Profanities [split from: What are you currently reading? (part 2)]

[vijayjohn]

Like bad American sit-com where the canned laughter can't get enough of how someone keeps saying "fuck".

Wait a sec--what American sitcom are you watching that has both canned laughter and someone saying "fuck"?

Dunno about "fuck," but I swear there's an episode of Friends where someone (Rachel?) is babysitting but accidentally mutters "shit" in front of the baby, who then repeats this word to her dismay.

[Varislintu]

Like bad American sit-com where the canned laughter can't get enough of how someone keeps saying "fuck".

Wait a sec--what American sitcom are you watching that has both canned laughter and someone saying "fuck"?

Dunno about "fuck," but I swear there's an episode of Friends where someone (Rachel?) is babysitting but accidentally mutters "shit" in front of the baby, who then repeats this word to her dismay.

"Shit", "fuck", same thing. But yeah, I forgot about how bad words are a no-no on American TV. Maybe there hasn't been a combination of the two (swear words and canned laughter).

[vijayjohn]

Like bad American sit-com where the canned laughter can't get enough of how someone keeps saying "fuck".

Wait a sec--what American sitcom are you watching that has both canned laughter and someone saying "fuck"?

Dunno about "fuck," but I swear there's an episode of Friends where someone (Rachel?) is babysitting but accidentally mutters "shit" in front of the baby, who then repeats this word to her dismay.

"Shit", "fuck", same thing. But yeah, I forgot about how bad words are a no-no on American TV. Maybe there hasn't been a combination of the two (swear words and canned laughter).

What I remember is they're a no-no until midnight. And I'm pretty sure this episode I mentioned had a laugh track (like all episodes from Friends), and I'm very sure that they said "shit" in it because I was watching it in my late grandma's house in India (her TV had a few American channels on it), and she saw that part with me and asked me in English with an innocent smile, "What did she say? Shit?" She only knew one swearword in Malayalam and none in English.

[loqu]

How is 'shit' a bad word?

In Spain it isn't, it's on TV practically all the time.

But then again, Latin Americans come here and say we're impolite because we say it all the time, too.

[linguoboy]

How is 'shit' a bad word?

In Spain it isn't, it's on TV practically all the time.

Weird. It's almost like different languages and different societies also differ in their linguistics taboos or something.

I don't know what vijayjohn could be remembering. "Shit" is not permitted on broadcast television in the United States, full stop. There are no allowances for late-night broadcasts and Friends was a primetime series in any case. (In other words, videoclip or it didn't happen.)

[loqu]

I don't know what vijayjohn could be remembering. "Shit" is not permitted on broadcast television in the United States, full stop. There are no allowances for late-night broadcasts and Friends was a primetime series in any case. (In other words, videoclip or it didn't happen.)

It is not permitted on any time period? I mean, 'shit' and other harder words (like 'fuck') are said quite often on Homeland. Isn't that broadcast television? (TV in the US works differently from Europe and I don't quite know how it works over there)

[vijayjohn]

"Shit" is not permitted on broadcast television in the United States, full stop. There are no allowances for late-night broadcasts

And what's your citation for that?

[linguoboy]

It is not permitted on any time period? I mean, 'shit' and other harder words (like 'fuck') are said quite often on Homeland. Isn't that broadcast television? (TV in the US works differently from Europe and I don't quite know how it works over there)

No, it's not. Homeland is carried by Showtime, a cable channel.

It really is something of an archaic distinction given that 5 out of 6 American households subscribe to some form of pay TV. Honestly, I'm surprised this form of censorship has not only lasted as long as it has but has spread to other media channels (such as YouTube).

"Shit" is not permitted on broadcast television in the United States, full stop. There are no allowances for late-night broadcasts

And what's your citation for that?

https://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/obscenity-indecency-and-profanity

[Prowler]

I think I've seen the words "bastard" and "bitch" being censored on American TV before. I didn't know they were considered cursing. And I've seen people referring to the word "hell"(as in "get the hell outta there!") as a curse word/expression as well, which I find odd.

[vijayjohn]

I think of both "bitch" and "hell" as cursewords but not really "bastard."

[Prowler]

I think of both "bitch" and "hell" as cursewords but not really "bastard."

Seems odd to me, considering bitch is basically a female dog. And our version of it is "cabra" which also means goat. As for hell, it means, well, hell.

So, what exactly makes something a "curse word".

[vijayjohn]

I think of both "bitch" and "hell" as cursewords but not really "bastard."

Seems odd to me, considering bitch is basically a female dog. And our version of it is "cabra" which also means goat. As for hell, it means, well, hell.

Calling someone a dog is pretty insulting in a lot of cultures (and calling someone female may be insulting in even more cultures...), and hell is supposed to be this horrible place where bad people go after they die.

[Prowler]

I think of both "bitch" and "hell" as cursewords but not really "bastard."

Seems odd to me, considering bitch is basically a female dog. And our version of it is "cabra" which also means goat. As for hell, it means, well, hell.

Calling someone a dog is pretty insulting in a lot of cultures (and calling someone female may be insulting in even more cultures...), and hell is supposed to be this horrible place where bad people go after they die.

Don't Muslims consider it a huge insult to call someone a dog?

