A short note from the h2g2 Editors: We have to point out that the only rules which count in the end are the official House Rules and Terms and Conditions - so while it could be useful in some cases to put these into context as done here, h2g2 Researchers should ultimately refer only to the official rules, backed up with guidance from the h2g2 Editors, and not to anything anyone else writes, which necessarily represents that individual's own particular view, and may be inaccurate, incomplete or not up to date. We are, however, always ready to listen to proposals (preferably constructive ones!) re. the official rules, but can't get into debate about what is essentially an individual's particular opinion about these rules, even when as well-expressed as here.

Contents | Naughty Words | Links and URLs | Flames, Trolls, Abuse | The Law | Misc

Note: As of the 18th December 2002, I am no longer maintaining this page. If you would like to take responsibility for it, please apply at the Community Job Slot. Thank you.

Update: There's a new entry on the hub where Researchers can discuss which words should be banned, and which words should not. If you have any views on the subject, please post there, not here! Hopefully at the culmination of this discussion, this entry will no longer be necessary (big grins!)

There are a variety of words which are naughty to a greater or lesser extent. Sometimes their use is editorially justified, such as when reviewing plays and such. Some words require more justification than others, so fxxk is harder to justify than sxxt¹. Justification only really applies to entries, as posts are typically too short to qualify.

Some words have both acceptable and unacceptable meanings. For example, the word cxxt is unacceptable, but it is acceptable to mention that in London (in the 17th Century) there was a street called 'Cunt Street'².

Of course, content using these words may be out of bounds in other ways. If you call someone a smeghead, then while the word 'smeghead' itself is ok, the post as a hole might cross the line and being hidden for being a flame.

Lists

For a while, the Editors said that they could not provide this list themselves. This has now changed³, which will hopefully make this page more accurate. This list is slowly getting shorter over time - a good thing.

The following words are unacceptable in some or all uses (listed in alphabetical order:

• axxxxxxe - rectum, UK spelling of 'asshole'
• bxxxxxd - illegitimate person, bar steward (forbidden in the context of an insult, allowed as a term for an illegitimate person⁴)
• bxxxxxk - testicle (forbidden in the context of testes, allowed as a term for 'a pulley-block at the head of a topmast')
• cxxt - shortened form of 'clitoris'
• cxxt - vagina
• dxxxo - 'an object serving as a penis substitute for vaginal insertion', according to Merriam-Webster.
• fxxk - have sex
• jxxm - ejaculated semen, cum (forbidden whether spelt as jxsm or jxzm)
• mxxf - yet another vagina
• pxxs - urinate (forbidden in the context of urination and insult, allowed as a slang term for being angry or drunk⁵)
• pxxxk - a penis, 'pricking feeling⁶' (forbidden in the context of dicks, allowable in the context of pins and suchlike)
• sxxt - excrement
• txxt - another vagina, not twit
• wxxk - masturbate, not work

The following words and phrases are acceptable, but have been queried by researchers in the past:

• ass, asshole, arse, balls, bastardised, bastardized, berk, bitch, bloody, bugger⁷, bum, buttocks, clitoris, cock, come, crap, crapulence, cum, cunny, damn, darn, dick, fanny, felch, frig, fubar, git, heck, hell, knob, minge, nazi, orgy, pee, penis, pillock, quim, shag, slut, smeg, sod, snafu, tits, tosser, twit, willy, vagina, wtf

Other Starring

Some words are banned not because they are 'profane' or swearing, but because they may offend members of certain minority groups. Posts using these words will normally fail for breaching other parts of the house rules. However, sometimes they will have those words starred out, and the post will be passed. This might occur in quotes, for example. The Editors have provided four examples:

• cxxn - black person, possibly from raccoon. But you are allowed to use 'coon as a slang term for raccoons⁸.
• nxxxxr - another black person, 'catch a nxxxxr by hir toe'
• sxxxxxc - characterised by spasms, a form of cerebral palsy.
• yxd - short for 'yiddish'?

In addition, researchers may star out their own words where they find them offensive, or inappropriate. For example, some believers write "God" as "G-d", for whatever reason. Alternatively, they may mistakenly think that a word is not allowed on h2g2, when it is.

Dyslexic Swearing

Words like 'fcuk'⁹ or 'feck'¹⁰ will sometimes be starred out. And sometimes not. There doesn't seem to be any universal rule to decide.

No Spitting

The no spitting rule "doesn't mean anything specific"¹¹, and is absolutely not enforced: feel free to <spit> to your hearts content. It's just a bit of bad humour really, though <spit>ting is now used by some to express distaste or defiance towards aspects of h2g2 or the BBC. Probably won't make you any friends.