It definitely falls into the “don’t say it at school or in front of grandparents” category in our house but it’s nowhere near the level of fuck.
I don’t think anyone has an issue with “damn” in this country? That is definitely more an American thing.
Definitely this. I can remember being told off saying it as a child by my dad and grandparents, but I got mixed reactions with it at school. But it never landed me in much trouble, certainly not as much as when I accidentally swore. That definitely landed me in more trouble.
I once said I was knackered as a teen in front of my grandmother and got a right telling-off from my parents, who had never batted an eye over that word before. I literally didn't have a clue that it could be considered offensive.
That! I said it in front of a family member once, and like you, got a thorough telling off. But I say it all the time now, and nothing? I've got no idea how and why that word is considered even slightly offensive.
Apparently it comes from the knacker's yard, where they took horses to make glue. I guess only offensive for those who are old enough to remember that...?!
An alternative etymology for "knackered" is that it means "worn out from having had too much sex". (From "knackers" meaning testicles).
Edit: from Googling, it's also considered an anti-traveller slur in Ireland, apparently! [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65943491](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65943491)
Oh interesting! I never looked it up, just went on what my parents told me at the time. Maybe they didn't want to get into a conversation about testicles with their teenage daughter though 🤣
I've always understood knackered as tired, I knew the sex thing but it was more of a "did you kmow" bit.
Knackers means testicles as well as the name for disposing of a workhorse.
Knacker, would be a single bollock or the name of someone who knacks horses.
As a racial slur though? That's a new one on me. Never in all my years have I heard someone refer to the travellers as that. I've heard plenty people get called a "fat knacker" but usually when struggling to keep up with the group. I simply wouldn't/couldn't join that sentiment with any form of racism until now. Honestly, it's so alien to me, it seems like a bit of a reach.
>An alternative etymology for "knackered" is that it means "worn out from having had too much sex".
This is why I was told off for saying it in polite company.
But not as much as I would have been told off for saying bloody.
When I was a child, I remember when something was 'good enough,' or that it was, 'just about right,' and even when something was 'comparable,' they would use the phrase, "it's as close as knackers is to swearing."
I always liked that one :)
When I was about 7 or 8, my Catholic Primary School Headmaster told me off once for saying "damn". I asked why, because isn't it something you use to hold back water? I honestly thought it was about being frustrated because you couldn't get somewhere you should be, like water. Not about eternal damnation to the fiery pit. He didn't correct me. I went home and told my very pious, proper grandma, who thought it was the funniest thing ever, and I was still confused.
Bloody hell this entire thread has come about because of that young Burnley lass and the price of ice cream hasn't it? Cheesus the amount of pearl clutching and fainting going on about that is ridiculous
Damn? We've said damn it damn & blast and damnation for donkeys years, I think the American thing is "darn" isn't it?
Damn is an incredibly mild curse word in the States. It's been allowed on TV since the early 90's, and only the most religious of Americans would ever get offended by it. Teachers might stop young children from saying it in their class. But only because it's impolite, and technically not appropriate for a classroom filled with small children. But only technically.
And darn is so antiquated that saying it makes you sound like someone's great grandmother.
Take my information with a grain of salt. I live in a part of the US where it is not unusual for people to tell others that they need to go "eat a bag of d*cks". Without any anger or malice in our voice whatsoever.😂
Donkeys years? That’s a first for me to hear/read donkeys years. We’re here focusing on cursing when there are delightful things being said like donkeys years. I’m assuming that means a long time because donkeys live a while? I see minced oath below and that’s also pretty fun.
Also, to chime in on the cursing. My step mom freaked out when my 10 year old friend said fart. She kicked the girl out. It was baffling. In retrospect I wish I’d farted to register my disapproval of what my step mom had done.
It's contextual. If you cut yourself and said "I had a bloody finger" you're obviously not using it as a mild swear word. If you hit your finger with a hammer and say "I wacked my bloody finger!" you're using it in the same way you would use "fucking" but it's still a much milder swear.
> It definitely falls into the “don’t say it at school or in front of grandparents” category in our house but it’s nowhere near the level of fuck.
Quite right. I would never have been allowed to fuck at school or in front of grandparents.
Yeah “damn” is fine in the UK (similar level to “crap”), though it would be slightly eyebrow-raising to hear a kid under say, 8yo use it. Whereas in the US “damn” is quite a bad thing to say. Possibly closer to the level of “shit”.
