Which is more offensive/derogatory

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

F*ck you is totally generic.
F*g is definitely more offensive.

This is the right answer.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Fuck is dolphin in French...spelled differently, of course.

Looks like we just need to some sort of "international clause" here...a Brit bumming a smoke and a Frenchman looking for Sea World shouldn't be persecuted unjustly at a Pirates game.

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

I'd say they are both offensive. I'm stuck as to which is worse though, according to the FCC I think Fuck You is worse than Fag. Since I don't think Fag is one of the 7 words.

To be fair, I think using the 7 words as a guidepost might be a tad outdated. Language changes with the times.

SI

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

To be fair, I think using the 7 words as a guidepost might be a tad outdated. Language changes with the times.

SI

Oh yeah, I agree.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Isn't fag still used as a term for cigarette in England or Australia or something?

Yep. I hear the word around a dozen times a day in my office.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

Yep. I hear the word around a dozen times a day in my office.

So what are your derogatory terms for homosexual in the UK? (I'm sure you must have some colorful ones).

[Logan]

"Offensive" is a matter of opinion and varies from person to person. Shit, check out those parenting groups who go nuts over the most minor sexual detail being discussed on network TV (but seem to have no problem with violence being portrayed)...they claim to be offended by all of that.

Fag, by definition in America at least, is derogatory.

[JediKooter]

Where all the honky women at?

[Maple Leafs]

In seriousness, the word "fag" is offensive and isn't something anyone should be yelling in public, especially when their may be kids around. You could say the same for plenty of words.

But what's especially offensive here is the implication that calling somebody gay is interchangeable with any other insult. If you think some player sucks, yell that they suck. Calling somebody a "faq" because they struck out is exactly the sort of crap that drives gay kids out of youth sports.

[k0ruptr]

Fuck you is way worse then Fag around here and when I was growing up , fwiw. Fag is thrown around every day all day, and while not a good thing, it doesnt even bother many people or me out here when they here it. But Fuck you on the other hand, you say that to someone, you better be ready to have your ass kicked.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

In seriousness, the word "fag" is offensive and isn't something anyone should be yelling in public, especially when their may be kids around. You could say the same for plenty of words.

But what's especially offensive here is the implication that calling somebody gay is interchangeable with any other insult. If you think some player sucks, yell that they suck. Calling somebody a "faq" because they struck out is exactly the sort of crap that drives gay kids out of youth sports.

ML, "fag" is our generation's "n-word"...our parents (and/or grandparents) grew up throwing that word around...right or wrong, that's the way it was. Heck, my grandfather will still say it from time to time and it sickens me to death...but he's in his late 70's...if he hasn't "matured" yet then I hardly doubt he will now. Point is, it'll take time (probably a decade or two) before society catches up and by then we'll be onto a new "bad" word and fag will old news...except to some diehards who just refuse to let go.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

Yep. I hear the word around a dozen times a day in my office.

Yeah, but you guys get to call each other cunts without anyone getting slapped. Or is that just a Scotland thing rather than a whole UK thing?

[korme]

Originally Posted by Drake

I don't find "fag" to be particularly offensive. It's not a word I use, but I don't find it offensive.

I have become aware, however, that attitudes on the defcon level of that particular word has escalated over the last ten years or so. My kids tell me that in their school setting, it's considered on par with calling someone a nigger.

All I know is that I typed "nigger", deleted it, then "n-word" like four times in the previous sentence. I didn't do that with fag, though I considered it for a second. I'd never do either of those with a good "fuck you."

YMMV

reminded me of a louis ck quote

[RainMaker]

He's right in that his example is more offensive, but he is also a raging douchebag for being "that guy" at the game who yells profanities at players who can't hear them.

[Drake]

I've never cursed at players during a game. I tend to battle the "don't distract me, I'm trying to watch the game!!!" form of douchebaggery instead.

Srsly. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm making memories with my kids and that the game is secondary to that.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Drake

Yeah, but you guys get to call each other cunts without anyone getting slapped. Or is that just a Scotland thing rather than a whole UK thing?

I was wondering about this on the way home. Why exactly is "cunt" so particularly offensive, but "dick", "prick", "cock", etc are [relatively] fine? What is the equivalent female insult? Don't serve up "bitch", because I pair that up with "bastard" as an equivalent.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I was wondering about this on the way home. Why exactly is "cunt" so particularly offensive?

Because it's most typically associated with Rosie O'Donnell and Hillary Clinton.

[Drake]

I think the closest cognate male insult is either motherfucker or cocksucker, at least if we're scoring by the "which is likely to get a fist up my nose" criteria, but I don't know that either of those impact men to the same degree that cunt does with women.