Well, the word/expression "hell/what the hell" clearly stems from religion, but it'd odd how it's only a curse word depending on the context.

And it's odd how "female dog" or, in my language, "goat" have become insults to ill temped girls/women. I wonder what's the origin.

[vijayjohn]

Don't Muslims consider it a huge insult to call someone a dog?

At least some do. Apparently, dogs are seen as unclean scavengers in Islam.

Well, the word/expression "hell/what the hell" clearly stems from religion, but it'd odd how it's only a curse word depending on the context.

Oh, you mean it's not a curse word in a religious context, but it is otherwise? Well, I guess the way I see it at least is that it's a pretty important word in a religious context (although even there, you get people using other terms like "purgatory" instead), but outside that context, it's hard to see a reason why you'd bring up the place where bad people are supposed to go after they die in casual conversation. (And I'm sure some people think bringing it up is offensive).

And it's odd how "female dog" or, in my language, "goat" have become insults to ill temped girls/women. I wonder what's the origin.

Well, considering how insulting it can be to call someone a dog, I don't think it's surprising that "female dog" is also insulting and applied to girls or women because they're female, too. And goats are known for causing a lot of property damage, so maybe that's why they're not looked upon too favorably, either.

[Prowler]

Don't Muslims consider it a huge insult to call someone a dog?

At least some do. Apparently, dogs are seen as unclean scavengers in Islam.

Well, the word/expression "hell/what the hell" clearly stems from religion, but it'd odd how it's only a curse word depending on the context.

What do you mean "depending on the context"?

And it's odd how "female dog" or, in my language, "goat" have become insults to ill temped girls/women. I wonder what's the origin.

Well, considering how insulting it can be to call someone a dog, I don't think it's surprising that "female dog" is also insulting and applied to girls or women because they're female, too. And goats are known for causing a lot of property damage, so maybe that's why they're not looked upon too favorably, either.

Well, just saying something like "sinners go to hell" doesn't seem to be considered cursing, from what I've seen. It just seems to be considered cursing when people say "what the hell?!" or "Hell," before a sentence.

[vijayjohn]

Yeah, I figured that's what you meant, so I edited my post while you were writing your reply. Sorry.

[Bubulus]

How is 'shit' a bad word?

In Spain it isn't, it's on TV practically all the time.

But then again, Latin Americans come here and say we're impolite because we say it all the time, too.

Well, that, and your common use of the interjection joder. I don't think the stereotype of Spaniards is about being impolite though, just foul-mouthed.

[Saim]

I think of both "bitch" and "hell" as cursewords but not really "bastard."

Seems odd to me, considering bitch is basically a female dog. And our version of it is "cabra" which also means goat. As for hell, it means, well, hell.

Calling someone a dog is pretty insulting in a lot of cultures (and calling someone female may be insulting in even more cultures...), and hell is supposed to be this horrible place where bad people go after they die.

I'll go on a limb here and say that "hell" isn't really a swear word in Australia, or at least that it's more acceptable than in the US. Same with "God" - I was surprised to hear lots of Americans self-censor "oh my God" to "oh my gosh", because the only people I remember doing that in Australia were some fundamentalist Christians. I dunno how common that is but I remember when I was in Hawai'i I heard some non-religious people saying it.

[linguoboy]

How is 'shit' a bad word?

In Spain it isn't, it's on TV practically all the time.

But then again, Latin Americans come here and say we're impolite because we say it all the time, too.

Well, that, and your common use of the interjection joder. I don't think the stereotype of Spaniards is about being impolite though, just foul-mouthed.

It's both. I was just talking to a Cuban-American friend about this.

I know T-V distinctions vary quite a bit across the Spanish-speaking world (not least of all because of the regional persistence of voseo), but in general Spaniards are much quicker to tutear than Latin Americans. I always remember hearing about the time my brother's mother-in-law was in El Corte Inglés (a big department store) in Madrid and a young clerk addressed her with tú. Her response was, "You haven't been in my living room!"

[vijayjohn]

I'll go on a limb here and say that "hell" isn't really a swear word in Australia, or at least that it's more acceptable than in the US. Same with "God" - I was surprised to hear lots of Americans self-censor "oh my God" to "oh my gosh", because the only people I remember doing that in Australia were some fundamentalist Christians. I dunno how common that is but I remember when I was in Hawai'i I heard some non-religious people saying it.

It's very common here, so much so that I often do this myself. Even cartoons do it (well, at least some of them). Some people here might get offended by others saying "hell," though I'm not totally sure about that ("God" AFAIK is okay as long as you don't explicitly portray yourself as Christian and the person you're talking to is not a total nutcase ). IME schoolkids here definitely think of "hell" as a bad word. Sometimes, I have to avoid saying "hell" or even "God" because for example, my mom has parties every now and then that she invites her more fundamentalist Christian friends to, and I try to entertain kids whenever they come over. I remember one of these kids was pretty surprised when I revealed that unlike him, I was, in fact, not Roman Catholic like he was.

I always remember hearing about the time my brother's mother-in-law was in El Corte Inglés (a big department store) in Madrid and a young clerk addressed her with tú. Her response was, "You haven't been in my living room!"

Interesting. So the age difference wasn't as much of an issue for her as (lack of) familiarity?