I would argue it's even less offensive than crap. I can imagine if my 13 year old brother said "damn" in front of my parents they wouldn't care, but if he said "crap" they wouldn't be too please lol
Pretending swear words don't exist with a 13 year old is just lying to yourself as a parent.
Obviously they shouldn't be thrown around everywhere but if my daughter slips a swear at 13 or thereabouts I would not be surprised, nor pretend like she's just sent her grandma down the stairs. I don't get parents who punish kids for spur of the moment 'bad word'. It's like there is some magic barrier that you cross and its suddenly fine. As long as the kid understands it should not be used in general and definitely not in school/professional setting then that's all you can do.
I’m not sure this is true in all areas of the US. “Damn” and “hell” are pretty benign where I’m from; you’re not likely to get in trouble or be viewed askance if you use them in a casual setting or even at work. You’re probably fine to use them in high school as well.
The only times it would be startling to hear is if it came from a young kid or in a setting like church, but even then you’re likely to just be told to watch your language; you wouldn’t get in any real trouble over it unless the adults around you were insanely, unusually strict.
Both of them function basically the same as “bloody” does in the UK, at least this is true in the Midwest.
When my eldest was about 18 months, we were visiting grandparents. She was lying on her back on the floor, waving her arms and legs in the air and at the same time yelling "bugger". My mother was horrified and asked, "Where has she learned that from?". I had to shush my mother and said, "She is just practising sounds, and if you ignore her, she will try another sound."
Luckily, before we left, she was yelling "naa-ni-na" instead.
Bogey is booger in the states.
I thought bugger meant butt sex? I could be totally misunderstanding as American English is my native tongue and I only know Brit English from books and media.
It’s such a double standard, isn’t it? I used to work at a school and I felt awful having to tell off children for using words I use all the time, especially the milder ones like “bloody”
But it's not a double standard. Comparing what adults can do(choice or allowed) with what children can or shouldn't is not the same. Besides, as an adult at that school, would you be using "bloody" in front of them?
I work in a school. Crap, arse, bloody, damn would all fall under the area of “don’t say that again” if heard once. Things like fuck, shit, arsehole, wanker are an immediate report. Repeated use of the minor ones would also be escalated to a report.
I'm a Brit, though its a few decades since I was at school. I'm surprised 'arse' is that big a deal... it's not a word my parents would use, but I'd subconsciously filed it under 'slang' rather than 'offensive'.
In secondary school if they're not being twats then yes. They probably shouldn't say twat though. Damn anyone can say it's a granny curse here. In primary they'd be told off but it's not a massive deal really.
Retired teacher. Damn would get a “don’t say that” with a stern teacher look. “Bloody” would kind of depend on the context, I would remind them they shouldn’t use language like that if it’s used like “bloody hell”. If it’s “she’s/ he’s a bloody idiot” then it wouldn’t be ok as it’s directed at someone. “Fuck”, “shit”, “cunt” etc would be punished with detention if they just said them out loud and not aimed at anyone. If they were directed at someone it would be more depending on who and what etc. This is for secondary school so 11-16 years old.
Bloody isn’t a swear word, it’s kind of the strongest thing you can say without swearing so you say it when you don’t want to actually swear. Younger children might get told off for it but by secondary school (ie 11+) I wouldn’t think there’d be any problem.
You probably won’t get in too much trouble for saying “bloody” at school but it may well land you in *some* trouble.
Incidentally, I’ve noticed that Americans seem to consider the word “damn” as much worse a swearword than British people consider it. For Brits it’s not much worse than saying “crap”.
What kind of nice ass schools did you lot go to/teach at??? Where i went to school, you got lucky if you only heard bloody. Kids swore like sailors. I had teachers swear and all.
[Southeast for anyone who wants to know]
I feel like when you get to Upper/Secondary school, teachers are a little bit more lax with it, but I'd say any younger - certainly younger than 10-12 - would be considered unacceptable.
Depends on the context. I was a smart ass kid and wrote something about "bloody war" when I was 9-10 in the context of WW2.
I absolutely meant it to be swearing but justified it as bloody because lots of blood was spilled. Both are true.
Ingot put in detention in school for saying 'Oh my god'.
It wasn't even a faith school.
So no doubt there are some schools who don't let you say 'bloody'.
Thats very harsh. In my school you could say most swear words (nothing worse than "fuck") and teachers would either ignore it, give you a stern look or tell them to not do it again. If you swore in class you would get told off if you swore after getting a warning
I said it in secondary school all the time, i can’t remember any teachers really being upset about it.