At least, my wife made it clear before we married that if I ever called her a cunt, I'd have divorce papers in my hand the next day, but she's called me a motherfucker tons of times.

[Drake]

I was worried I wasn't going to be able to work cocksucker into this thread. Thanks for the assist, cuervo.

[RendeR]

I'm fascinated by the "Fuck is French for Dolphin" thing....care to elaborate?

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

Fuck you is way worse then Fag around here and when I was growing up , fwiw. Fag is thrown around every day all day, and while not a good thing, it doesnt even bother many people or me out here when they here it.

Well, it doesn't bother anybody but the gay people.

The fact that being called gay is daily used as an insult is exactly the problem ... I mean, yes, you're right, lots of people consider fag an extremely mild insult. The offensiveness comes in what it's trying to say about gays, not so much in what it's saying about the person you're yelling at.

[CarterNMA]

I know two homosexual males and they call each other, and other gay men, "fag" all the time. Doesn't seem that it means much to that group.

And why are we skirting around the whole asterisks thing any way? I'd rather be called a fag than a Nazi but you never see anybody write that as N*zi...

I think Louis CK is right. And my long-lost twin. It's scary how much we look alike...

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by CarterNMA

I know two homosexual males and they call each other, and other gay men, "fag" all the time. Doesn't seem that it means much to that group.

..

I hear black people call each other the N word all the time.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Isn't fag still used as a term for cigarette in England or Australia or something?

England, I think..

Side story, in Australia (I think) and New Zealand, a "rubber" is an eraser. One of my colleagues in grad school (who was from New Zealand), on his first day in our office, asked the most reserved girl in the lab (not knowing anything about her) if he could borrow a rubber. The 15 shades of red and purple her face turned were priceless.

As another side story, when I was in Australia, I learned not to ask anyone who they root for, or to tell them that I root for a team. Cheer, sure. Not root.

Coming back to this thread. I find fag more offensive, personally, but for no logical reason I can pinpoint, aside from the fact that it is derogatory to certain people, whereas fuck is kind of all-purpose (and can be used to describe something that's rather fun! ).

I really try to watch my language, especially at work and around kids. But, as people this weekend can attest, I don't always do the greatest job around kids. It's something I really am trying to work on.

/tk

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I was wondering about this on the way home. Why exactly is "cunt" so particularly offensive, but "dick", "prick", "cock", etc are [relatively] fine? What is the equivalent female insult? Don't serve up "bitch", because I pair that up with "bastard" as an equivalent.

There's some fascinating reading on the etymology of cunt for those that are interested.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

There's some fascinating reading on the etymology of cunt for those that are interested.

I don't think Googling that is a good idea so you might have to provide a link

SI

[sooner333]

I don't really find fuck very offensive. But, I would guess that more parents would probably be upset having their kids hear that than fag. Just a guess. But, in my opinion, that would be the determination of what would be "more offensive" in the going to a ballgame context.

Which one is more right or wrong to say seems to be an entirely different conversation (one that seems to be going on here).

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Side story, in Australia (I think) and New Zealand, a "rubber" is an eraser. One of my colleagues in grad school (who was from New Zealand), on his first day in our office, asked the most reserved girl in the lab (not knowing anything about her) if he could borrow a rubber. The 15 shades of red and purple her face turned were priceless.

Yah, Australia too. I think it was Degrassi Junior High that taught us all that it was the US/Canadian word for condom.

As another side story, when I was in Australia, I learned not to ask anyone who they root for, or to tell them that I root for a team. Cheer, sure. Not root.

Haha... Yeah there's a slight difference... Though "root" has caught on over the past couple of years. I use it every now and then and people know I don't mean "screw".

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by RendeR

I'm fascinated by the "Fuck is French for Dolphin" thing....care to elaborate?

My bad...it's not dolphin but seal.

Does seal really mean this in french? - Yahoo! Answers

I'll correct my original post.

Also, regarding Aussie slang...my wife was in Australia several years ago and Roots is prominent clothing company up here and she of course had a sweatshirt or two that said "Roots" on it...add to that one of the company brands involves a beaver...needless to say she was stopped several times by curious locals and also received the stink eye from a lot of older people.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

My bad...it's not dolphin but seal.

Does seal really mean this in french? - Yahoo! Answers

Yeah, I know =)

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I don't think Googling that is a good idea so you might have to provide a link

SI

hxxp://www.billcasselman.com/unpublished_works/cunt_wordorigin_use.htm

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by sooner333

I don't really find fuck very offensive. But, I would guess that more parents would probably be upset having their kids hear that than fag. Just a guess. But, in my opinion, that would be the determination of what would be "more offensive" in the going to a ballgame context.

