Again, the fact that most people choose to use swear words to offend people does help to prove that people use them in a purposefully insulting way. People know that the word is hurtful, which is why they use it to hurt people, otherwise they wouldn't bother putting it to such great effect.

That's what I meant, Shin. I thought you said that you had never heard the word being used in an offensive way - maybe that's not what you wrote, or not what you meant, I just thought you meant you had never heard someone use it with the aim of upsetting another person, which seemed great, but unlikely

I unfortunately hear the word a lot, usually as the prelude to a fight. Oh well.

As we've mentioned Scottish cunts

I think this is perhaps the fundamental area where opinions diverge, then - it seems a number of people wouldn't see the use of the word "cunt" (be it in a conversation with a mate, or as an insult directed at a bloke in the pub, or at Trevor MacDonald) as being "directed at women" merely because the word can relate to ladybits.

FTFY you cunt, scotch is whisky or shortbread or any of the other tat we sell to you foreign types

This conversation will be an ongoing one because swearing is getting more 'tolerable,' it shouldn't be, but it is

FTFY you cunt, scotch is whisky or shortbread or any of the other tat we sell to you foreign types

I'd like to think that people were a bit nicer than to just swear at everyone else and call everyone 'c*nts', thinking well if they have a problem with it, then it is their problem. I can't understand why anyone would do that, but it seems that some people might. I wouldn't keep someone who was so careless about the feelings of others as a friend though.

I myself feel sad that a word used in many cases to be hateful is that of a woman's reproductive organs. I think it is sad that to many people the worst thing you can be in the English language is a vagina. That's the worst, most hateful word that many people can think of to call someone else, and it happens to mean 'ladybits' as someone quite funnily called it.

Used in other ways I do not think that it is offensive, but used when said in venom think it most certainly is.

Saying that you can use it in a non-offensive context doesn't mean that it is not offensive when said in the context we are talking about.

A faggot is some kind of meatball - when you shoot someone down in Halo and a redneck American calls you a 'faggot' he says it to offend you (sadly, one of the worst things you can be in some parts of America, it seems, is gay).

Oh well.

Hey, we own you. You'll be called whatever we call you.

Fuck me, I know we're permanently drunk up here, but still...how much did I go for?

I'm suddenly reminded of that Stewart Lee gig where he tries his hardest to wind up the Scottish audience, referring to them as "scotch" and then going on about how William Wallace was a paedophile. And then saying - "but aaaah, I'm part Scotch".

Wow, I never understood that joke before.

Well, yes, maybe.

I myself feel sad that a word used in many cases to be hateful is that of a woman's reproductive organs. I think it is sad that to many people the worst thing you can be in the English language is a vagina. That's the worst, most hateful word that many people can think of to call someone else, and it happens to mean 'ladybits' as someone quite funnily called it.

Used in other ways I do not think that it is offensive, but used when said in venom think it most certainly is.

Saying that you can use it in a non-offensive context doesn't mean that it is not offensive when said in the context we are talking about. A faggot is some kind of meatball - when you shoot someone down in Halo and a redneck American calls you a 'faggot' he says it to offend you (sadly, one of the worst things you can be in some parts of America, it seems, is gay).

Oh well.

I think thats taking it too literally. When someone calls someone else a dick or a cunt or a twat They aren't saying they are reproductive organs, they are announcing that the events that have transpired have caused me to set aside social niceties. You don't talk about your genetalia in public. So the word brings about shock because social norms are not in effect.

I myself feel sad that a word used in many cases to be hateful is that of a woman's reproductive organs. I think it is sad that to many people the worst thing you can be in the English language is a vagina. That's the worst, most hateful word that many people can think of to call someone else, and it happens to mean 'ladybits' as someone quite funnily called it.

"I'd like to touch your cunt".

It doesn't work very well as a chat up line, unfortunately.

"I'm gonna fucking fuck you in the fucking cunt."

Blimey Malc how many eggs have you had today!

Also: Snatch, Growler, Flange, Front bum.

I think this is perhaps the fundamental area where opinions diverge, then - it seems a number of people wouldn't see the use of the word "cunt" (be it in a conversation with a mate, or as an insult directed at a bloke in the pub, or at Trevor MacDonald) as being "directed at women" merely because the word can relate to ladybits.

Do you seriously think there's anyone out there aged above ten who knows the "unpleasant person" meaning and not the "ladyparts" meaning?

Oh yeah, while we're on the subject - this current prevailing notion of "cunt has a meaning entirely separate from vagina, to the point that the two meanings are almost entirely unconnected" - what utter (aha aha aha) bollocks. Do you seriously think that if you asked anyone what the word meant their first answer would be "an unpleasant person"? Do you seriously think there's anyone out there aged above ten who knows the "unpleasant person" meaning and not the "ladyparts" meaning?

despite somebody saying repeatedly that it DOES offend them,

not much time, but yes, I think most people would say that a cunt is a horrible person, in fact I think most people would say "Dave" or "John" or whoever the local cunt is.

and as for your 2nd question, do you think there is a person who doesn't know that set means a jelly going hard, and the sun sinking below the horizon?

Fair enough. I'm pretty sure you're wrong.

No one's said that people aren't offended by it. Of course they are - I'd be offended if someone called me a cunt. Same as if they said I smell or am ugly.

What's been argued is that it's not inherently sexist or oppressing the female gender. My sample of two women off-board both said that they didn't think the word was sexist, just rude, same as "prick", "fucker", "wanker", etc. And I'm not sure Meems has actually said she finds it sexist per se, just deeply offensive*. The two aren't the same thing.

Does being a male feminist get the chicks, by the way?


*My apologies for misrepresenting you Meems, if you do in fact think the word is sexist.

I'd say "crap" was a "worse" swear word than "tits".

I thought it meant rubbish, I didn't realise it meant Shit.

Malc