Foul language

[rowyn]

Quick question: what's your vote for the most foul word in the English language -- a word so offensive you wouldn't even be inclined to think it, much less say it or write it? Y'all can just put down the first letter and ---.

Funny thing is, I know what word gets TREATED most often as unspeakable ... but I don't think it's any of the words people usually think of in that context.

Comments

[gen.livejournal.com]

The word I find the most insulting is c*nt. Really most profanity is so overused that it doesn't mean what it used to or just sums up as adjectives. But for some reason that particular profanity, even leveled against what might be the most horrible of people, still riles me.

[rowyn]

Yeah, that one gets me, too. I mean, I got a little twinge just seeing the expurgated version above. Sets my teeth on edge. It's an insult; a lot foul words are not used purely as insults, but often just for emphasis. When it's something you can say like "Rats" or "Darn", directed an event and not a a person, it takes some of the offensive edge off of the word.

But c--- is used almost exclusively as an insult AT people, and that makes it worse, I think.

[jordangreywolf.livejournal.com]

Huh! I hadn't really thought of that before! Yeah, if it's just some random noise uttered in general frustration, that's one thing, but when it becomes an accusation or an insult, then that's quite another.