Heh, I'd give some common examples but I wouldn't want to lower the tone.
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Heh, I'd give some common examples but I wouldn't want to lower the tone.
What's that from? I've heard references to it before, but I don't know if I ever found out what is was from.
One of my favorites was in an episode of Weeds when Nancy called someone a Granny-fucker. That was a new one for me.
My favorite f word moment of late..
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFGmC8m0kIo[/yt]
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFGmC8m0kIo[/yt]
Speaking as someone who turns the air blue more often than perhaps I should, I consider the c-word as the nuclear option of swears; only use it when you really mean it.
I've only ever written it in something once, when I novelized The Butterfly Effect, because it was in the original script. I remember the line being pretty offensive and pointless, and I asked my editor if I could cut it, but he refused - he reasoned it was in the script for the movie, so it had to stay in.
When the movie came out, that line was cut; and to make it worse, my mother read the book...
Interestingly, as a Brit, I've found a lot of Americans are squeamish about the use of the word "bastard".
I've only ever written it in something once, when I novelized The Butterfly Effect, because it was in the original script. I remember the line being pretty offensive and pointless, and I asked my editor if I could cut it, but he refused - he reasoned it was in the script for the movie, so it had to stay in.
When the movie came out, that line was cut; and to make it worse, my mother read the book...
Interestingly, as a Brit, I've found a lot of Americans are squeamish about the use of the word "bastard".
News to me. Maybe it depends on what part or subculture of America they're from. It would probably be seen as more objectionable in more conservative or religious communities. But Kirk was able to get away with using it in a couple of Trek movies.
In the Buena Vista book/tape of ST III, he said, "You Klingon monster!" after Kruge ordered David's execution.
As an insult out of literal context, bastard is considered vulgar. Not as bad as fuck or shit, but about on par with bitch, and worse than damn or hell. My experience on exactly where ass fits into that continuum is conflicting. Worst on that continuum is fuck, for sure though. Not sure which of the entry level cuss words, damn or hell, is worse.
Dick doesn't even register, but cunt almost sets a new extreme beyond fuck.
I'm speaking as someone whose family hails from North Carolina, so, naturally, YMMV.
Dick doesn't even register, but cunt almost sets a new extreme beyond fuck.
I'm speaking as someone whose family hails from North Carolina, so, naturally, YMMV.
In general, I try to tailor the level of profanity to the original source material. I wouldn't use "fuck" in an IRON MAN or STAR TREK novel since those are basically PG-rated properties. Ditto for CSI and ALIAS since those were mainstream network shows, not edgy cable dramas. But for UNDERWORLD or TERMINATOR, I gave myself more latitude with regards to language.
"Fuck you, asshole" was one of the best lines from T1.
The BBC have some guidelines around what language is considered acceptable for broadcast in the UK:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/page/guidance-language-full/
The three most offensive words are given as "cunt, motherfucker and fuck (which are subject to mandatory referrals to Output Controllers)" followed by "cocksucker and nigger".
Mid-level swearies with restrictions around post-watershed use include "wanker, pussy, bastard, slag".
Meanwhile "crap, knob, prat, tart" are all considered mild and "unlikely to cause widespread offence".
It also says: "Additionally, words or names associated with religion, such as Jesus Christ, may cause offence to some, but they are unlikely to cause widespread offence according to generally accepted standards."
Ofcom (broadcast industry regulator) published a massive study littered with rude words which you can find by googling "Ofcom offensive language".
Personally I have no problem with swearing when with people of my own age or people who are happy to swear around me, however I try to avoid swearing around my parents who still think they live in the 1950s.
Even today in my office the dulcet tones of one of my colleagues drifted over to my desk: "Fuck fuck fuckity fuck".
My favourite words are nice short Anglo-Saxon ones (cock, arse, tits are frequent at the moment) - the longer compound ones seem rather pretentious (although buggerfuck is in my vocabulary).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/page/guidance-language-full/
The three most offensive words are given as "cunt, motherfucker and fuck (which are subject to mandatory referrals to Output Controllers)" followed by "cocksucker and nigger".
Mid-level swearies with restrictions around post-watershed use include "wanker, pussy, bastard, slag".
Meanwhile "crap, knob, prat, tart" are all considered mild and "unlikely to cause widespread offence".
It also says: "Additionally, words or names associated with religion, such as Jesus Christ, may cause offence to some, but they are unlikely to cause widespread offence according to generally accepted standards."
Ofcom (broadcast industry regulator) published a massive study littered with rude words which you can find by googling "Ofcom offensive language".
Personally I have no problem with swearing when with people of my own age or people who are happy to swear around me, however I try to avoid swearing around my parents who still think they live in the 1950s.
Even today in my office the dulcet tones of one of my colleagues drifted over to my desk: "Fuck fuck fuckity fuck".
My favourite words are nice short Anglo-Saxon ones (cock, arse, tits are frequent at the moment) - the longer compound ones seem rather pretentious (although buggerfuck is in my vocabulary).
.
Might have been fun to thrown a few Hungarian swearwords in there. Purely for educational purposes of course.
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