Atheists' exclamations

[Over the top]

Hi
What do atheists say instead of oh my god, gosh..etc. I know some swearwords like f**k and s**t but I want polite exclamations.
What about earth? I have never heard it but does it make sense? Earth!! that's a brilliant idea.

 

[birdeen's call]

Many atheists still use those godly exclamations. I've heard one saying that he uses "Jesus Christ" as a curse (he was a Pole speaking Polish though).

 

[5jj]

Hi
What do atheists say instead of oh my god, gosh..etc. I know some swearwords like fuck and shit but I want polite exclamations.
What about earth? I have never heard it but does it make sense? Earth!! that's a brilliant idea.

I am a born-again atheist, but on thoser rare occasions when I use expletives ;-), I find myself using the standard ones that offend deeply religious people,

I like your idea of Earth!, but I have been effing and blinding for too long to change now.

Most of us when we swear do not consciously think of what what are going to say - it comes automatically. In refined society I have occasionally managed to start a sh.. and change it to to sugar in the nick of time, but not often enough, I regret to say.

 

[bhaisahab]

Hi
What do atheists say instead of oh my god, gosh..etc. I know some swearwords like f**k and s**t but I want polite exclamations.
What about earth? I have never heard it but does it make sense? Earth!! that's a brilliant idea.

In future posts can you please avoid using words which some users might find offensive.

 

[riquecohen]

Many atheists still use those godly exclamations. I've heard one saying that he uses "Jesus Christ" as a curse (he was a Pole speaking Polish though).

AmE speakers will do the same. My own habits in this regard are similar to fivejedjon's. I even hear myself saying "thank god" on occasion. "Jesus H. Christ" is another one that is sometimes heard.

 

[5jj]

AmE speakers will do the same. My own habits in this regard are similar to fivejedjon's. I even hear myself saying "thank god" on occasion. "Jesus H. Christ" is another one that is sometimes heard.

Thank G.d I don't do things like that. J.s.us. C....t alf....kingmighty, that would be embarrassing, I swe.r to .od.

(I hope this post is acceptable to bh..s.h.b)

 

[Over the top]

In future posts can you please avoid using words which some users might find offensive.

Sorry if I offended someone but I can't see the point. Why would someone feel offended if I don't asterisk f*ck, but wouldn't if I added asterisks though his/her mind can still read it and know what it means. Isn't this ridiculous?

 

[Over the top]

Thank G.d I don't do things like that. J.s.us. C....t alf....kingmighty, that would be embarrassing, I swe.r to .od.

(I hope this post is acceptable to bh..s.h.b)

I've noticed many people only asterisk vowels as if they the ones which make words offensive.

 

[~Mav~]

*** NOT A TEACHER ***



Oh, Jesus wept! :idea: ;-)

I am a born-again atheist, but on thoser rare occasions when I use expletives ;-), I find myself using the standard ones that offend deeply religious people,

I like your idea of Earth!, but I have been effing and blinding for too long to change now.

:-D :cheers:
"on those rare occasions when I use expletives..." I hear ya'! *nods* :mrgreen:

If I had a nickel for every time I've uttered the different forms of ...(How is it said in a prudish way? "F-word", right?), so, the "F-word", I would probably be on the Forbes list of billionaires. :lol:

J.s.us. C....t alf....kingmighty

My sentiments exactly! :lol: :lol:

I've noticed many people only asterisk vowels as if they the ones which make words offensive.

In my humble opinion, a rude word won't become any nicer just because you use asterisks, dots or anything else.;-) I would call it... Eh, what I think is of no importance.

Tdol, the esteemed administrator of this website, wrote a comment not long ago in which he asked/instructed the members not to use swearwords in the title of the threads, but he approved (dis)cussing (pun intended :mrgreen: ) such words/phrases. :idea: ;-)

___________________________


PS:

Imagine someone asked you to help him transcribe this scene (from 4:10 to 4:20) from the British teen drama, Skins (especially the phrase at 4:15 :!: ) how would you answer him?;-)
By the way, that swearing doesn't involve the "Big Boss" above.

 

[5jj]

Sorry if I offended someone but I can't see the point. Why would someone feel offended if I don't asterisk f*ck, but wouldn't if I added asterisks though his/her mind can still read it and know what it means. Isn't this ridiculous?

It is ridiculous in a way.

However, there are people who are offended by the sight of the words in full, but accept reference to them. You and I might have our own feelings about this, but that's the way they are.

This is a forum to help people with their ability to communicate in English, not to convert them to what we think is a logical way of thinking. I would sooner write f**K and keep such people visiting us than write the word in full and send them away.

Besides, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that this forum might be blocked in some countries if we were considered to be encouraging the use of obscenity and/or profanity. Crazier things have happened! That would deprive people of access to this area of learning - it it might be just the people who have little other access to relatively free opinion.

 

[5jj]

Tdol, the esteemed administrator of this website, wrote a comment not long ago in which he asked/instructed the members not to use swearwords in the title of the threads, but he approved (dis)cussing (pun intended :mrgreen: ) such words/phrases. :idea: ;-)

Fair Point.

Tdol, Bhaisahab,
It might be a good idea to have a consistent policy on this.

 

[bhaisahab]

I am not offended by the sight of those words, however, I do find them unnecessary in the context of a language forum unless the question is about those specific words, the OP could have simply said "swear words", the fact is that many people do find them offensive and I acted on that basis.

 

[5jj]

I am not offended by the sight of those words, however, I do find them unnecessary in the context of a language forum unless the question is about those specific words, the OP could have simply said "swear words", the fact is that many people do find them offensive and I acted on that basis.

Also a fair point.

 

[Abstract Idea]

I would like to recall something I have already said in similar threads:

1) Although the meaning of some 'swearwords' maybe completely clear, they do not carry the same 'weight' when heard/read by a native or a non-native English speaker. When you write/say a swearword in a foreign language it sounds somewhat lighter than the equivalent word in your mother tongue, try to think about it.
Considering that, I think it is wise for us non-native speakers to try to avoid the use of such words as much as possible. However, since this site is proper to discuss language, there are indeed situations where it is necessary to write some of those words in full - the main goal of learning must overwhelm any taboo.

2) On the other hand, it is a fact that there are pairs of words which are almost synonymous being one of them a 'swearword' and the other an 'acceptable' one. It is an interesting language phenomenon, worth of study, to understand why some words acquire that 'swearword status' whilst others, with similar meaning, do not.

 

[Tdol]

It's a tricky issue precisely because people are sensitive about it. I do ask people not to use swear words in titles because we do have teachers in schools using the site, even primary schools. I autocensor if I have to use a word in a discussion, and I have nothing against such discussions; this may seem prissy, but I think it is a question of politeness as swearing and taboo language can genuinely cause offence.

Where the discussion is in general terms about swearing, then I think Bhai has a point that we don't need to give examples, though the OP is, after all, asking ways to moderate language to replace swearing and blasphemy, a point not to be overlooked.

In answer to the OP, a woman who is in her seventies told me that when she was a child she saw the father of a friend drop a tray with all his best china on it, and he was not a rich man so it would be difficult and very expensive to replace and instead of swearing he expressed his dismay by saying Oh bother, which is self-control I certainly lack. You could try using that.
;-)