h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Amusing and accurate article. Well done. Bleedin' marvelous an' all that.

My autistic nine year old son who watches "South Park" and "Bottom" went through a phase of copying the swearing used in these series so we drummed into him over a period of time that these were "naughty" words used to make the programmes funny and if he continued to repeat them, we'd stop him from watching them. This worked so well that now, if his father or I swear, we get a severe reprimand from our son!

Our twelve year old daughter also watches these programmes and others of an adult nature and never repeats any bad language (that we know of... well, no complaints from her school anyhow - yet!). It may have actually taught her that swearing isn't "grown up" or impressive unless used correctly and in the appropriate situation for either impact or comedy.

Oh well! I'll shut up now - I'm probably spouting nonsense anyhow....

As an aside to the topic - I am sick of programs, comedians, etc being acclaimed as ground-breakingly funny simply because of the gratuitous use of foul language, sexual references, and offensive material. As a link to the topic - I am sadened by the promotion of programs, comedians etc as previously described with a target audience of teenagers who are impressionable and inexperienced enough to think that these things really are what humour is about. As a comment on the topic - I think that most children who are exposed to swearing learn very quickly that there is a time and a place for every thing and tend not to use profanities at the wrong times - which is pretty much what adults try to do also.

There is one commedian that I can't tolerate and it is that "Roy Chubby Brown" person. My husband likes him (probably something to do with male hormones) but even my daughter who watched his "show" declared after five minutes, "All he does is swear every other word" and she didn't seem to find him mildly amusing. When I remember how Warren Mitchell used to swear in "Till Death Us Do Part", although frequent, I found it unoffensive and amusing (in context I suppose).

The really annoying thing about continuous sewaring in comedy acts or in films is that the shock value of the words is all used up in trivial contexts. Then when (for example) something really shocking happens, there's no appropriate word available to express surprise.

I find it mildly amusing: No,I find it screamingly hilarious that with all the riches and beauty of the English language, we are even discussing the topic of swearing. The reality is that if you have a mind and a vocabulary you do not need to swear. Why limit yourself to a pathetic handful of words? Be creative. If you can't express yourself without resorting to swearing, maybe you would do the world a favour by not saying anything at all.

I'm in complete agreement me old Skinroll!

BTW for a perfect example of just how unfunny swearing can be; go and see the new Bottom film (Guest House Paradiso).

Perhaps you shouldn't look at it as 'limit(ing) yourself to a pathetic handful of words'. Perhaps if you force yourself to NOT use profanity, you are limiting yourself in another way.

Profanity is part of the English (and American) language. I personally use as much of the language as possible, including profanity, precisely because I DON'T want to limit myself.

Just one man's opinion.

The Traveller
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