The 'F' Word

Dropping the F-Bomb

By Joel Achenbach Sunday, June 25, 2006
The most versatile word in our language can do almost anything, other than be printed in a family newspaper. It can be a noun, a verb, a gerund, an adjective or just an expletive. It can be literal or figurative. Although it has an explicit sexual meaning, it's usually used figuratively these days, as an all-purpose intensifier.

The F-word remains taboo. But just barely. We may be entering an era in which this fabled vulgarity is on its way to becoming just another word -- its transgressive energy steadily sapped by overuse.

From hip-hop artists to bloggers to the vice president of the United States, everyone's dropping the F-bomb. Young people in particular may not grasp how special this word has been in the past. They may not realize how, like an old sourdough starter, the word has been lovingly preserved over the centuries and passed from generation to generation. For the good of human communication we must come together, as a people, to protect this word, and ensure that, years from now, it remains obscene.

Our leaders aren't helping. Before he was elected president, George W. Bush used the word repeatedly during an interview with Tucker Carlson. Dick Cheney on the Senate floor told a Democratic senator to eff himself. Presidential candidate John F. Kerry said of Bush and the war, "Did I expect George Bush to [mess] it up as badly as he did? I don't think anybody did." No one is shocked that these people use such language, but as statesmanship it's not exactly Lincolnesque.

More generally, the word is imperiled by the profusion of communications technologies. Everyone's talking, e-mailing, blogging and commenting on everyone else's comments. Combine that with partisan rancor and a general desperation to get one's message across, and naturally the word gets overtaxed. In Blogworld there are no idiots anymore, only [blithering] idiots. The most opportunistic move in the corporate realm may have been the decision by a retailer to call itself French Connection United Kingdom, which allowed it to put the company's initials on T-shirts everywhere. Jeepers, that's clever!

I don't want to make a federal case out of all of this -- but that's what the government is doing. The Federal Communications Commission in recent years has cracked down on "indecency" in general and this word specifically. The FCC's fines for indecency have risen steadily: a mere $4,000 in 1995, then $48,000 in 2000, then $440,000 in 2003 and finally a whopping $7.9 million in 2004. President Bush signed a bill last week increasing by tenfold the maximum fine for indecency on radio or TV, to $325,000. Broadcasters have sued to overturn recent FCC rulings, arguing that broadcasters shouldn't have to abide by laws that don't affect cable and satellite providers (which is why HBO's "Deadwood" can clock, by one Web site's calculation, 1.48 F-words per minute). The inability to be indecent is, for broadcasters, a competitive disadvantage.

A landmark case revolves around the word used by Bono, the rock star, at the 2003 Golden Globe Awards. He blurted out that winning an award was "[bleepin'] brilliant." The FCC first ruled that his comment wasn't indecent, because it didn't describe a sexual act. But in 2004, after the Janet Jackson breast exposure during the Super Bowl halftime show, the commission reversed the Bono ruling, saying the singer's comment was indeed profane and indecent.

The FCC's logic, however, was a stretch. It argued that any use of the word "inherently has a sexual connotation." But that's just not true. In fact, the reason it is used so often is because it has escaped the bonds of its sexual origin. It's now used as a generic intensifier. It makes plain language more colorful and emphatic.

The reason it must be suppressed in polite society is not because it's a bad word, but because, in certain circumstances, it is a very good word. It is a solidly built word of just four letters, bracketed by rock-hard consonants. It is not a mushy word, but one with sharp edges. Consider how clunky the term "the F-word" is. The authentic article, by contrast, explodes into space from a gate formed by the upper incisors and the lower lip. Then it slams to a dramatic glottal cough.

I'd even argue that it has therapeutic properties. Ponder, if you will, how critically important this word can be when you stub a toe. It serves as an instant palliative. It's like verbal morphine. You can't hop around the dining room, holding your foot, shouting "Drat!" or "Dagnabbit!" or "Heavens to Betsy!" Those words don't work.

"It's a sexual word in origin but it's not used that way very often," says Jesse Sheidlower, editor at large of the Oxford English Dictionary and editor of the 1995 book "The F-Word," a 224-page dictionary in which some of the permutations of the word are absofreakin'lutely ridiculous.

