PROFANITY: DIFFERENCE USA versus EUROPE? (Page 1 of 2)

It seems to be a question of life imitating art/art imitating life.  A symbiotic relationship where one feeds off the other.  For instance Pulp Fiction:  Who wouldn't want to be as cool as Vincent Vega or Jules?  This leads to imitation, which leads to imitation which leads to imitation....

I guess the profanity thing started off in the male dominated workplaces such as Docks, mines etc and was then transposed to public life as a form of disrespect for authority and escalated from there to being part of everyday culture.  When I'm on duty as a Police Constable profanity isn't tolerated when dealing with the public.

Cheers

well,
I swear like a trooper
I see them only as words to express things or how strongly you feel about something or just use it because I sue it that much I cannot help it
But I do not swear in front of my kids for some reason, I do not know why even though I see nothing wrong wit hit. Maybe because the way I was brought up? Kids were hardly allowed to talk never mind swear. And it is not nice to hear young kids swearing, so if I swore in front of them how could I tell them not to?
I think a lot of it from the afro americans is exagerated. We see and hear them in films a lot but it is mostly showing gangs or rappers like you said. But if you watch a lot of films with mainly white people the swearing is rife, films like " trainspotting" stock lock and 2 smoking barrels" and many more.
Also the british punkn bands liked to use the odd word now and then and others would just swear constantly like the exploited, they are always Effing and C'ing on stage.
Maybe we hear more americans because of the volume of films that come from america?
so it is bound to make them look like they swear a lot more, but you walk down the streets in glasgow at 11:45pm on a friday,saturday,thrusday.....any night and you will hear just as bad as anywhere else.

ken

I haven't been to prison, so I don't have any way of assessing whether the language represented in movies is accurate.  However, it is certainly true that blacks are disproportionally represented in prison populations when compared to non-prison populations.  The trick is explaining why.  I expect there are quite a lot of reasons all intertwined. 

The extent of cursing that you'll hear in the U.S. will vary dramatically based on where you are, time of day and season, who's around, and the mood of the speaker.  In general, I don't swear much.  But if I am agitated, then things will be different. 

- Zurf

Al, ye could go to any football park in the UK, even the junior leagues.

and Jerome, I totally agree with you on the word bollox but that is really not a sweary word. I have said that all my life, my whole family said it while I was growing up even my teachers in school said it.
I think it is one of these great words you use to replace a true swear word.

Ken

Seems like in some movies they go out of their way to swear.  Saw some movie not long ago...think it was some Matt Damon movie, and characters would swear, and it wouldn't even make sense.  Granted, the f-bomb is the most versitile word in the english language, but it was really goofy.
And as Zurf alluded to, just under 12% of our population is africian american, and they represent 49% of our prison population.  Don't get me started on the disparity of justice in this (maybe every) country.
OK, I have to go find somewhere  else to post...need one more for 200

I'm in the same school with George Carlin on this one. Why is "s***" a bad word and "poop" considered acceptable, or cute even? - they both mean the exact same thing. They are both just words. Letters formed in a particular sequence . It is only society's perception that defines one as bad and one as acceptable. There is no logic behind it. The only thing that makes them bad is that we were taught that they were bad as children and that they are not allowed on TV. I wonder if all these words were all of a sudden allowed in the media, how long it would take for them not to be considered "bad". Would society then form new words that were "bad"? Probably.

Tennessee Strat.
I am glad to read yor answer. Is it misplaced on this site? We had some months now, topics or post answers, sometimes ago. Today, now and then there are still profanity words. take my case: I am paid very well, but IT DESTROYED my  social life. Sitting alone here it's impossible to swear, but when I fall on the floor due to my paralysis in my left leg (my leg isn't  turning) I can swear enough for two years.
Isn't there a Big difference between the words you use? Like sh** or damned and more.. and the other real nasty words like piece of s*** (this is already PERSONAL. If they use words like that, IT IS A PERSONAL ATTACK. Also the movement you ( a lot of us has done this) show when a car is really giving trouble, the famous and world wide knowed sign = THE MIDDLE FINGER. I know from my brother who lives and works in DUBAI, if the police notice that finger ===> jail. He did this and was followed by a  Arab until he parked his car. He told them that this was done everyday by everyone in Belgium, an apologie was enough and the Arab disappeared.
- what about rappers like 50 cent Eminem, it almost looks like poetry.
- and yes: what in Prison?
If you wrote a song with "dirty" words, are this words replaced by beeps? I love to write a song= the beep song

I have "The Bollox Song" mid course right now.  It's intent is to be sung as a duet by an Irishman or Englishman, and an American.

My Mam Always said,

"Any one who had to resort to using bad language had a very low command

of the english Language" Well with the way bad language is used here every day now in  everyday conversation, she must be spinning in her grave.

Bean An Tíg.  { Woman of the house }

God Jerome what kind of company are you keeping here in Dublin!

In  all honesty, my sweet, I had you in mind when I sat down to write it.  I'd hoped to have it done by the time I get over there next (next week, BTW) but it doesn't look like the muse is going to be on time.

Dang muse.

Would this "The Bollox Song" be the Dog's Bollox or just plain Bollox.
The Mother tongue is so explanatory.
Ark

Bloody jackeens! Youd think dey own the feckn country never mind tryn 2 run it!!