Bloody Nora!

[jon1959]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/20/bloody-loses-its-place-atop-swearing-lexicon-as-british-use-of-expletives-falls

So it’s farewell to bloody Nora. The f-word has become Britain’s most popular swear word, overtaking “bloody” as the nation’s use of expletives has dropped over the past two decades, a linguistics study has found.

Data comparing the use of 16 swear words in the 1990s and the 2010s found the f-word was now the most frequently used, taking the title from “bloody” which has been beaten into third place by “shit”.

The study, by Dr Robbie Love at Aston University, found there was a 27% drop in swearing in Britain over the 20-year period, down from 1,822 to 1,320 swear words per million, with those three words being the most commonly used.

His findings also show men still swear more than women, and swearing still peaks in people’s twenties and declines thereafter.


I can't chuffin' believe it!

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: Bloody Nora!

Bloody hell! (I'm guessing this is down to about 12th)?

[J R Hartley]

Re: Bloody Nora!

Can’t beat a C-bomb. Can be used in so many different contexts.

[MacAdder]

Re: Bloody Nora!

Bloomin' heck well down the list then.

Who the fcuk makes these surveys up and does anyone give a shite

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: Bloody Nora!

Bloomin' heck well down the list then.

Who the fcuk makes these surveys up and does anyone give a shite

Many of us are fascinated by linguistics and the evolution of language.

[MacAdder]

Re: Bloody Nora!

Many of us are fascinated by linguistics and the evolution of language.

Now I think about it I kind of agree with you.

Forgive me. I am interfrasticated at your pericombobulations.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Bloody Nora!

I swear much more now in my sixties than I ever did in my twenties, so I contradict the findings of the report. Thirty and forty years ago, I would consciously try not to swear because of my mother's maxim that people who swear a lot did so because of the inadequacy of their vocabulary - this made a lot of sense to me at the time, especially when I came across people who gave the impression that the only adjective they knew was the word "f*cking", and I determined to follow in my Mum's footsteps.

However, down the years I have lapsed and, in some cases, it's primarily because it has become increasingly clear to me that there are times when only an expletive will do! I still don't use the f word much at all, preferring to save it up so to speak until when it is absolutely necessary - then there it becomes almost a pleasurable experience .

The only excuse I can think of for my far more frequent use of words like bloody and shit is that I don't really think of them as swear words any more and when I hear Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin effing away to their hearts content on Grace and Frankie and relatives in their twenties using the word when speaking to me as part of general conversation, I think f*ck might go the same way as well (if it hasn't done so already).

[splott parker]

Re: Bloody Nora!

F*ck is thrown into many conversations now, people on the bus, in shops etc. Listen to a pub chat, it’s run of the mill, women included. I often wonder how my late mother would react to it, especially the liberal use of it on the telly. I’m guilty of it, my missus is too, if something goes amiss, say, in the kitchen I’ve heard her throw a ‘f*ck it’ in, is guilty the right word though, it’s only a word. Time moves on I s’pose, my mother’s swear words were ‘damn & blast’, ‘ya little divil’, and very occasionally the odd ‘feck’, very, very occasionally. I’d be squirming in my seat watching modern television with my mother nowadays although who’s to say that she’d be up with the times and take it in her stride.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Bloody Nora!

As far as I am concerned anyone who swears is a cxxx

The country has gone down the shitter

[Des Parrot]

Re: Bloody Nora!

I’m with TOBW on this, I swear far more now then when I was younger, it simply wasn’t allowed. Proud to stay that I’ve still never & won’t use the C word or the T word.

It would be interesting to see the full list is as I’ve had numerous discussions with my kids about what we each consider to be a swear word.

I’ve just googled a few lists, they’re a load of bollocks (my #1 usage) :)

[dembethewarrior]

Re: Bloody Nora!

I don't personally think it's because of a lack of vocabulary. I only usually swear through anger or frustration.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Bloody Nora!

I don't personally think it's because of a lack of vocabulary. I only usually swear through anger or frustration.

So,when you hear somebody saying “so, I effing goes down City effing Road to effing buy some effing nails” like I did one night in the Old A, you think it’s not the speaker’s lack of vocabulary which causes that sentence to be said, but the fact he was angry and/or frustrated - maybe he hadn’t realised that he really wanted effing screws?

[MacAdder]

Re: Bloody Nora!

Derek and Clive well ahead of their time.....

c***s

[Citizen's Nephew]

Re: Bloody Nora!

Uses And History Of The Word F**k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt8_HybhM5Q

[dembethewarrior]

Re: Bloody Nora!

So,when you hear somebody saying “so, I effing goes down City effing Road to effing buy some effing nails” like I did one night in the Old A, you think it’s not the speaker’s lack of vocabulary which causes that sentence to be said, but the fact he was angry and/or frustrated - maybe he hadn’t realised that he really wanted effing screws?

Only from my own experiences yeah, and the people I talk to.

Can't speak for everybody.

It got pointed out to me quite a few years back that I swore a lot, I didn't realise I was doing it, but I wasn't using swearing to replace words (lack of vocab) it was just needless swearing.

"I forgot my ****ing wallet, can you buy me a breakfast and I'll buy you a ****ing errr breaky next Friday"

I've since cut it out a lot.