Which one is more right or wrong to say seems to be an entirely different conversation (one that seems to be going on here).

We live next door to twin HS boys. They're pretty straight arrows - great grades, never get in trouble, are more concerned with playing sports and video games than chasing girls, etc. I don't ever think I've heard them curse, but I'm pretty sure I have heard them say "you fag" to each other (basically in the same manner as they might say "you dork").

[Sgran]

According to Ron Artest, it's okay to yell nasty things at the players, just don't throw a cup of beer at them, because that could cut their eye and lead to a blood clot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTweS...eature=related

In general, I think heckling is lame and is done by insecure people to impress their peers. Shut up and enjoy the game. Unless it's like, a roided up pitcher throwing a bat at your all-star catcher. Then come up with something good.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by RendeR

I'm fascinated by the "Fuck is French for Dolphin" thing....care to elaborate?

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

My bad...it's not dolphin but seal.

Does seal really mean this in french? - Yahoo! Answers

I'll correct my original post.

I read your original post only in the quote by SI so not yet corrected and I was about to correct you, and mention it's not really written the same but is pronounced the same.

Funny thing, in Quebec, you can hear fuck quite a bit because people don't really realize how bad/offensive it can be. Many people will often go "aww fuck" when they screw up and such. I had to remind my son about it as he started learning English more and more.

FM

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Sgran

Unless it's like, a roided up pitcher throwing a bat at your all-star catcher. Then come up with something good.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

I read your original post only in the quote by SI so not yet corrected and I was about to correct you, and mention it's not really written the same but is pronounced the same.

Funny thing, in Quebec, you can hear fuck quite a bit because people don't really realize how bad/offensive it can be. Many people will often go "aww fuck" when they screw up and such. I had to remind my son about it as he started learning English more and more.

FM

My mom (from the Chicoutimi area) certainly found it offensive but I'm guessing it's because we were living in Ottawa where it was obviously more frequently used as a cuss.

My brother and I certainly loved to push her buttons with it, though..."but mom, I'm doing a project about seals (had science and social in french) for school"...lol.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

Funny thing, in Quebec, you can hear fuck quite a bit because people don't really realize how bad/offensive it can be. Many people will often go "aww fuck" when they screw up and such. I had to remind my son about it as he started learning English more and more.

FM

you find that in America, too, even when people know how offensive some people find it.

/tk

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

My mom (from the Chicoutimi area) certainly found it offensive but I'm guessing it's because we were living in Ottawa where it was obviously more frequently used as a cuss.

Yeah, I think as soon as you've started living in an English area and you hear it more as a cuss, you become aware of how offensive it can be. That's about what I meant when talking about making my son aware of that. You probably know that many people in Quebec actually speak very little English, especially if you mom comes from Chicoutimi, which is probably even "Frencher" than most places in the province.

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

My brother and I certainly loved to push her buttons with it, though..."but mom, I'm doing a project about seals (had science and social in french) for school"...lol.

good one.

There's a play on words that goes "ouate de phoque" in French and while it's said the same as WTF, it'd translate more to "wadding of seal", you know, like fluffy cotton wadding...

FM

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

you find that in America, too, even when people know how offensive some people find it.

/tk

yeah, I know, the chance of finding people who don't know it's offensive to some is probably way less in America though.

FM

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

Yeah, I think as soon as you've started living in an English area and you hear it more as a cuss, you become aware of how offensive it can be. That's about what I meant when talking about making my son aware of that. You probably know that many people in Quebec actually speak very little English, especially if you mom comes from Chicoutimi, which is probably even "Frencher" than most places in the province.
FM

We have a cottage about 30 minutes from Val D'Or and listening to my father (who is from downtown Toronto) trying to buy cigarettes and pay for gas on the way up there was always a treat. He'd always ask my brother and I to come in "to get a treat" but it was so we could make sure he understood what the clerk was saying so he didn't pay too much or not get the right kind of smokes. Good times...

[OldGiants]

The phrase I hear most often in Elementary Schools is 'You suck!'

It is really hard to explain to someone whose age is still in the single digits that this is not appropriate. People have forgotten that 'You suck' has nothing to do with straws.

I trace the acceptableness of 'You suck' back to that cutesy-poopsy poster from the early 90's "Mean People Suck" which, if you actually think about it, is one thing mean people rarely ever do in the straw or sexual sense of the word. And here I pay a compliment to faggots everywhere when I say I have never met a mean one. A malevolent bundle of sticks, that is.