Comments on: Is it Manly to Swear?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:26:57 +0000

I’d say that swearing in and of itself is neither inherently manly nor unmanly. It all depends on the context:

While amongst like-minded friends, a light peppering of your speech with colorful words can lend a very strong hand to its humor: “Did you see her? She was stacked like a brick shithouse.”

To swear in mixed company, or because you simply can’t develop a more eloquent phrase, is not manly at all: “Hey, motherfucker! Come back here!”

Sometimes, however, there are certain colorful words or phrases one can use to immediately convey that you mean business, and they are as such more appropriate, and can be considered manly, if not downright poised: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

By: Peter Kupfer's Blog » Stick to Your Convictions and Give 100%

Peter Kupfer's Blog » Stick to Your Convictions and Give 100% — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:29:26 +0000

[...] still remains is swearing okay? Well, the blog The Art of Manliness posed the question, “Is it Manly to Swear?” The general opinion seemed to be it was manly to swear in certain situations but that less [...]

By: Brent

Brent — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:29:38 +0000

Getting a little salty around your buddies when you’re having a good time is one thing. Cussing in mixed company or within earshot of children is pretty crass.

By: Kris

Kris — Sat, 16 May 2009 00:37:58 +0000

“Just using a four letter word because your puny neurons cannot come up with something better is the practice of curs and swine (like most rappers).”

That statement is more offensive than most of the profanity-laden expressions I’ve heard in my life.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:43:12 +0000

No. It is a sign of a limited vocabulary or lack of discipline and self-control. Many others here claim that there is a time and a place for it. I totally disagree. If you cannot express yourself in a situation in a proper manner then you need to seek help. Society has never benefited from the use of profanity.

It has become more common to hear women swear mainly because men stopped showing self-control, or more importantly respect for women, by using profanity in their presence. I can still remember when real men did not swear in front of a lady and to do so could earn you a quick expulsion or a busted nose from more chivalrous gentlemen. Swearing is like anything else, get enough and you become desensitized to it. This is proven by how the “acceptable” words on television keep changing for the worse.

By: Booker

Booker — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:52:30 +0000

I think I agree with most of the people here. It really depends on what the context is. If you stub your toe, I think it is perfectly fine to utter damn under your breath. Or as what was already said if your describing something and a curse word is required then say “d-word” instead of dammit…its just stupid and makes you look like a tool. adding the Fuck word to explain directions to the Wal-mart makes you look like an ignorant punk.

Anyway, man up

By: Rob

Rob — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Why, hell yes, it’s manly….sometimes.

Only when needed for emphasis, and only the 4 “classics”, like hell, d#mn, sh#t, and as#…the F-bomb has historical provenance, but it’s too vulgar for a gentleman to use; it’s a definite no-no for ladies (notice I didn’t say ‘women’…some are worse than men).

I have always told my sons it’s OK to throw out a scorcher or two when working on an old car or hot rod, and sometimes you can make it specifically personal to the vehicle (usually of female connotation – the “B” word), especially if a set of busted knuckles are the trigger….
Rob

By: george

george — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:41:13 +0000

No, No, No! Cursing is an emotional expression, angry feelings reified in unsocial language which is sadly becoming more socialized with each passing day. A real man does not give vent to feelings in public that is before strangers. Not to say he does have them, just that they are under his control, as opposed to in control of him!

All humans get angry, and anger is the frustration of desire, an undesirable state of mental or emotional tension. Real men do not give in, they prevail, through fortitude, strength and work.

If you get frustrated and want to change then just growl under your breath like a bear, but do not give in to vulgarity.

By: Leny

Leny — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:13:23 +0000

I’m a fan of the swearing used by Mr. Rochester in the book Jane Eyre. Constantly frustrated, angered, perturbed and just downright a bit of an ass he manages to get away with expressing his disdain for most other living things with the manly: “What the deuce?!”. I use it every now and then when heavier swearing is not appropriate. Unfortunately I’ve discovered that many people now attribute this phrase to the character Stewie Griffin in the fart joke ridden tv show Family Guy. I’ve also come to find out that many people (especially younger ones) seem to associate the word deuce only with feces.
So here is a brief etymology lesson on “What the deuce”

What the deuce is a synonym of “what the dickens”. Dickens being by the way a pet name of Richard. The devil has been called by this name at times. So “What the deuce” could also be said to mean “What the devil”. This is at least the case with the older German phrases “Wat de duus!” and “Was der Daus!”.

By: protaganis

protaganis — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:29:57 +0000

I had a great math teacher in high school who said “People over use swearing, taking away it’s original use, placing emphasis and anger into a statement. They now use it instead of developing the linguistic and intellectual facilities necessary to make a bold statement without the use of swearing. “

By: Webmaven

Webmaven — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:57:03 +0000

Swearing has nothing to do with being “manly” – it is an art form either gender is capable of mastering, but most don’t. A true master of this art knows it’s more than just uttering obscenities in everyday speech, it requires timing and an extensive vocabulary. Done correctly, people will often be awestruck or impressed, rather than offended.

Swearing prolifically in day-to-day speech simply engenders the belief that the you lack the necessary vocabulary, intelligence or skills to express yourself effectively.

By: Manlyman-ness

Manlyman-ness — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:33:00 +0000

“It depends on what kind of swearing we’re talking about hereâ€¦.peppering your speech with a few damns is manly. Using the F-bomb every other word is not manly. It just shows you can’t put a well-thought out sentence together.”

This

By: Tony

Tony — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:01:49 +0000

I’m in the Army and we are about as manly as it gets. And we swear a bunch. Every other word that comes out of my sargeants mouth is f so I’d say its manly to swear. Plus when an IED goes off thats the perfect time to say fuck

By: Darren Meyer

Darren Meyer — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:56:48 +0000

Obsessing about swearing is certainly not manly. Excessive swearing marks you as an adolescent — someone who’s trying out the words they weren’t allowed to use as children.

Gentlemen are not wordy. They make their point using enough words to be clear and polite, not much more.

As such, sometimes the only response to something is to swear. By way of example, an entirely appropriate response to “sorry, sir, but your car has blown a head gasket, and it’ll be $950 in parts and labor to replace” is simply: “… shit.”

By: Charles

Charles — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:38:53 +0000

It is as manly to swear as it is to cry, which has already been discussed in an article on here. As it is a release of emotion, no more no less.

But do remember that using a curse word does show that you are not very articulate, thus lessening your standing as a gentleman.