Is SH*T no longer a curse word? (1 Viewer)

[Stan]

Many of us use the word, around other adults, as President Bush did recently, not expecting to be picked up by nearby microphones. His words were played on TV and reprinted in many newspapers, some sanitized the word, others like my local paper didn't.

In our local Sunday paper, we got part three of a story about twin brothers joining the Marines and their experiences at Camp Pendleton. Direct quote from one of the brothers "Our drill instructors always show us off, and we don't get shit for being twins, either".

Even the recent Volkswagen airbag ads end with "Holy Sh....", it's obvious what they're saying.

I'm hardly a choirboy that never swears, but there are places where it's unacceptable. I would never swear in front of my sisters children, in a meeting with upper management, a job interview, etc.

If you're hanging out with your buddies, it's no big deal, but if there are kids around, you pay attention to your language.

An eight year old child is probably not going to be reading a news story about twin marines, and will eventually learn all the curse words we all know, but it sure seems like they're getting plenty of early exposure.

 

[MarkHastings]

Which is probably why the word has become less effective as a swear.

 

[Kevin T]

fuck if i know

 

[Arthur S]

Don't know, who was it said it while eating a sumptuous meal couple weeks ago?

 

[Francois Caron]

How would I know tabarnak?

 

[Yee-Ming]

Merde...

 

[Holadem]

Putain...

--
H

 

[Kevin T]

SWEET! word association!!!

to follow holadem:

poonanni (?sp)

 

[Eric Samonte]

PUTANGINA NAMAN O....

 

[RichardK]

caca!

 

[Dean Cooper]

I've always wondered how a curse or word of profanity actually becomes profanity. How did common sense fail so badly that a word could be so commonly used and accepted that it actually becomes a word but is at the same time conceived as an offensive word that should not be used? Honestly, how did something that stupid actually happen, and more than once? They really should be celebrated, these are words so special that we have created a word specifically to label them and in some cases hand signals to represent them if a verbal transmission is not effective. They really are incredibly useful words with vast arrays of application including nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives and countless meanings just by a slight change of tone or sentence placement. Words so well known that one speaking a different language will still normally recognize them. They are the only words that can offend someone when used by itself.

hmmm

 

[Arthur S]

And then there are the curious distinctions between profanity, obscenity, and vulgarity.

 

[Brad Porter]

Ms. Choksondik: Alright, children, in lieu of the common usage, I'm s'posed to clarify the school's position on the word, "shit." Stan: Wow! We can say "shit" in school now?! Kyle: This is ridiculous! Just because they say it on TV it's alright. Ms. Choksondik: Yes, but only in the figurative noun form or the adjective form Cartman: [quizzically] Huh? Ms. Choksondik: You can only use it in the non-literal sense. For instance, [turns and writes on the board] "That's a shitty picture of me." is now fine. Hoever, the literal noun form of [writes] "This is a picture of shit." is still naughty. [crosses out the sentence] Cartman: I don't get it. Stan: Me neither. Ms. Choksondik: The adjective form is now also acceptable. For example: [writes] "The weather outside is shitty." However, the literal adjective is NOT appropriate. For example: [writes] "My bad diarrhea made the inside of the toilet bowl shitty, and I had to clean it with a rag, which then also became shitty." [crosses it out] That's right out! Timmy: Sshh...sshh...[draws it out] shit. [grins] Ms. Choksondik: Very good, Timmy. Butters: [raises his hand] Huh-uh, Ms. Choksondik, eh, can we say it in the expletive? Like, "Oh, shit," or, "shit on a shingle"? Ms. Choksondik: Yes, that's now fine. Cartman: Wow, this is gonna be great! A whole new word! Kyle: [angrily] It's NOT NEW!! I'm gonna look "shit" up in the encyclopedia and PROVE it!! Cartman: Don't mind Kyle, everyone, he's just got a little sand in his vagina. Kyle: THERE'S NO SAND IN MY VAGINA!!! Ms. Choksondik: [pointing] Boys, watch your language! Shit! [Kindergarten, day] Mr. Garrison: And so, children, instead of saying "Hand in your papers," I may now say "Hand in your shit." Any questions? Filmore: What about, "I have to take a shit"? Mr. Garrison: NO! NO, Filmore! You can say "I have to poop and shit," or "Oh, shit, I have to poop," but NOT "I have to shit." Are we all clear? Kindergartners: No. Mr. Garrison: Look, it's all about context. Well, for example, recently, I have come out and admitted that I was a homosexual. I'm gay. That means that now I can say the word, "fag." On television they usually don't allow "fag." But because I'm gay, it's alright. And with the new approval of the word, "shit," that means that finally I am free to say,
Hey, there, shitty shitty fag fag,
Shitty shitty fag fag, how do you do?
Hey, there, shitty shitty fag fag,
Shitty shitty fag fag, how do you do?
[pleased] Oh this is great!

 

[MarkHastings]

LOL - I love that episode, but while it's all in jest, it's kinda backwards...

I mean if you want shit to be acceptable, it should be in the figurative sense that is acceptable. Saying you have to take a shit, is not swearing because that's what it is!! Saying "Oh Shit!" well, that is using it as a swear word.