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The Americans, by contrast, seem a lot more upset about the swearing. I wonder why that is? There's a prudish streak in the US that I really believe comes from

The Americans, by contrast, seem a lot more upset about the swearing. I wonder why that is? There's a prudish streak in the US that I really believe comes from the fact that the country was originally settled by people too religious and too concerned with overtly moral social interaction to be tolerated in 17th century England. That may seem like too easy an explanation but I really do think there is some truth to it. Despite the excesses in American culture, that sort of casual swearing still gets backlash when it goes beyond people who are familiar with each other.

syllogism 13y ago
At any rate, the English speaking country founded by convicts certainly swears quite a lot.
- jahewson 13y ago
  Indeed. I recently encountered the phrase "pardon my Australian" from one such inhabitant.
jrajav 13y ago
As an agnostic American, this is pretty much exactly it. There are lots of subtle social stigmas - like cursing - due to the widespread Christian influence.
- icebraining 13y ago
  Due to a specific strand of Christianity. In the Southern European countries, for example, we have the opposite: plenty of Christianity inspired swearing. I've mentioned it here before, but Your Mother's Tongue: Book of European Invective is a great and extremely funny book on the subject.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
dasil003 13y ago
I believe puritanical is the word you're looking for.
js2 13y ago
Fuck you. I'll just leave this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZhpf3sQxQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZhpf3sQxQ George Carlin, inspired by Lenny Bruce
- LesZedCB 13y ago
  this video is actually just the exception that proves the point. Because this was so controversial, it was so popular.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
brudgers 13y ago
The oldest city in the US was established by Roman Catholics - who spoke Spanish. The first English Speaking settlements were commercial. But more to your argument, Roger Williams was a Puritan, but anything but a prude. He figured that going to Hell was punishment enough to justify practical acceptance of non-believers in this world. Our National myths don't necessarily conform with the facts, amigo.
- yareally 13y ago
  Roger Williams was also exiled from the other Puritans in Massachusetts (5 years after arriving in Boston). Not implying that was related to his colorful usage of the English Language, but marginalizing the influence he had on the Puritan culture of the New England region. Can't really say he represents all Puritans and is just one example of those that ended up settling in Rhode Island. He also became a Calvanist/Baptist following his exile to Rhode Island after disagreements with the Puritans in Massachusetts, so he was not exactly a Puritan for long after settling in the New World. I know I'm reaching with this statement, but I would say he probably had a slight contempt for what was considered "normal" or "acceptable" by others at the time as well so cursing would fit his personality.
baddox 13y ago
I'm American, and I have no problem with cursing or politically incorrect speech in person with a group of friends, coworkers, or even loose acquaintances. I just don't like it on public-facing (or "customer-facing," although that doesn't apply in this case) media. For me, it's not a question of morality, offensiveness, or corrupting children, but rather of perceived professionalism and legitimacy.
- MrMan 13y ago
  the mark of a true HN user - everything is about money and status.
  - baddox 13y ago
    I don't think anyone said anything about money, and "status" is such a vague term that it can be used to describe any concerns.
jonahx 13y ago
You know what, why don't you go eat some tea and crumpets while daintily extending your pinky finger. I'm gonna go cuss out some Brits while I drink whiskey and smoke a Marlboro.
- pacomerh 13y ago
  Drinking tea certainly sounds more appealing to me.
mtts 13y ago
Oh, it's definitely true. When Brits riot, they throw "stones". Americans think the word reminds them of testicles and so throw "rocks" instead. Which to Brits is ridiculous as to them "rocks" are rather larger bits of stone that are pretty hard to pick up, let alone throw. I'm told. Not being a native speaker of either British or American English I wouldn't know if this is true or not, but I thought the story was amusing enough to share.
- ams6110 13y ago
  Hm well "stones" and "balls" can mean "testicles" in context, but it's usually pretty clear when they should mean their literal definitions. If someone was "throwing stones" or "throwing balls" I doubt anyone would think they were throwing testicles.
- gyardley 13y ago
  This is an amusing story, but it's not accurate. America just lacks the British size distinction between rocks and stones, and someone (likely a Brit) made up this explanation as a way to poke fun at Americans. After all, when it's time for a proper riot no one really cares about the subtext of the name of the thing they're chucking. "Hey, share some of those stones with me, I bet I can smash that cop's windshield." "They're rocks, Jake - we're anarchists, not perverts."
jahewson 13y ago
I suspect that this is the case too. They also get married younger and more often than the British, for the same reason.
kyllo 13y ago
I think that in America today, it's less a religious thing and more of a social status thing. Saying "fuck" and "shit" a lot is a social signal that you are low-class and probably not college-educated. "Swearing is a sign of a poor vocabulary" is a phrase I heard a lot growing up.
- yareally 13y ago
  That is how I always thought of it. Not being able to express one's self without copious amounts of explicit language thrown in just lessens any point the speaker was trying to make 99/100 times. We all have pet peeves that can turn us off of listening or reading a point of view, but for many, uncouth language for the lack of better adjectives/verbs/nouns is one of the most common. Don't have a problem with cursing used in moderation when used appropriately, but like any ingredient in a recipe, too much is a bad thing.
virtualwhys 13y ago
Yah, well fuck you and your stupid piece of shit POV on why Americans have a folk up their ass. The English aren't exactly swinging naked from the trees now are they? Every freaking day in France some man or woman is letting it ALL hang out, having a public chat with poor little children around no less, and nobody gives a shit! Hah, hah, Anglophones are prudish in general, although we probably take the cake in the States.

