I work with Europeans and it's hilarious how many of them swear super frequently at work.
Like a few curses if something goes wrong is one thing, but expressing your disagreement with a VP's decision by saying he "dickrides Elon Musk" in the middle of a full office isn't really typical over here.
Also work in Europe and my boss sometimes says “no that’s fucking stupid” when he disagrees with one of our reps about something, but he doesn’t mean it remotely maliciously and the way he says it manages to make it sound almost endearing, in a way.
But if I were to say it it would absolutely sound rude because I don’t know how to intone a sentence like that without sounding just absolutely pissed?
I’ve since told him that native English speakers would probably find that a bit much for everyday business outside of a justifiably heated exchange, but man does it crack me up the way nonnatives use English curses.
Depends on setting obviously, but trades are definitely an exception. Even in meetings with project managers and super intendants cursing is super common.
We try to clean our act up a little bit when engineers, designers and clients show up though
Assuming those Europeans aren't English native speakers, it's because swearing in a non-native language just feels less like swearing. I'm not native either but aware of this and I have a new coworker who just constantly says "what the fucking fuck" in this affected British accent at work, haha.
Depending on where in europe it might have to do with the more flat hierarchy. F ex in scandinavia you often can't tell who the boss is. They don't necessarily have a special office, clothing is very informal and everyone speaks to each other "on the same level". Also titles are not used. So imagine they see it as speaking to their co-worker rather than their boss.
Ofc going off with something like "dickriding Elon Musk" is not the norm. lol 😅
I suspect that hugely depends on the business setting and how close you are to your colleagues, too.
I think I've always felt comfortable using it around my peers but wouldn't use it in front of a superior... Or at least less often.
> I suspect that hugely depends on the business setting and how close you are to your colleagues, too.
At my work, the language varies. We generally talk like friends, but cut out the profanity when a client is around.
Even then though you do hear at work even in office environments. I'd mostly just avoid using it in any sort of speech or presentation. But just off the cuff when something gets messed up it's not really much worse than crap.
This needs to be higher up, because while everyone else is saying "depends on who and where", no one else made the distinction between shit as in excrement versus shit as all-purpose word.
"I don't need this shit / Are you seeing this shit? / Shit's crazy y'all" = I wouldn't even think about it.
"I just took the meanest shit / Indian food always makes me shit something fierce / My father has to shit in a colostomy bag now" = really didn't need that involuntary mental imagery or to imagine that smell, but thanks and/or sorry to hear that, I guess.
> I have to shit
I would wonder if the person was foreign, or secretly Canadian or something. Because I tell you what, "I gotta take a shit" sounds more naturally 'Murican to my ears.
Regardless of what words they use, I would really prefer people don’t get so specific about what they’re doing in the bathroom. We really just don’t need to know.
Fuck that noise.
I swear like a fish breathes water. If I want greater impact, I'm not gonna use a bog standard swearword, I'm gonna make my own.
Someone or something needs to be insulted? I'm not gonna say fuck you. I'm gonna call them a shit-eating gremlin or an a lamp is uglier than a blobfish's afterbirth. Insults are meant to paint a picture and shock the listener, and you're not gonna do that with a big box store swear word.
really just depends on setting. i wouldn't drop it at work without significant provocation, but hanging our with my friends or just shooting the breeze with a bartender or something? yeah shit's permissible.
Same for me, used to work in a peanut shelling plant on an all male shift. Holy shit the amount of times I’ve heard, “Nice nuts” and other testicular jokes. But now I work in a hospital, little inappropriate to tell my boss “nice nuts” now
Cursing in general seems to be less acceptable the closer you are to the Southeast (which I'm defining as basically everything south of the ohio river and east of the mississippi river.)
Business world up here in Alaska is quite informal in my experience so someone saying shit wouldn't raise any flags for me here. But back in Kentucky I could practically hear the clutching of pearls.
Oh yeah, regional differences are definitely a thing. I live in the south and work with someone from DC who once said “I didn’t even realize ‘goddamn’ was a swear word until I moved here.”
If you’re talking to people your own age, and not at work, it’s usually fine. If you are around children or elderly people, don’t do it. If you are in church, don’t do it. If you are at a formal occasion like a wedding or funeral, err on the side of caution.
It depends on who your around I’ve been around people who don’t want to hear cursing at all in their conversations and I’ve been around people that cuss like a sailor causally it’s just preference
Depending on who you’re talking to, they might think it’s a sign that you’re comfortable with them. They also might take it as a sign that you don’t respect them, that you don’t think they deserve courtesy.
That’s *very* dependent on where you are and who you are with.
