold, different matter.  I'd be adopting acceptable behaviour in 'their house' but in my house, different rules apply.  Now if that flies against the etiquette of society, then define society - because it's not an offence to use lewd language as far as I'm aware in your own home provided you're not heard out in the street.  

 

 

 

It must be remembered that the English language is still a growing language and probably always will be. What is and is not considered to be acceptable, be it in phraseology, pronunciation or the context that a word is used in, changes day by day. What our parents considered to be swearing or cursing is quite probably either ignored, or just plain forgotten about, by each and every single one of us.

 

What we have grown up seeing as rude, coarse and socially unacceptable will be seen totally differently by those that come along after us - and there is nothing that can be done about it.

 

 

 

Stop with the censorship, just print the words in full, and teach children when and where it's appropriate/acceptable to use such 'colourful' language.  For example, one wouldn't swear in church.

 

 

 

 

Yes, stop the censorship - but compel swearing in church. All religion is a lie, inflicted upon us as a control mechanism by the rich and powerful.

 

What we have grown up seeing as rude, coarse and socially unacceptable will be seen totally differently by those that come along after us - and there is nothing that can be done about it.

 

 

 

Blimey, and there was me thinking we were about the same age.  As for nothing that can be done about it, are you seriously considering that every single person younger than us will never take into consideration anything someone older than them says?  Not every person is a sheep; hell, not everyone of our own age holds the same opinion on swearing.

 

Why would you want to encourage someone to swear in church?  If people want to have religious beliefs then provided they don't interfere with my way of life, fine by me.  Just because I'm not a Christian doesn't mean I don't possess enough nouse to realise that if I attend a place of worship that by doing so, I'm expected to behave in a certain manner.  Swearing in front of a vicar?  In a place of worship?  Nope, I wouldn't.  However, if they crossed my threshold, different matter.  I'd be adopting acceptable behaviour in 'their house' but in my house, different rules apply.  Now if that flies against the etiquette of society, then define society - because it's not an offence to use lewd language as far as I'm aware in your own home provided you're not heard out in the street.  

 

 

Haahaa, we're probably not that different in age, but in opinion - well, that's possibly a different story

 

As to swearing in church, that was no more than flippancy, but I still believe that religion is no more than a control mechanism. That would not cause me to be discourteous, though.

 

As to the etiquette of society, that will continue to change and change for the rest of time. Look at the history of the society that we live in. There are so many things that are acceptable nowadays that not so long ago would have immediately got you sacked, arrested or divorced, and quite possibly all three at once. Society, and the etiquette that it wears, will continue to change. By religious beliefs, by fashion, style, education, technology and everything else that wraps itself around us. Not only that, but our use of language will continue to alter too. Again, look at history to see the changes that happened in the past.

 

Now, where did I put my pension book   

Edited July 23, 2015 by George.

[MuckleJoannie]

What is acceptable changes over time. I hear the f word on tv just after 9pm on the tv and hardly anyone raises an eyebrow. Yet I was watching some archive footage recently from the 60's where the n word was used without anyone batting an eyelid. Say that nowadays on tv and it would be front page news.

[Wheelsup]

This devalues swearing  as overuse diminishes shock value, of Vourse English will be replaced by Scots shortly so will not be allowed to use any English swearwords either

[Colin]

Sadly, I hear the 'F' and 'C' words bandied about in offices and on public transport every day and, typically, it is the younger generation that is using these words. 

 

As I said earlier, it doesn't bother me to much but, particularly on public transport, I see older members of the population 'cringe' when it starts.

 

It seems that the use of expletetives is becoming more socially acceptable but, I would much prefer it's usage curtailed to more appropriate circumstances than just 'general talk'.  

Pity is that a lot of people have to resort to this form of 'speak' as they do not have the vocabulary to describe things otherwise.

[MuckleJoannie]

The quality of invective in fights has fallen over the years. I read a court case recently about a punch up in Scalloway from the Shetland Times in 1929. It was started by one person calling another a snipe, who retaliated by calling him a fat elphant.

[Scorrie]

There's a time and a place for everything IMO.

 

Using the more choice sweary words in public is impolite to say the least. It shows a completely arrogant lack of consideration for those around you*. You wanna swear? Crack on, but I shouldn't have to listen to it if I don't want to.

 

Like I said, I'll eff and blind in the company of those of my friends who are not bothered by it, yet I would never, ever speak like that if i was in a larger social group - say in a restaurant or on a bus.

 

Regarding the online/in print aspect, it's not 'censorship', it's a question of what is worth reporting and what isn't. Just trawling out swear words and putting it into the public domain under the banner of journalism doesn't really wash with me. It just smacks of lazy space filling. And the old line of "don't read it then" is somewhat jaded to say the least.

I know people swear, but that doesn't mean I want it stuffing in my face every time I go to read the paper. The same as I know people die in car crashes, but I don't need pictures of bloodstained car wreckage to tell me what a car crash looks line etc, etc, etc. 

 

*On a flight from Aberdeen to Brum last year, one 'gentleman' was told in no uncertain terms by the cabin crew if he didn't stop f-ing and c-ing all the time, he'd be hoofed off and arrested. I don't recall anyone on the flight rushing to defend the loudmouth at all. In fact I reckon he was lucky not to get a knuckle sarnie from a couple of blokes sat in front of me with their kids. 

Edited July 27, 2015 by Scorrie