***edited for length of article *** but this last paragraph from page 2 say's it all>>>

We must not overharvest the swear words that are part of the commons of our language. It is an adults-only commons, of course. Kids need to be told that they still can't use it. How can a 13-year-old be transgressively vulgar with the word if his 5-year-old sister already uses it? This word is supposed to be a reward of adulthood. We have to conserve it, so that our children and our children's children can use it when we're gone.

There is a wonderful scene in the 1987 movie "Hope and Glory." A gang of boys is rambling through the rubble of London during the Blitz. The new boy, Bill, wants to join. They ask if he knows any swear words. He says he does. Say them, the boys insist. He hesitates. He admits finally that he knows only one swear word. After much delay and agonizing, he says it, loudly.
The word.
The other boys are shocked into silence. "That word is special," the gang leader finally says. "That word is only for something really important."

Precisely.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/23/AR2006062301378_2.html

Syl wrote:It doesn't shock anymore.
It can be a bit disconcerting if someone who never swears suddenly comes out with it, but that's the only time people really notice it imo.

Even if you didn't hear it in real life (which if you watch TV or films is unlikely) it's plastered over the internet...especially forums.

Syl wrote:It doesn't shock anymore.
It can be a bit disconcerting if someone who never swears suddenly comes out with it, but that's the only time people really notice it imo.

Even if you didn't hear it in real life (which if you watch TV or films is unlikely) it's plastered over the internet...especially forums.

eddie wrote:Sadly, it is used in normal, every day language by a lot of people.

eddie wrote:Sadly, it is used in normal, every day language by a lot of people.

HoratioTarr wrote:

eddie wrote:Sadly, it is used in normal, every day language by a lot of people.

Try visiting Glasgow. In some circles, the conversational use of the word c..nt.. is a bit alarming at first.  It's even used as terms of endearment!

aspca4ever wrote:

Syl wrote:It doesn't shock anymore.
It can be a bit disconcerting if someone who never swears suddenly comes out with it, but that's the only time people really notice it imo.

Even if you didn't hear it in real life (which if you watch TV or films is unlikely) it's plastered over the internet...especially forums.

I remember well when the word usage seemed to just flow into every commonplace social setting; I'd come home from college and was at a wedding shower for my younger sister --- her group of friends were working the serving table and picking up gifts to hand over to my sis.  Someone bumped and then fell over onto the serving table and the punch bow/sheet cake went crashing into a pile of soggy disaster!  Intermixed with the screeches and words of utter dismay were some of the most foul mouthed words I'd ever heard {usually from the horse farrier when he had a horrid horse to shoe} --- I was stunned to say the least!  
Those were the hierarchy/peers of the social group in my home town and they were dropping that 'F-BOMB' like it was going to garner them some serious $$$ for each word they spewed. {circa summer of 1975}  
When I made a remark about --- 'HOLY CRAP, Girls' they all looked at me like I'd grown a 2nd head!  I had to tell them what words they'd shouted that had shocked me so quickly --- they weren't even aware that they'd been yelling it OUT LOUD!  
Society etiquette was a changing and I was feeling pretty OLD.  

veya_victaous wrote:Australia Will win the Culture war with the F-bomb


it is pretty silly to be offended by a word, mere sound, but not offended by the crap Stormee expouses. no wonder the they laughed at his complaint of being offended.

veya_victaous wrote:Australia Will win the Culture war with the F-bomb


it is pretty silly to be offended by a word, mere sound, but not offended by the crap Stormee expouses. no wonder the they laughed at his complaint of being offended.

sassy wrote:

veya_victaous wrote:Australia Will win the Culture war with the F-bomb


it is pretty silly to be offended by a word, mere sound, but not offended by the crap Stormee expouses. no wonder the they laughed at his complaint of being offended.

Abserfuckinglutely lol

sassy wrote:No, just doesn't suffer racist idiots.

sassy wrote:Jealous?   What the hell of?

sassy wrote:Of Brits? Oh my aching sides lol

sassy wrote:Nah, he just sees through Brit shit lol

Raggamuffin wrote:

sassy wrote:No, just doesn't suffer racist idiots.

