Serious question: Why is "fuck" such a bad word?

[Cormac135]

I find it much less offensive than the word cunt, which is why i only ever use the word cunt.

 

[Vannie]

.....................

 

[NotHardUp1]

It is too direct and therefore obscene. Words that overtly refer to genitalia in anything but medical or scientific language are taken as taboo references to "private parts."

It is in the same end of the spectrum as piss, ass, dick, cock, balls, tits, butthole, snatch, pussy, and so on. If they are not standard English words for anatomy, they are invariably too crude.

 

[luckynumbah7]

It is too direct and therefore obscene. Words that overtly refer to genitalia in anything but medical or scientific language are taken as taboo references to "private parts."

It is in the same end of the spectrum as piss, ass, dick, cock, balls, tits, butthole, snatch, pussy, and so on. If they are not standard English words for anatomy, they are invariably too crude.

I thought the whole point was that there are words to use as a reference to private acts/bits? If you were to say something oblique like 'You know where' or used a childish word for genitalia in an adult conversation (pee pee specifically, I suppose, since it slots rather neatly as an example of non-vulgar use when kids have to tell the parents somethin's wrong). Not every unscientific euphemistic word is a vulgarity here, I think context is more important than it possibly seems. It's weird when euphemisms replace words not because they're (primarily) taboo, but because the people are ...let's go with unlearned.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

tere go no a bad word unless a bad a word
_cheese_
yea 2nd da cheese

tinku

 

[heir-to-the-wind]

Bad words have a shock aspect only to native speakers of the language. The same or equivalent words in Italian or German to me do have have the same emotional effect.

 

[medic1]

I find it much less offensive than the word cunt, which is why i only ever use the word cunt.

Just this. It may be because we are both Scots, but here the word fuck is used in normal every day conversation, regardless of class/caste.

The manner in which you choose to project this word, does indeed show the intention of using said word in any giving situation.

 

[Aron9000]

The context in which you use the word "fuck" determines its vulgarity. Joking around with your buddies, telling one of them to go fuck off, no big deal. Telling a stranger that you are having an argument about who was first in line at a sold out show to "GO FUCK YOURSELF!!!", yeah those are fighting words right there.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

tink tea cups betta

anyway

tinku

sip
_ooh ya a 1_
sip

 

[ElmosToe]

fuck me

 

[Pierresro]

Not sure how it got use for sex as the origin is early 16th century: of Germanic origin (compare Swedish dialect focka and Dutch dialect fokkelen ); possibly from an Indo-European root meaning ‘strike’, shared by Latin pugnus ‘fist’.