Question for British people

[Trassk]

where you get this assumption from? America's pretty bad when it comes to swear words, according to south park, or boondocks.

I'm making the assumptions all Americans swear because of a tv show... kind of like what you just did.

[belfpala]

where you get this assumption from? America's pretty bad when it comes to swear words, according to south park, or boondocks.

I'm making the assumptions all Americans swear because of a tv show... kind of like what you just did.

CANADIANS!

I don't understand the swear word issue anyway. So fucking what if I fucking say fuck every couple fucking words. Now, if I'm calling another person a "fuck", I see the issue. But I could very well call that other person a "degenerate worthless waste of space who should probably go jump off a bridge; here, I'm taking donations so the city doesn't have to foot the funeral costs." A little more damaging than an f-bomb.

[Deleted]

It's more of an accent barrier then, isn't it? Some accents make certain words unintelligible to outsiders. UK isn't the country of a thousand accents for nothing. My cousin studies in London and he always complain about all the different accents he has to adapt to when walking outside. He says it changes from street to street in some areas. xD

[Trassk]

I've never gotten it either tbh, we tell children not to swear because kids will abuse that and make it annoying, but other then that there is nothing that comes from the occasional swear word thats detrimental, unless its abusive to another person. Just saying 'oh fuck' when you trip up, all those does it hurt someones hyper sensibilities

[Rixis]

Dialects can range massively and if someone is speaking words from their dialect you may not get it. We also have a knack for turning a lot of innocuous words into swear words or insult. Hell, the number of words and phrases for penis is hilarious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqpBwi594Ug

Whilst most people round here don't speak like that, I know a lot of people would hear half of that as gibberish, but I have no problems with it at all.

[MerinPally]

Geordie Shore as a measure of British People is like using Here Comes Honey Boo Boo as a template for the American family. They purposely picked the most retarded they could find.

The only major difference I've noticed is that people on British tv (as in actual tv like dramas) will speak like people really do. It all seemed so contrived for the USA, people weren't speaking like they actually would in real life in that situation. Example being the terror that was the American remake of The Inbetweeners. There was no swearing. Are you going to tell me that American teenagers don't use the word "fuck" like punctuation? That's why it was funny, because it was so accurate to what people are like.

[Deleted]

Well, for starters, the cast of Geordie Shore may not be the best or most accurate representation of Britons at large. Though, they're probably not wholly inaccurate either.

I think, with gradually increasing laxness of society and the continued erosion of class divisions (culturally speaking) over the years, swearing in everyday speech is simply a gap-filler or tool for emphasis. Unless a swear word is directed at someone specifically or uttered in exasperation, it has very little emotional weight. They're not a big deal but still historically exciting enough to be the preferable choice of utterance over "umm" or "very".

It's still considered inappropriate to swear like a sailor when speaking with someone you don't know, but otherwise curse words have lost a lot of their 'oomph'.

[koodledrum]

If you lived this close to Paisley and actually in the arse end of the world known as Ayrshire you'd swear like a trooper too - besides, everycunt here knows that swearing is just another part of the vocabulary!

[Morbownz]

Why so much swearing? You guys also have a lot of slang words. Sorry if I sound ignorant but i've been binge watching Geordie Shore lol.

We say "fuck" quite often. It seems to be the only swear word in the English language that's forgivable because it's used purely emphasis.

[apepi]

Don't try to pretend that it is only realty shows! I have seen the The Thick of It!

But for a real British question, since you drive on the other side of the road can your turn left on red like you can turn right on red in America? Never really have ever gotten this question answered.

[belfpala]

...can your turn left on red like you can turn right on red in America? Never really have ever gotten this question answered.

Can't turn right on a red everywhere in the US anyway.

[Rixis]

Turning on lights depends on the road setup, but pretty much yes you can turn either direction. There may be different/designated lanes for turning down junctions/going straight ahead, but otherwise, turning left is no problem, turning right you give way to oncoming traffic.