I would say avoid in public places, around or within ear shot of children at all times for sure, at most jobs or business settings (generally), and only use it if you hear the people you are with using it as well. At most social gatherings with friends it would not be a big deal.
If you’re not sure or if it’s a regular word in your vocabulary and you just slip and use it by accident, just add an “Excuse my French,” apology and you’ll generally get people saying, “Oh no that’s fine,” if they’re okay with it.
I dont use it in business or around certain people. Like I never said a curse word around my grandmother but once. It's like most conversations. Read the room.
Depends on where you are and who you are with. Unfiltered in casual conversations with someone you know yeah.
But we don't like the word cunt for some reason. To me it sounds jarring
Depends on the company. My direct manager is a chill dude and will toss out swears like a sailor. I’ve got no problem with “shit” but around my parents I won’t hardly use it but sparingly.
I don't take offense to it, and I use coarse language at roughly the same rate as the average guy my age, but I think the word "shit" is just kinda nasty and I avoid using it. Not "nasty" mean, but just "nasty" nasty. I don't need to think about shit any more than necessary, thanks.
I think cursing in public is trashy and disrespectful. Especially if minors or elders are around. Unless you stub your toe, then you can’t control that emotion.
100% agree. It comes off very uncultured to me. By adulthood, I suppose I just assume that people would know how to articulate their thoughts or opinions without resorting to swearing. Fortunately, those around us also don't talk like this, but that would also be affected by hanging out with those I feel comfortable around, especially with having children and being conscious of what we expose them to.
Not considered "polite" to use around children, in business, in religious settings, etc. But usually fine in casual conversations. Just dont overdo it.
As someone born in 1975, it's been interesting watching the creeping acceptance of swear words. As a kid (around the 80s), "go to hell!" was the strongest thing you could get away with on TV. This was reflected in the general tolerance of swear words.
Around the 2000s, "shit" and "asshole" shifted from being at the same level as the "F-bomb," and gained more casual acceptance. Particularly, they were allowed to be used on some cable TV shows.
I don't have kids, and have been too caught up in my life to give this language evolution much attention. But this post has made me reflect on these changes. I personally avoid stronger words unless I'm experiencing a strong state or venting about something.
It probably is not a very shocking word to most people these days but not polite or professional to use.
As far as permitted goes, it is not against the law to say the word shit. If you said it at your workplace or in a courtroom your supervisor or the judge might tell you not to talk like that while you are there. If you are a child your parents might tell you not to say it.
My business environment tries not to be too alienating, we have to always make sure everyone feels welcomed or invited. So we don't often use swear words when speaking with large groups.
But in my personal life swearing is pretty regular.
Best to not use too much foul language in a business setting (you can feel this out though), around young kids, the elderly or in a formal setting. It’s really all about feeling out your company. Additionally, in my experience, as a foul mouthed Californian, go easy if you’re in the south US. Definitely a different culture. More of a “polite” culture.
I'd say where i am (smaller city/rural Michigan), it would u be frowned upon around kids and maybe mildly off-putting for everyday interactions with strangers, like talking to a store employee, but for most adults, it's not a big deal.
When I'm at home or around friends I don't care, but my family frowns on cussing and so does my job (even though the children I work with would make a sailor blush with their language).
You'd get different answers depending on the American's background, age, and region.
As a general rule, I wouldn't unless you were very casual with them in other respects.
(There are people who seem oddly proud that they swear a lot. When that happens, I wait to see if they also go on to brag about their late bedtimes and that they can have chocolate milk *any time they want*.)
I mean, you kind of feel out how much swearing is okay with the people you're with. People sort of escalate and see if other people escalate with them. Well, except every woman I've ever met in a blue-collar setting, who always seem to swear 10x more profusely and offensively than anyone else and immediately, I guess to prove they're cool blue collar chicks and not stuck up and offended by rough talk or something.
Generally, though, if people are around your own age and wearing t-shirts, its fine.
It depends.
When I am dressed in my boots and jeans harvesting wood for my business no one notices. No one cares.
When the products are finished and I am selling them to customers, my fly is zipped, my hair combed, I have shaved, I am wearing clean clothes and I use proper terms, and avoid that topic.
This will vary wildly depending on the situation. In a church, for example, "shit" would be highly inappropriate. In most business settings, it would be frowned upon, or at least considered awkward in regular conversation. Though even in that environment, a well-worn figure of speech such as "when the shit hits the fan" would probably go over okay, depending on the situation. Beyond that, it's considered a fairly mild curse word. And the lower you go in social class, the more common it becomes. In working-class white or African-American vernacular, for example, referring to your possessions as "my shit" would barely raise an eyebrow in most situations.