syllogism 13y ago

At any rate, the English speaking country founded by convicts certainly swears quite a lot.

jahewson 13y ago
Indeed. I recently encountered the phrase "pardon my Australian" from one such inhabitant.

jrajav 13y ago

As an agnostic American, this is pretty much exactly it. There are lots of subtle social stigmas - like cursing - due to the widespread Christian influence.

icebraining 13y ago
Due to a specific strand of Christianity. In the Southern European countries, for example, we have the opposite: plenty of Christianity inspired swearing. I've mentioned it here before, but Your Mother's Tongue: Book of European Invective is a great and extremely funny book on the subject.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

dasil003 13y ago

I believe puritanical is the word you're looking for.

js2 13y ago

Fuck you. I'll just leave this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZhpf3sQxQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZhpf3sQxQ George Carlin, inspired by Lenny Bruce

LesZedCB 13y ago
this video is actually just the exception that proves the point. Because this was so controversial, it was so popular.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

brudgers 13y ago

The oldest city in the US was established by Roman Catholics - who spoke Spanish. The first English Speaking settlements were commercial. But more to your argument, Roger Williams was a Puritan, but anything but a prude. He figured that going to Hell was punishment enough to justify practical acceptance of non-believers in this world. Our National myths don't necessarily conform with the facts, amigo.

yareally 13y ago
Roger Williams was also exiled from the other Puritans in Massachusetts (5 years after arriving in Boston). Not implying that was related to his colorful usage of the English Language, but marginalizing the influence he had on the Puritan culture of the New England region. Can't really say he represents all Puritans and is just one example of those that ended up settling in Rhode Island. He also became a Calvanist/Baptist following his exile to Rhode Island after disagreements with the Puritans in Massachusetts, so he was not exactly a Puritan for long after settling in the New World. I know I'm reaching with this statement, but I would say he probably had a slight contempt for what was considered "normal" or "acceptable" by others at the time as well so cursing would fit his personality.

baddox 13y ago

I'm American, and I have no problem with cursing or politically incorrect speech in person with a group of friends, coworkers, or even loose acquaintances. I just don't like it on public-facing (or "customer-facing," although that doesn't apply in this case) media. For me, it's not a question of morality, offensiveness, or corrupting children, but rather of perceived professionalism and legitimacy.

MrMan 13y ago
the mark of a true HN user - everything is about money and status.
- baddox 13y ago
  I don't think anyone said anything about money, and "status" is such a vague term that it can be used to describe any concerns.

jonahx 13y ago

You know what, why don't you go eat some tea and crumpets while daintily extending your pinky finger. I'm gonna go cuss out some Brits while I drink whiskey and smoke a Marlboro.

pacomerh 13y ago
Drinking tea certainly sounds more appealing to me.

mtts 13y ago

Oh, it's definitely true. When Brits riot, they throw "stones". Americans think the word reminds them of testicles and so throw "rocks" instead. Which to Brits is ridiculous as to them "rocks" are rather larger bits of stone that are pretty hard to pick up, let alone throw. I'm told. Not being a native speaker of either British or American English I wouldn't know if this is true or not, but I thought the story was amusing enough to share.

ams6110 13y ago
Hm well "stones" and "balls" can mean "testicles" in context, but it's usually pretty clear when they should mean their literal definitions. If someone was "throwing stones" or "throwing balls" I doubt anyone would think they were throwing testicles.
gyardley 13y ago
This is an amusing story, but it's not accurate. America just lacks the British size distinction between rocks and stones, and someone (likely a Brit) made up this explanation as a way to poke fun at Americans. After all, when it's time for a proper riot no one really cares about the subtext of the name of the thing they're chucking. "Hey, share some of those stones with me, I bet I can smash that cop's windshield." "They're rocks, Jake - we're anarchists, not perverts."

jahewson 13y ago

I suspect that this is the case too. They also get married younger and more often than the British, for the same reason.

kyllo 13y ago

I think that in America today, it's less a religious thing and more of a social status thing. Saying "fuck" and "shit" a lot is a social signal that you are low-class and probably not college-educated. "Swearing is a sign of a poor vocabulary" is a phrase I heard a lot growing up.

yareally 13y ago
That is how I always thought of it. Not being able to express one's self without copious amounts of explicit language thrown in just lessens any point the speaker was trying to make 99/100 times. We all have pet peeves that can turn us off of listening or reading a point of view, but for many, uncouth language for the lack of better adjectives/verbs/nouns is one of the most common. Don't have a problem with cursing used in moderation when used appropriately, but like any ingredient in a recipe, too much is a bad thing.

virtualwhys 13y ago

Yah, well fuck you and your stupid piece of shit POV on why Americans have a folk up their ass. The English aren't exactly swinging naked from the trees now are they? Every freaking day in France some man or woman is letting it ALL hang out, having a public chat with poor little children around no less, and nobody gives a shit! Hah, hah, Anglophones are prudish in general, although we probably take the cake in the States.