When/how did you first learn to swear/curse? (1 Viewer)

[Jon Robertson]

This is probably not for the faint-hearted but here we go.
The scary thing is, I can't remember the incident when I learned the word "fuck", so I could clearly empty the room by opening my mouth before my concious memory kicked in. However, I did always know when it was and wasn't suitable to use bad words.
According to my mother, I was on a bus with her at the age of about three, and noticed some graffiti. I could read well enough, so asked her what it meant. My mother's not what you'd call a prude by any standards, but she said to me in a very hushed tone: "It's a very rude word and you must never say it."
Well, any mother who says that to their three-year-old deserves everything they get. Of course, I went off like a verbal firecracker right there and then, reciting, almost singing, "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!", much to the delight of some passengers and mortification of others.
My dad always taped the late, lamented Spitting Image off late night television for me (about 10pm - which might as well have been 4am at that age) from about the same time, which filled in all the other gaps in my vocabulary.
I have a lot to thank vandals of public transport for.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Basically after reading Matthew Chmiel's posts.
Particularly the infamous Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back quote-fest.
- Walter.

 

[Brian Harnish]

Walter --

 

[Tom-G]

I learned to swear where most everyone learns to swear--in school! I remember back in the third and fourth grade all of us Catholic school boys swore like truck drivers.

 

[Scott Hayes]

I went to a private religious school also and that is were I learned to swear. We all did at that school. Its something forbidden I guess so we all had to curse. We were like a bunch of animals at least until the teachers were around then we were little saints again. The funny thing was the girls would swear and curse better than us guys could, but it was us guys that always seemed to be overheard by the administration.
I laugh when I hear parents talking about sending their kids to a religious school. They are the most decadent places you can go. I remember when we all learned about sex. After that all hell broke loose. The baptism pit had a cover and if you ever looked under it after school or during resess there were times you would find a full scale orgy going on. Its a wonder no one got pregnate. The administration figured nothing like that could ever happen in the school because "they were bringing us up right" but were there is a will there is a way. Unlocked closets, empty schoolrooms, darkened gyms, and the corners of libraries are the true learning centers of the private school.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Based on my officemate's adventures in rearing his children, it appears that the kids learn it at home.
His story: When the mom told the daughter that it was time to go to bed, the daughter made a facial grimace, and simply stated, "Shit!"