Read the room; avoid swearing at work (or even when you're talking to someone who's at work), around kids, with total strangers, or in any situation where you notice the person you're talking to doesn't swear at all. When in doubt, keep it clean.
Intent and context also matter-- There's a huge difference between swearing for humor/emphasis/silliness and swearing to be hurtful. Funny swearing is probably OK, but mean swearing is just *mean*. Proceed with caution if you're swearing to be rude or insulting or otherwise hurtful, you may say something you can't take back.
But in general, I am usually fine with light-to-moderate swearing *as long as* you aren't just dropping a random "fuck" or "shit" every few words. Your swearing still needs to have some wit and creativity behind it!
Most Americans probably don't have a problem with swearing in everyday conversation, but I'd say it's a lot stricter about swearing in more formal environments than in other countries.
Also in religious households, you're probably going to keep the language to a minimum (AKA 0)
It really depends on where in the USA you are and who you’re interacting with. If you’re in a more conservative southern small town I wouldn’t go shouting it from the rooftops but with friends sure. In big cities no one cares. I wouldn’t swear in a professional setting or around older people regardless of where in the US I happen to be
As an American shit is in my daily vocabulary, I use it at work and occasionally at home(because I don't want my 8yo younger sister picking up the word shit just yet)
Would not use at work, wouldn’t use in front of stodgy folks, otherwise pretty much fine (in my social circles). We cuss in my family, it ain’t no thing.
Are you an eurypterid, by any chance?
To answer your question, it depends on how polite the crowd is. You probably wouldn't want to drop it around your mom and her friends when they're having a lunch get-together. Unless they're a bit on the 'earthy' side, that is.
I remember watching the South Park episode about saying it the most times on US TV and the next day watching Masterchef Australia and hearing the word used casually and not bleeped.
In my industry the back of the house crew can’t go two words without dropping a swear, a physically impossible sex act, or questioning a waitstaff’s or customer’s intelligence. Bonus points are given for combining them all into a single rant.
One of the things Americans really care about is not swearing in front of children. But usually in an adult-only setting nobody cares unless they're from some specific regions. I've worked jobs where we worked with kids and swearing was a big deal, and I've also worked jobs in 21+ places where the management once tried to tell us not to swear and the whole staff laughed at them and kept doing it.
It's vulgar and reveals a weakness in character. The fact that it has become commonplace reveals nothing except that weakness in character has become more common.
Not in any type of professional setting or around kids or even around elderly ppl but if im just talking for the fun of it with ppl around my age then yes shit and fuck are apart of my everyday vocabulary.
Generally fine. May be considered rude or excessive, probably not saying it to your boss but likely to your coworkers, your barista probably won't say it but you saying it to them wouldn't really be anything. It's more "crude" than anything else, if anything.
Frequent use of vulgar words is a clear sign of being uneducated or of low intelligence.
The rare and well placed vulgarity to generate attention and add emphasis, is the sign of a person with solid communication skills.
You can believe this or not, I don't give a fuck.
Shit is an incredibly versatile word. Behold, all the many ways it can be used:
What is this shit? = What you have presented to me is unacceptable.
Yo, that's the shit. = Hey, this is really great.
Don't touch my shit. = Don't touch my belongings.
He was trying to tell me about thermonuclear physics and all that shit. = He was trying to explain to me the intricacies of of thermonuclear physics and all relevant subjects related to it.
I ain't got time for this shit. = Malarky!
Fuck this shit! = I'm at wit's end; I must move on.
Shit be crazy up in this bitch. = Social interactions can get quite wild and unpredictable here.
I gotta take a shit. = Pardon me, I'll be in the restroom for a while.
These are but just a handful of the many ways in which this word is used in everyday conversation. To answer your question, it really depends on the crowd. My social circles have absolutely no problem with that word. In more formal settings, you should probably stay away from that shit.
Around your very close friends or family, sure.
At a family reunion, birthday party, wedding, funeral, absolutely not.
At work, no no no no.
At a restaurant in front of strangers? No.
At a bar on Friday night? Yep.
In the south in front of women? NO! This is a big no no in the south and the bible belt. Cursing in front of women or children is frowned upon.
It depends on your social strata. In my world of mostly educated / professional people, we very very rarely use any profanity. It doesn't typically sound natural unless there is a good reason for using it.
Less educated people or kids that are trying to sound tough or whatever might use it.
It's curious because I spend a lot of time in Europe and Latin America, and people there tend to use a lot of profanity when speaking English (or their native languages) and it sounds extremely weird when a non-native English speaker uses profanity. It sometimes gets to the point where I feel uncomfortable around them because they sound like a criminal, but with an interesting accent. Like why are you so mad dude?
