BYU Students (and others) Use 'New' Curse Words

[matcom]

<snip>

Among Mormon students at Brigham Young University campuses these days, "fetch" is one substitute for the curse word, but not as popular as "flippin', freakin' and freak," says Kay Ushijima, a BYU student preparing a senior thesis on the topic.

In the world of entertainment, euphemisms can be part of the cat-and-mouse game played by writers and in-house censors. Some networks have multipage lists of substitutes directors can use when they dub their movies for broadcast on television. But lately, some writers have taken to using "fake euphemisms" — words that no one actually uses but sound like they could be obscene, linguists say.

Euphemisms for the forbidden word are counted by media analysts at the Parents Television Council, an advocacy organization that publishes reports on TV sex, violence and foul language. Among the 500 pages of examples, the more creative include a "Scrubs" episode in which Dr. Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke) exclaims: "Frick! Double frick!" and a "Dharma and Greg" show where Dharma says of Greg's father, "Oh, he's definitely flinking somebody."

"These euphemisms, especially in the public context, are more humorous now than strictly euphemistic," Sheidlower says.

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/la-et-smith19apr19.story

[LadeJarl]

1. I don't understand

why americans are so puritan when it comes to words but don't care when it comes to showing violence and corpses on TV. Same with sex, it seems like this is the worst thing that can be shown in addition to those, is it 7?, banned words that can not be said. Reminds me of a forgotten era in a no longer existing regime.

[Champ]

4. I don't understand what that has to do with mormons?

They are also against the things like violence and corpses on TV. Same with (pre-marital)sex. I know, I live in Mesa, Arizona one of the higher populations of mormon's in the country. I believe we have a mormon mayor even, their is also mormon churches all over the city and not to mention the huge Mormon Temple here. In fact this city was founded by mormon's and it's original name was Utah City. :crazy:

[JohnKleeb]

2. heh

man thats funny. you flinking son of a bilnk.

[MAlibdem]

3. it's weird...

isn't the "evil" of swearing not inherent in the word but in the meaning? Thus euphemisms don't do shit...(or squat?)

[bhunt70]

7. or diddley

[GOPisEvil]

5. This is new?

Yosemite Sam has been using "rackin' frackin'" for 50 years now. :D

[terrya]

6. Boy, am I having a flinking bad day today. eom

[KinkyDem]

8. SMURF!!

Smurf! These smurfin fools sure do smurf me off. Smurfin Smurfs! I hate me some smurfin smufs. Smurf!

[Catholic Sensation]

13. ahahahaha

one of the very few great sketches on snl from the last five years

[ronnykmarshall]

9. Fuck that shit!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

11. Oh man! Serious jinx!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

10. Fuck this shit.

[billyf65]

12. Mormons

I thing Mormons are forbidden from cursing.

Had a Mormon football coach in HS. Now, anyone who has played HS Football knows coaches love to curse it up.

He was constantly throwing around "dag-nabbit" and "son-of-a-buck."

All of this begs the question: is it the words that are bad, or the angry outburst?

For examply, when people talk about "those people" moving into their neighborhoods, are they still not being offensive, even though not specifically blurting out racial epithets?

Just a thought.

[Warren Stuart]

14. Oh, Fudge!

When I'm really in a foul mood I'll say Sugarplum, real nasty. People know you're cursing, but without the curses.

[DrWeird]

15. Are all BYU students this stupid?

or just most of them.