No, he's jealous, and he suffers from sour grapes syndrome. He will never be British, so he has to tell himself that being British is a terrible thing. He's a massive racist himself, as well as an terrorist supporter - as long as the terrorism is against British people of course.

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

No, he's jealous, and he suffers from sour grapes syndrome. He will never be British, so he has to tell himself that being British is a terrible thing. He's a massive racist himself, as well as an terrorist supporter - as long as the terrorism is against British people of course.

Rubbish he has never been anything but excellent with me i consider him good a forum friend
perhaps its certain people he doesn`t like rather then there origin
or more likely your all paranoid

sassy wrote:He doesn't need anyones support, see through the Brit shit all by himself.  And boy, is there some Brit shit about.

Raggamuffin wrote:

korban dallas wrote:
Rubbish he has never been anything but excellent with me i consider him good a forum friend
perhaps its certain people he doesn`t like rather then there origin
or more likely your all paranoid

You're another leftie though, so he needs your support.

He's a bully.

sassy wrote:How sweet that you defend the likes of the Black & Tans who slaughtered so many Irish women and children.

Raggamuffin wrote:How sweet that the lefties are so precious about an IRA supporter ...

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:How sweet that the lefties are so precious about an IRA supporter ...

Oh very good


so calling him a bully did not impress me so you change tack and out of nowhere on a un related topic you come out MEWWWWW he is a  IRA supporter  Oooooooo

yea your confusing me with someone who gives a fuck

Raggamuffin wrote:

sassy wrote:How sweet that you defend the likes of the Black & Tans who slaughtered so many Irish women and children.

You're clearly another IRA supporter. Did you donate money to their bomb-making efforts?

Raggamuffin wrote:

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

No, he's jealous, and he suffers from sour grapes syndrome. He will never be British, so he has to tell himself that being British is a terrible thing. He's a massive racist himself, as well as an terrorist supporter - as long as the terrorism is against British people of course.

Rubbish he has never been anything but excellent with me i consider him good a forum friend
perhaps its certain people he doesn`t like rather then there origin
or more likely your all paranoid

You're another leftie though, so he needs your support.

He's a bully.

Raggamuffin wrote:

korban dallas wrote:
Oh very good


so calling him a bully did not impress me so you change tack and out of nowhere on a un related topic you come out MEWWWWW he is a  IRA supporter  Oooooooo

yea your confusing me with someone who gives a fuck

Well he is. Clearly, you do not give a fuck about those murdered by the IRA - another supporter obviously.

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Well he is. Clearly, you do not give a fuck about those murdered by the IRA - another supporter obviously.

Nope don`t give a shit ,i dont care the germans killed half of my family ether at sea or on land in ww2 it to long ago to and to much bad was done on both sides

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Well he is. Clearly, you do not give a fuck about those murdered by the IRA - another supporter obviously.

Nope don`t give a shit ,i dont care the germans killed half of my family ether at sea or on land in ww2 it to long ago to and to much bad was done on both sides

veya_victaous wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

You're another leftie though, so he needs your support.

He's a bully.

Lol raggs and this is why you are fucking ridiculous. I am an Australian there is literally ZERO things a British has better.

WHY would i want to be British?
Please give me a reason?
 
So My Wealth would be 33% less?
to knock 5 years off my life expectancy
to reduce the education my children would receive by 25%
to have a vastly more incompetent leadership
to have to put up with primitive knuckle dragging racists
To have an Inferior public health system
to reduce my projected future earnings by 50%
to be part of failed federation of states and thus have no future but irrelevance.

And I dont supprot he IRA, they are irrelvant to me nothing, a group a freedom fighters on the opposite side of the planet. absoultely nothing to me or most of the world they effect the British Oppressor and No one else.

Well its rare for 90% of the indigenous  animals or insects to kill people in the uk ...so we have that going for us


edit
i feel a Monty python sketch coming on

Raggamuffin wrote:So many IRA supporters on here. How awful.