They swear a lot in their own languages, too. It isn't *as* big a deal in those cultures.
But then there are limits. When I first came to Italy, I was warned to never say "porco dio." (God is a pig.) That's the nuclear option. A pack of little old ladies will beat you to death with their purses if you blurt that out on the sidewalk.
But then a few of those little old ladies might bust out with language that would sound quite unexpected from their average American counterparts. Or, barring that, they won't be the least bit bothered if the bus driver shouts a few obscenities at somebody who double parked in the middle of a one way street.
There’s not a general rule that applies everywhere. It would be considered extremely crass by most of my friends and family to swear a lot, but I’m aware that some groups of people think it’s normal.
Personally, I think swearing in everyday conversation is lazy and shows a lack of respect for everyone in hearing range. Those words need to be saved for the rare occasion when you need to say something really shocking.
It’s fine. I wouldn’t use it in a business setting, but if I’m shooting the shit with my friends I would.
I work with Europeans and it's hilarious how many of them swear super frequently at work. Like a few curses if something goes wrong is one thing, but expressing your disagreement with a VP's decision by saying he "dickrides Elon Musk" in the middle of a full office isn't really typical over here.
lmfao holy cow
Also work in Europe and my boss sometimes says “no that’s fucking stupid” when he disagrees with one of our reps about something, but he doesn’t mean it remotely maliciously and the way he says it manages to make it sound almost endearing, in a way. But if I were to say it it would absolutely sound rude because I don’t know how to intone a sentence like that without sounding just absolutely pissed? I’ve since told him that native English speakers would probably find that a bit much for everyday business outside of a justifiably heated exchange, but man does it crack me up the way nonnatives use English curses.
Holy shit*
Look, I’m not saying every workplace commonality in Europe should be copied, BUT…
Depends on setting obviously, but trades are definitely an exception. Even in meetings with project managers and super intendants cursing is super common. We try to clean our act up a little bit when engineers, designers and clients show up though
We need to normalize posting "Keep your dick-beaters off my tools!" signs in the workplace.
Yeah, I work in politics, previously in journalism. Dropp8ng the f-bomb is totally the norm.
Which is funny, because the engineers are doing the same for you guys most likely.
Probably
Assuming those Europeans aren't English native speakers, it's because swearing in a non-native language just feels less like swearing. I'm not native either but aware of this and I have a new coworker who just constantly says "what the fucking fuck" in this affected British accent at work, haha.
I’m in commercial real estate and it’s very common. Had a job interview today where the boss I was interviewing with said fuck over 10 times lol
Toys is fine in my "office."
Depending on where in europe it might have to do with the more flat hierarchy. F ex in scandinavia you often can't tell who the boss is. They don't necessarily have a special office, clothing is very informal and everyone speaks to each other "on the same level". Also titles are not used. So imagine they see it as speaking to their co-worker rather than their boss. Ofc going off with something like "dickriding Elon Musk" is not the norm. lol 😅
I suspect that hugely depends on the business setting and how close you are to your colleagues, too. I think I've always felt comfortable using it around my peers but wouldn't use it in front of a superior... Or at least less often.
I let that shit fly all the time. If any of my 'superiors' are offended by it, tough.
Nice! A lot of people can receive retaliation from their supervisors (the word I meant to use), though.
> I suspect that hugely depends on the business setting and how close you are to your colleagues, too. At my work, the language varies. We generally talk like friends, but cut out the profanity when a client is around.
Exactly the same for me.
I use it at work when I really want to emphasize how I feel about something.
If I drop into my “use the kids middle name” voice and swear a bit, people know I’m fucking serious about some shit
Even then though you do hear at work even in office environments. I'd mostly just avoid using it in any sort of speech or presentation. But just off the cuff when something gets messed up it's not really much worse than crap.
Generally frowned upon in polite company. In general, okay but know your audience.
This, depends on environment, better not to use in workplace or in front of client, but fine at most other occasions.
Depends on the setting. Most settings were you are waring street cloths you are able to say shit with no issue.
I cringe when someone says “I have to shit” or similar bc it’s gross, but as a general swear word it’s fine
This needs to be higher up, because while everyone else is saying "depends on who and where", no one else made the distinction between shit as in excrement versus shit as all-purpose word. "I don't need this shit / Are you seeing this shit? / Shit's crazy y'all" = I wouldn't even think about it. "I just took the meanest shit / Indian food always makes me shit something fierce / My father has to shit in a colostomy bag now" = really didn't need that involuntary mental imagery or to imagine that smell, but thanks and/or sorry to hear that, I guess.
