I too was forbidden from saying fart. I got my mouth washed out for saying hell in the context of "what in the hell is this?".

Being a brilliant child, I used "dam as in reservoir". That didn't fly either.

Yes, I too find "fart" a far more dreadful word than any of the big offenders. (One reason may simply be a reflex - whenever the word was bandied about by siblings or school-chums, inevitably someone followed up by producing the real thing, to peals of laughter by all but me. So, perhaps by avoiding the word I'm also trying to avoid that which it denotes.)

Still, my cat Illuminati produces farts that can kill. Jiminy Crickets!

We could say fart, though we'd get a look if we said it at the dinner table.

Just the other night, hubbo and I were discussing whether cats ever let one. He said he thought not. Now we know hubbo was sadly wrong. It's not the first time.

I'm curious, who's legs will you be wearing?

Fruit bat legs. GC has promised to send me a pair next time he orders soup.

And this ultimately gave rise to the relatively new word "snowclone" (which I find fun to say as well as to spot) out of the world of linguistics.

What about replacement words for swear words. For example, if a child gets into trouble if they use the word "fvck", should they also get into trouble if they use "fudge" instead (in appropriate context) since the sentiment is the same?

Early on I counseled my kids on the appropriate use of language. Like all words, swear words have a place in our language and should be used properly just like any other word. They are meant to express extreme emotion and if the 'F' word F'n comes out of your F'n mouth ever other F'n word then it looses it's meaning. Swear words must be used sparingly and in the correct context (ie never if Grandmother is around.....) Oddly enough that opinion put me at odds with all the uptight F'ed up PTA moms at Headliners school.

The use of 'Fudge', 'Frack', 'FireTruck', etc... suffers from the same fate, if you use them all the time then what's the point?

Swear words are only "naughty" because people get bothered by them. If nobody cringed at "fvck" then it wouldn't get censored. It feels just as good to yell frak, so the word itself has no power. And it's not really the meaning that bothers people since "freaking" means the same thing as "fvcking," but I can say "freaking" around my wife and kids without her yelling at me.

But I don't use swear words because there are still people who are bothered by them. And since I interact with these types of people all the time I don't want to let one slip. I intend to teach this value to my kids.

I used the phrase "pissed off" once with someone who may or may not be one of the easily offended types (didn't know him well enough) and, although he didn't say anything and didn't even flinch, I've wondered if it bothered him.

Incidentally, why are swear words censored on LOT? Since it clear that circumventing the censor is allowed, why even censor?

Anyway, my next move at home is to get people to stop requiring the obligatory "excuse me" after letting out a fart or burp. If I'm burping or farting on purpose I'm not trying to be polite, so saying "excuse me" seems rather pointless. But when I let one rip I get in trouble for not saying "excuse me." I'm sorry, but I just let out a raunchy stinker and a couple words make it all better?

In polite company when something slips out then, yes, I can see reason for saying something. Otherwise, just let 'er rip! :evil: