Swear or not a swear?

[Barkeep49]

I used the phrase "bitching and moaning" to my little league team, comprised of 11 & 12 year olds last night. My co-coach argues that I swore. Your thoughts?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Ask him "Who the hell is the f'n head coach here?"

[Dekanth]

Of course it is a swear. A very mild one, but still a swear.

[ISiddiqui]

Nah, it's only a swear to pansy asses :p.

[Logan]

No, intent and context drive the meaning.

Oh...Jon will tell you that you should've used the term "wailing and moaning."

[JonInMiddleGA]

Although I voted yes, I'd say it's really more along the lines of "inappropriate language" than an actual "swear".

I love dictionary.com
"Swear"
4. to use profane oaths or language

"Profane"
5. common or vulgar.

The first several definitions of profane involve concepts of irreligious or unholy, and I really don't think that applies.

So it's really a bit of a stretch, by definition, to call it a swear ... but it definitely would be deemed inappropriate in front of an 11-12 y/o audience by the majority of people (even though the kids themselves use it on their own time).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oh...Jon will tell you that you should've used the term "wailing and moaning."

Actually, my wailing & moaning reference this week was a shortened (because I don't like superlong thread titles) version of "weeping, wailing, moaning, and gnashing of teeth", instead of a reworked "bitching & moaning".

[Logan]

I know your thoughts on how others hate the system. I was pretty sure you censored yourself :)

[JeeberD]

Bitch is a mild cuss word, so yes, I would say you cussed...

[rkmsuf]

depends

if you routinely say "listen up you little fuckers" then bitching and moaning is no big deal

[oliegirl]

I said yes only beacuse I think it's something inappropriate to say to a group of children that aren't yours. I let the occasional swear word slip in front of my son, but I've talked to him and he knows that he is not supposed to use those words...I'm sure he does in front of his friend, but what kid doesn't? However, there is a big difference between what I see as ok for me to say in front of my kid and what I want other people saying in front of my kid. Probably a double standard of sorts but I know my friends who are parents feel the same way and I'm willing to bet there are a lot of others who do too.

[rkmsuf]

what happens in the huddle stays in the huddle

[Subby]

Would you accept your 11 and 12 year olds using that language?

[Lathum]

Can they hear someone on Law and Order say that in the middle of the afternoon?

[Kodos]

To bitch is not a swear. Calling someone a bitch is.

[Ksyrup]

Doesn't matter what you call it, it was still inappropriate. That's all that matters.

[Kodos]

I do agree that it was to some degree inappropriate. Not like call them little bastards, but still inappropriate.

[Swaggs]

I think it is inappropriate to say in front of a child, so I vote yes.

[Sweed]

I agree with those that say it's inappropriate. I coached 6 years of little league to junior league baseball and a couple of years of AAU basketball. I always monitored what I said very closely knowing I was, at least supposed to be, setting an example for young kids.

If a parent came up to you at your next practice or before your next game and asked why you swore in front of little Johnny would you be comfortable saying "what do you mean, I only said bitching"? I know I wouldn't.

[MikeVic]

Yes.

[Noop]

I coached basketball and I had the habit of saying damn underneath my breath and they considered that a cuss word. So I am going to say "yes"

[stevew]

if you were going to cuss in front of the kids, at least you should have gotten your money's worth. "Acting like Whiny Cunts" would have been much better.

[Young Drachma]

Kids can be impressionable and parents are crazy. Rightfully so, the kids belong to them. So I tend to just keep it clean unless I'm dealing with kids who parents I know or unless they are teenagers and I understand how they operate well enough that it's not an issue. With the younger ones, I just avoid colourful language. It's just better that way.

[Dr. Sak]

You could've said Nappy Headed Ho's and got away with it, no swear words there.

[gstelmack]

Inappropriate around a group of impressionable young kids who aren't yours. You need to hold yourself to a higher standard when in a position of responsibility around kids.

[NoMyths]

Yep, it's swearing. While playing GTAIV yesterday I caught myself wondering whether the phrase "swearing like a sailor" has lost its meaning, as in our era just about all of us are comfortable with a level of profanity that would have been absolutely shocking just a few decades ago. I suppose our culture will respond by coming up with other phrases that are shocking, or perhaps more likely, revisit old ones -- I tend to think that's the reason we're seeing such a societal/media outcry over racial slurs of late since we're rarely shocked by regular dirty words anymore.

[path12]

I said no, but I swear a lot and am not around kids much.

[kcchief19]

I said no, but I swear a lot and am not around kids much.That's probably for the best.

[Barkeep49]

I appreciate everyone's response. It's funny because among the two of us, I'm the "clean" one, and am careful not to even say damn around kids. My bad here, that's for sure. And for extra information the context was "We caught a break here. Some other time a call will go against us, and we don't want to start bitching and moaning then". So I wasn't calling any of the players bitches, and in fact wasn't even stating that they were bitching and moaning. But still I goofed. Luckily no parents heard it and it didn't seem to register with any of the kids.

[BrianD]

Is this the wrong place to revisit the topic of how silly it is that some words have these mystical auras around them which make them swear words? I feel a George Carlin rant coming up...

[korme]

I said no, but after reading the context, yes it is, and you shouldn't say that in front of the childies

[BrianD]

Next time just say "pissing and moaning" and everyone will be happy.

[rkmsuf]

how about taking a leak in the woods. is that permitted?

[path12]

That's probably for the best.

Tell me about it.

[gstelmack]

Is this the wrong place to revisit the topic of how silly it is that some words have these mystical auras around them which make them swear words? I feel a George Carlin rant coming up...

Then why say them? The intent behind swearwords is shock value, otherwise you'd just say "complaining" instead of "bitching and moaning". It would be similar to saying something much cleaner but while ranting and raving and shouting at whoever you were talking to.

Oh, and I swear all the time, just not around the kids.

[BrianD]

Then why say them? The intent behind swearwords is shock value, otherwise you'd just say "complaining" instead of "bitching and moaning". It would be similar to saying something much cleaner but while ranting and raving and shouting at whoever you were talking to.

Oh, and I swear all the time, just not around the kids.

I don't think I've ever said a swear word for shock value. Maybe for color or for emphasis, but that is about it. I'd be curious to know if there is some sort of historical connection to some of these words to make them bad.

I'm not really pro or anti swear words, the concept is just odd to me. You can say "bitch" when talking about a dog, but not if you are talking about a woman...so substitute slut and you are just fine. I find that odd. The words themselves aren't bad other than for the fact that we call them bad. If we didn't put such a taboo on them, would people even care to use them? Just idle thoughts.

[Dr. Sak]

Next time just say earmuffs...then you can say Fuck, shit...

[KWhit]

Yeah, that's inapropriate to say in front of kids, I'd say.

[Karlifornia]

The idea of profanity is one of the most absurd concepts humanity has ever created.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I don't think I've ever said a swear word for shock value.

I'm on the other end of that I guess. I've used them to pretty good effect in certain situations for years.

[Logan]

I'm on the other end of that I guess. I've used them to pretty good effect in certain situations for years.

Oh hell yes. A well-dropped "cunt" can really do wonders.

[Ksyrup]

When I want to say Son of a Bitch in front of the kids, I yell out, "Snuffalufagus!" They have no clue or think I'm being funny, and it fits well enough to satisfy my urge to swear.

[Passacaglia]

Oh hell yes. A well-dropped "cunt" can really do wonders.

:eek:

[BrianD]

I'm on the other end of that I guess. I've used them to pretty good effect in certain situations for years.

I'm more of a 'still waters run deep' kind of guy. I get animated and angry so infrequently that just raising my voice works to get people worried that I've finally snapped and get them running to get out of shotgun range. Dropping a few F-bombs would likely cause people to dive through the windows.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Dropping a few F-bombs would likely cause people to dive through the windows.

You say that as though it would be a bad thing ;)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oh hell yes. A well-dropped "cunt" can really do wonders.

Actually haven't needed that one (yet). But the right f-bomb in the right circumstance works wonders.

[cartman]

A pic of Barkeep? :D

http://www.variety.com/graphics/photos/reviewb/rbadnewsbears.jpg

[ShaneTheMaster]

Na,.. Now, if you told a crying kid to stop acting like a lil' bitch, then I might be more inclined to say that it was a swear.

[st.cronin]

I think that's just about right level of roughness for getting the attention of 11 and 12 year olds.

[BrianD]

You say that as though it would be a bad thing ;)

You are right. My bad. :)

[Bad-example]

I don't see it as being a swear when used as a verb. But I could see some parent getting their panties in a twist over its use.

[Barkeep49]

I don't see it as being a swear when used as a verb. But I could see some parent getting their panties in a twist over its use.
I can't remember the last time I used bitch as a noun. Bad-examples feelings were mine before reading what everyone thought.