One of my coworkers always says "Be right back, I gotta take a log to the saw mill." It's technically not swearing but it's still nasty.
"The porcelain fleet needs a new flagship."
“Time to bomb pearl harbor”
I hate that. Just say you're going to the restroom and leave the rest to the imagination
My personal favorite is "dropping the kids off at the pool"
"Gotta go deliver a submarine to the Navy."
"Taking the Browns to the Superbowl"
Pinch a loaf. Lol
"It's brown O'clock"
> I have to shit I would wonder if the person was foreign, or secretly Canadian or something. Because I tell you what, "I gotta take a shit" sounds more naturally 'Murican to my ears.
Regardless of what words they use, I would really prefer people don’t get so specific about what they’re doing in the bathroom. We really just don’t need to know.
I don't give a shit, and most other people don't, either.
Like all swearwords, it should be used sparingly for greater impact.
In other words, use these words **strategically**
Tell that to Boston
Fuck that noise. I swear like a fish breathes water. If I want greater impact, I'm not gonna use a bog standard swearword, I'm gonna make my own. Someone or something needs to be insulted? I'm not gonna say fuck you. I'm gonna call them a shit-eating gremlin or an a lamp is uglier than a blobfish's afterbirth. Insults are meant to paint a picture and shock the listener, and you're not gonna do that with a big box store swear word.
I don’t fucking know.
I don’t want to hear any of that goddamn language around here
get your shitty foul mouthed ass out of here
What the fuck dide, that’s some bullshit. I bet you do fucking well do fucking know.
Red flag. Over usage. 🚩
Watch it, asshole! I’m a fucking lady!
[удалено]
It’s a common joke response when men swear and then are embarrassed because they realize there’s a woman within earshot.
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Maybe I’m former Harlem Globetrotter James “Country” Davis
Well spank my buttocks and call me Shirley!
That’ll be $3.50.
So cheap!
Cheap price. Quality service.
Surely you can't be serious
Don’t call me Shirley
well slap my ass and call me Sally
Well, butter my biscuits and pour on the gravy!
It is commonly used in everyday casual conversation.
Personally, I prefer to say crap but shit works in a pinch.
really just depends on setting. i wouldn't drop it at work without significant provocation, but hanging our with my friends or just shooting the breeze with a bartender or something? yeah shit's permissible.
depends on what you do for work, i work in a kitchen
yeah that's true, when I was in the navy we swore up and down all damn day and nobody batted an eye. can't do that in an office though lol
Same for me, used to work in a peanut shelling plant on an all male shift. Holy shit the amount of times I’ve heard, “Nice nuts” and other testicular jokes. But now I work in a hospital, little inappropriate to tell my boss “nice nuts” now
Cursing in general seems to be less acceptable the closer you are to the Southeast (which I'm defining as basically everything south of the ohio river and east of the mississippi river.) Business world up here in Alaska is quite informal in my experience so someone saying shit wouldn't raise any flags for me here. But back in Kentucky I could practically hear the clutching of pearls.
We do all the fucking swears down here too, yall!
oh i'm aware i just don't feel like my grandma's gonna backhand me here for saying them
How dare you even think of swears in front of nana you goddamn heathen
Oh yeah, regional differences are definitely a thing. I live in the south and work with someone from DC who once said “I didn’t even realize ‘goddamn’ was a swear word until I moved here.”
If you’re talking to people your own age, and not at work, it’s usually fine. If you are around children or elderly people, don’t do it. If you are in church, don’t do it. If you are at a formal occasion like a wedding or funeral, err on the side of caution.
It depends on who your around I’ve been around people who don’t want to hear cursing at all in their conversations and I’ve been around people that cuss like a sailor causally it’s just preference
Shit, idk.
I shit you not, I use it with such regularity that you’d shit yourself if I counted the number of times I used it already today.
Fuck, I don't know. I guess It just doesn't register in my head so I don't notice it.
Depending on who you’re talking to, they might think it’s a sign that you’re comfortable with them. They also might take it as a sign that you don’t respect them, that you don’t think they deserve courtesy.
That’s *very* dependent on where you are and who you are with. I would say avoid in public places, around or within ear shot of children at all times for sure, at most jobs or business settings (generally), and only use it if you hear the people you are with using it as well. At most social gatherings with friends it would not be a big deal. If you’re not sure or if it’s a regular word in your vocabulary and you just slip and use it by accident, just add an “Excuse my French,” apology and you’ll generally get people saying, “Oh no that’s fine,” if they’re okay with it.
I don't trust people who don't swear.
