Mind the 4-letter F-word!

Fair warning! If you are adverse to vulgar words, expletives and profanities, give this blog a miss.

I am always fascinated by the varied responses on the 4-letter F-word i.e. F-U-C-K. Now there, I have said it … rather, I have type-written it. I have concluded that people can be grouped into various categories on how they deal with or use vulgar words.

1. The Self Perceived Cool Dudes and Dudettes
There is this lady I used to work with, who probably thought she is an American black if you observe her mannerisms. She must have thought it real cool to use the word “fuck”. Her sentences were liberally peppered with that word and other expletives. For example, “What the fuck did you fucking jackass think you are doing? Why did you think we fucking hire you in the first place if you can’t even get this simple fucking project completed?!”

2. The Expletive-users-but-respect-delicate-ears Type
One of my ex-bosses used to swear using the gentler word “fook” in place of the more vulgar one. For example, “I am going to ‘fook’ that guy! No one with half a brain would even do such a stupid thing!!”

3. The Embarrass-to-use-expletive Type
Most of my friends have wholesome childhood. Such words were never in our vocabulary and were frown upon during our growing up years. During one moment when a friend was trying to fit in with her sales team, she said timidly and with slight embarrassment, “It’s … erm … fucking hot today hor.”

4. The Use-expletive-only-when-very-angry/frustrated Type
This type of person uses expletives very sparingly and only in moments of sheer anger or frustration. Or they used it to show how truly displeased and upset they are. Thus, the rare moments of usage lent a truly powerful message to the people hearing it. For example, “Fuck it! There is no point me doing this report over and over again if you do not know exactly what you want!”

5. The Never-use-expletive Type
This type of person frowns at others who use expletives. They can be bias in the sense that they think people who use these words are “bad” or have very bad upbringing. They especially think girls or women who use such words are bad girls who drink, smoke, swear, sleep around, etc. Usually, this group of people belongs to the older generation.

Now, let’s look at the origin of this word. Did you know that the word fuck is a very old word and has been considered crude right from the start?

According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition,

“The obscenity fuck is a very old word and has been considered shocking from the first, though it is seen in print much more often now than in the past. Its first known occurrence, in code because of its unacceptability, is in a poem composed in a mixture of Latin and English sometime before 1500. The poem, which satirizes the Carmelite friars of Cambridge, England, takes its title, “Flen flyys,” from the first words of its opening line, “Flen, flyys, and freris,” that is, “fleas, flies, and friars.” The line that contains fuck reads “Non sunt in coeli, quia gxddbov xxkxzt pg ifmk.” …. The whole thus reads in translation: “They are not in heaven because they fuck wives of Ely [a town near Cambridge].” ”

Did you also know that this 4-letter word is so versatile that it can be used in so many ways and has so many different meanings to it?

1. “I want to fuck you.” It means I want to have sexual intercourse with you.
2. “Damn! I have been fucked!” It means that I have been taken advantage of, cheated, betrayed, and victimised.
3. “What the fuck did you do that for?” In this context, the word is used to express extreme displeasure.
4. “Don’t fuck with me.” It means don’t meddle or mess with me.
5. “That fucking moron.” The word can be used to refer to someone that is despised.
6. “Don’t fuck up again.” It means do not make a mistake or do not bungle up again.
7. “It’s fucking hot!” The word is used to emphasise a situation.
8. “Just fuck off!” In this context, it is a signal of angry dismissal.

That’s all I could think of for now but I am sure there are many more creative usage of the word.

In any case, these days, some people use the word so frequently that there is no shock element to it anymore. In certain circles, it might even be considered as part of everyday vocabulary. Strangely enough, after so many centuries, the word has yet to evolve into respectability among the lexicographers (dictionary makers if I am not mistaken). The few dictionaries that I looked up have an abbreviation of vulg. or vulgar slang next to the word.

Hmm … I wonder what is stopping them from giving “fuck” its due and turning the word into respectability. What say you …?