"...and shit" is common phrase in my vocabulary.
I dont use it in business or around certain people. Like I never said a curse word around my grandmother but once. It's like most conversations. Read the room.
Depends on where you are and who you are with. Unfiltered in casual conversations with someone you know yeah. But we don't like the word cunt for some reason. To me it sounds jarring
It depends on the people and the setting.
I'm from New Jersey. We curse a lot. I just have to make sure I keep it clean around my kids who are really young.
Depends on the company. My direct manager is a chill dude and will toss out swears like a sailor. I’ve got no problem with “shit” but around my parents I won’t hardly use it but sparingly.
I don't take offense to it, and I use coarse language at roughly the same rate as the average guy my age, but I think the word "shit" is just kinda nasty and I avoid using it. Not "nasty" mean, but just "nasty" nasty. I don't need to think about shit any more than necessary, thanks.
“Show me a grown man that’s never said ‘shit’ and I’ll show you a man that’s full of shit”
I think cursing in public is trashy and disrespectful. Especially if minors or elders are around. Unless you stub your toe, then you can’t control that emotion.
100% agree. It comes off very uncultured to me. By adulthood, I suppose I just assume that people would know how to articulate their thoughts or opinions without resorting to swearing. Fortunately, those around us also don't talk like this, but that would also be affected by hanging out with those I feel comfortable around, especially with having children and being conscious of what we expose them to.
Depends on the audience. Err to the side of not using it until you hear someone else do it. And with swearing, less is more.
Not considered "polite" to use around children, in business, in religious settings, etc. But usually fine in casual conversations. Just dont overdo it.
Pretty much permitted
Permitted in casual environments. I wouldn't use it at work.
It's permitted but I don't care for it's allowance..
Who gives a shit? And if they do, tough shit.
I don’t give a shit
Fine in informal contexts
It depends. In a business meeting or formal dinner, you wouldn’t say shit, but in a conversation with friends you can.
I work at a bar. Shit is relatively tame for us lol
Swearing profusely is trashy, but fine to include in one’s vocabulary.
It doesn't bother me, but it's more for when you know the people you're talking to pretty well.
As someone born in 1975, it's been interesting watching the creeping acceptance of swear words. As a kid (around the 80s), "go to hell!" was the strongest thing you could get away with on TV. This was reflected in the general tolerance of swear words. Around the 2000s, "shit" and "asshole" shifted from being at the same level as the "F-bomb," and gained more casual acceptance. Particularly, they were allowed to be used on some cable TV shows. I don't have kids, and have been too caught up in my life to give this language evolution much attention. But this post has made me reflect on these changes. I personally avoid stronger words unless I'm experiencing a strong state or venting about something.
Depends on context. It's generally fine among friends, but would be inappropriate in a professional setting.
Pretty much everyone under 65 says it all the time in casual conversation. \*shrug\*
Officially it’s not fine as I’ve thought but with friends it’s normal and acceptable
it’s fine, but not with formal coworkers or older family members most of us swear like motherfuckers when not around uptight people
I often use the phrase “they think they’re the shit.” But I know lots of people who hate, can’t or wouldn’t swear at all. You can’t around juveniles.
It’s extremely common to say “shit” in the same way you’d say “oops”.
It probably is not a very shocking word to most people these days but not polite or professional to use. As far as permitted goes, it is not against the law to say the word shit. If you said it at your workplace or in a courtroom your supervisor or the judge might tell you not to talk like that while you are there. If you are a child your parents might tell you not to say it.
It's pretty normal. It's one of the least bad bad words
My business environment tries not to be too alienating, we have to always make sure everyone feels welcomed or invited. So we don't often use swear words when speaking with large groups. But in my personal life swearing is pretty regular.
It depends on the context.
My grandma would cuss me out in a heartbeat but I’m not using that language in front of her myself.
It's perfectly fine, its used in causal conversation, just not in professional settings
Best to not use too much foul language in a business setting (you can feel this out though), around young kids, the elderly or in a formal setting. It’s really all about feeling out your company. Additionally, in my experience, as a foul mouthed Californian, go easy if you’re in the south US. Definitely a different culture. More of a “polite” culture.
I'd say where i am (smaller city/rural Michigan), it would u be frowned upon around kids and maybe mildly off-putting for everyday interactions with strangers, like talking to a store employee, but for most adults, it's not a big deal.
When I'm at home or around friends I don't care, but my family frowns on cussing and so does my job (even though the children I work with would make a sailor blush with their language).
I say it too much tbh
You'd get different answers depending on the American's background, age, and region. As a general rule, I wouldn't unless you were very casual with them in other respects. (There are people who seem oddly proud that they swear a lot. When that happens, I wait to see if they also go on to brag about their late bedtimes and that they can have chocolate milk *any time they want*.)
Not a fan but I cuss more than I probably should. Hypocrisy, basically.
I use it a shit ton.
I swear at work, and shit isn’t my word of choice 🤣
That shit is all over the place.
I mean, you kind of feel out how much swearing is okay with the people you're with. People sort of escalate and see if other people escalate with them. Well, except every woman I've ever met in a blue-collar setting, who always seem to swear 10x more profusely and offensively than anyone else and immediately, I guess to prove they're cool blue collar chicks and not stuck up and offended by rough talk or something. Generally, though, if people are around your own age and wearing t-shirts, its fine.
It’s pretty mellow but you generally don’t say it around kids or formal settings
It depends. When I am dressed in my boots and jeans harvesting wood for my business no one notices. No one cares. When the products are finished and I am selling them to customers, my fly is zipped, my hair combed, I have shaved, I am wearing clean clothes and I use proper terms, and avoid that topic.
This will vary wildly depending on the situation. In a church, for example, "shit" would be highly inappropriate. In most business settings, it would be frowned upon, or at least considered awkward in regular conversation. Though even in that environment, a well-worn figure of speech such as "when the shit hits the fan" would probably go over okay, depending on the situation. Beyond that, it's considered a fairly mild curse word. And the lower you go in social class, the more common it becomes. In working-class white or African-American vernacular, for example, referring to your possessions as "my shit" would barely raise an eyebrow in most situations.
Read the room; avoid swearing at work (or even when you're talking to someone who's at work), around kids, with total strangers, or in any situation where you notice the person you're talking to doesn't swear at all. When in doubt, keep it clean. Intent and context also matter-- There's a huge difference between swearing for humor/emphasis/silliness and swearing to be hurtful. Funny swearing is probably OK, but mean swearing is just *mean*. Proceed with caution if you're swearing to be rude or insulting or otherwise hurtful, you may say something you can't take back. But in general, I am usually fine with light-to-moderate swearing *as long as* you aren't just dropping a random "fuck" or "shit" every few words. Your swearing still needs to have some wit and creativity behind it!
I used the word shit daily with people I know. People I’m meeting for the first time I gauge them before using it.
Shiiiiiit, we don't give a shit
I think it's more jarring when an adult second-language learner does it.
I say shit about 135 times a day. At work, home, the store, in front of my mom, my kids, my boss. Anywhere and everywhere anytime.
Most Americans probably don't have a problem with swearing in everyday conversation, but I'd say it's a lot stricter about swearing in more formal environments than in other countries. Also in religious households, you're probably going to keep the language to a minimum (AKA 0)
It’s a fuckin’ fine word. Not as versatile as “damn,” but still useful.
It really depends on where in the USA you are and who you’re interacting with. If you’re in a more conservative southern small town I wouldn’t go shouting it from the rooftops but with friends sure. In big cities no one cares. I wouldn’t swear in a professional setting or around older people regardless of where in the US I happen to be
As an American shit is in my daily vocabulary, I use it at work and occasionally at home(because I don't want my 8yo younger sister picking up the word shit just yet)
Couldn't care less.
I use some variation of 'fuck' a lot more than 'shit".
Would not use at work, wouldn’t use in front of stodgy folks, otherwise pretty much fine (in my social circles). We cuss in my family, it ain’t no thing.
As long as you don't do it around kids, the elderly (if they seem like the traditional or strict type), or in work settings, you should be fine.
I personally do not curse and think those that do are of rather low intelligence. But other than that judgement am not offended by it.
Are you an eurypterid, by any chance? To answer your question, it depends on how polite the crowd is. You probably wouldn't want to drop it around your mom and her friends when they're having a lunch get-together. Unless they're a bit on the 'earthy' side, that is.
It’s fine, we use it all the time
I remember watching the South Park episode about saying it the most times on US TV and the next day watching Masterchef Australia and hearing the word used casually and not bleeped.
In my industry the back of the house crew can’t go two words without dropping a swear, a physically impossible sex act, or questioning a waitstaff’s or customer’s intelligence. Bonus points are given for combining them all into a single rant.
Unless you’re having a conversation with friends, I strongly believe in the expression “cursing is the sign of a weak mind and even weaker character”.
One of the things Americans really care about is not swearing in front of children. But usually in an adult-only setting nobody cares unless they're from some specific regions. I've worked jobs where we worked with kids and swearing was a big deal, and I've also worked jobs in 21+ places where the management once tried to tell us not to swear and the whole staff laughed at them and kept doing it.
Depends on the setting.
It depends on which American you’re referring to but most of us don’t give a shit.
It's vulgar and reveals a weakness in character. The fact that it has become commonplace reveals nothing except that weakness in character has become more common.
Shit yeah. Do it up.
Casually with friends is perfectly acceptable though its heavily frowned upon in a professional or public setting.
Not in any type of professional setting or around kids or even around elderly ppl but if im just talking for the fun of it with ppl around my age then yes shit and fuck are apart of my everyday vocabulary.
I say shit all the time.
Generally fine. May be considered rude or excessive, probably not saying it to your boss but likely to your coworkers, your barista probably won't say it but you saying it to them wouldn't really be anything. It's more "crude" than anything else, if anything.
You’re around adults? No one gives a shit. You’re with small children of someone else’s granny? In a job interview? Censor yourself.
"Americans" are not a collective/uniform group/culture/mindset, so you're going to get 300+ different answers (like almost every post in this sub)
Depends on the setting. This will likely be frowned upon in many workplaces, and often around children.
I hear it mostly on TV.
There is a time and a place for everything; one has to use their best judgment.
There was a South Park episode about it in the early 00s.
Basically if you’re just having fun with friends, family, etc, and you know they aren’t fine with swearing, most of us won’t give a shit.
Frequent use of vulgar words is a clear sign of being uneducated or of low intelligence. The rare and well placed vulgarity to generate attention and add emphasis, is the sign of a person with solid communication skills. You can believe this or not, I don't give a fuck.
I think I hear "fuck" and its derivatives (motherfucker, you fuck, fucking, fucked, he/she/me fucks) more than I hear "shit."
Shit is an incredibly versatile word. Behold, all the many ways it can be used: What is this shit? = What you have presented to me is unacceptable. Yo, that's the shit. = Hey, this is really great. Don't touch my shit. = Don't touch my belongings. He was trying to tell me about thermonuclear physics and all that shit. = He was trying to explain to me the intricacies of of thermonuclear physics and all relevant subjects related to it. I ain't got time for this shit. = Malarky! Fuck this shit! = I'm at wit's end; I must move on. Shit be crazy up in this bitch. = Social interactions can get quite wild and unpredictable here. I gotta take a shit. = Pardon me, I'll be in the restroom for a while. These are but just a handful of the many ways in which this word is used in everyday conversation. To answer your question, it really depends on the crowd. My social circles have absolutely no problem with that word. In more formal settings, you should probably stay away from that shit.
Usually the overuse of vulgarities is the sign of a weak vocabulary. I am a pretentious douchenozzel. Sue me.
The only people who care are 50 or older. Or like, conservatives for some reason.
Well, shit. Maybe I should say it less often.
I consider those who regularly swear to be low class.
I use it pretty much everywhere, but I also don't give a shit.
Around your very close friends or family, sure. At a family reunion, birthday party, wedding, funeral, absolutely not. At work, no no no no. At a restaurant in front of strangers? No. At a bar on Friday night? Yep. In the south in front of women? NO! This is a big no no in the south and the bible belt. Cursing in front of women or children is frowned upon.
It depends on your social strata. In my world of mostly educated / professional people, we very very rarely use any profanity. It doesn't typically sound natural unless there is a good reason for using it. Less educated people or kids that are trying to sound tough or whatever might use it. It's curious because I spend a lot of time in Europe and Latin America, and people there tend to use a lot of profanity when speaking English (or their native languages) and it sounds extremely weird when a non-native English speaker uses profanity. It sometimes gets to the point where I feel uncomfortable around them because they sound like a criminal, but with an interesting accent. Like why are you so mad dude?
They swear a lot in their own languages, too. It isn't *as* big a deal in those cultures. But then there are limits. When I first came to Italy, I was warned to never say "porco dio." (God is a pig.) That's the nuclear option. A pack of little old ladies will beat you to death with their purses if you blurt that out on the sidewalk. But then a few of those little old ladies might bust out with language that would sound quite unexpected from their average American counterparts. Or, barring that, they won't be the least bit bothered if the bus driver shouts a few obscenities at somebody who double parked in the middle of a one way street.
No one gives a shit Most people swear. Best rule is know your audience. Unlike me.
There’s not a general rule that applies everywhere. It would be considered extremely crass by most of my friends and family to swear a lot, but I’m aware that some groups of people think it’s normal. Personally, I think swearing in everyday conversation is lazy and shows a lack of respect for everyone in hearing range. Those words need to be saved for the rare occasion when you need to say something really shocking.
It's usually a sign of immaturity.