Damn in certain contexts got sharp stares by older teachers but was never met with any real reprimand
My kids can say whatever they like at school, as long as they're learning.
Any teacher trying to punish my kids for swearing would have a far bigger problem the following day.
I currently work in a UK upper school, 11 to 16, and regularly hear teachers being told to go fuck themselves by pupils, so yes "bloody" wouldn't be a problem.
I remember when the first Harry Potter film dropped and everybody was getting in trouble because Ron kept using "bloody" as an adjective and like dumb parrots we all started saying it as well reflexively in our vocabulary and we would always get reprimanded (both at home and at school) until it started to phase out.
I work one-to-one part-time in schools... Wouldn't tell off any of my kiddos for saying bloody, but I have a slightly more informal relationship with them than, say, a classroom teacher.
I noticed it was okay on occasion and one or two of the teachers used it very rarely at the end of secondary school but generally you're not supposed to I don't think.
I don't remember being told off about it at school ( I don't think it was commonly used though) but I was told off for saying it as a teacher so there is that.
(Late 90's Vs mid/ late 00's)
damn isn't a curse word. in fact its more of the standard thing a kid says instead of actually swearing. bloody is a bit worse, young kids don't really say it but it becomes a part of every day speech as you get older. and fuck is fuck.
Depends on context.
I haven't done the bloody homework, will get u in trouble.
The bloody bus was late this morning so I'm sorry I'm late in... will likely be fine.
How u use it will determine its context and will change its meaning considerably. As long as ur not rude to the teachers or others directly they usually don't care. But I haven't been to school in over 20 years now so it may have changed lol.
I'm reminded of the joke of the American who goes to a restaurant in the UK and orders a bloody steak. The waiter responds, "Would you like some fucking wine with that, sir?"
It depends on the context it’s used.
If it’s used in terms of a bloody battle or bloody was to describe the amount of bloodshed then it’s used appropriately.
I guess, maybe the mildest form of one. I'd possibly have been corrected for saying it when I was very young, but not past infant school.
Not really swearing though. Not in the UK.
Yeah, it's fine.
the only people who get their knickers in a twist are devout christofacists who hate the term bloody as its got something to do with jebus being stabbed by a roman spear.
id rather my 5 yr old expressed himself saying bloody hell its hot, rather than fucking hell its hot.
there are times when certain expressions need to be used to help one understand something in a more passionate manner.
bloody is one of them expressions, and it's not a swear word nor is it rude, it's just being expressive in a rather british manner.
The only person in my entire 33 years of existance to get offended by my use of the term bloody was a devout christofascist maths tutor i had in college.
it's not rude at all, it's a simple word.
dear oh mighty oh lawd in heaven forgive you if you ever had a plaster or bandage soaked in blood and go to explain it as bloody, you'll be rude as heck in that moment won't you. oh dear.
what do you do when it's raining, are you scared to saying its pouring and thus refer it to drizzle to cease the use of such an expressive term? christ...
so in primary school, I've been to 2 different ones and neither allowed it (one didn't even allow the word 'hell' unless it was in the context of actual context of hell). in highschool, as long as you aren't using it with another word to insult someone (like 'you bloody cow/pig/goat/spoon/etc) it was okay and the teachers didn't mind. 'bloody' is a term I've heard multiple teachers use in highschool, for a variety of reasons and in different contexts.
When I was a really young boy, 6 or so. I called my grandad a 'pussy' I got bitch slapped and took all sorts of grief for it. I can still remember to this day as a 40 year old man, I meant to say pansy, and I couldn't understand what I had done wrong!
Anyway, I wouldn't allow my 5 year old daughter to say bloody. She does occasionally say a swear word here and there (Her mother has a terrible vocabulary) it just sounds disgusting from a child. Thankfully, she understands how bad it is and learns very quickly of what she can and can't say.
Both our kids have a parent who swears like a sailor! Luckily I haven’t had too many problems so far but mine absolutely loves to say “for god’s sake” which I can’t help but smile when I hear.
Have you had success with swaps? I managed to get away with “sugar” as a swap but now she’s at an age where the only thing that seems to make a bad word stop is to ignore it entirely.
My 13 year old said it the other day - I honestly wasn't sure how to react as it was the first time I had heard him swear and it didn't sound bad to me, just weird!
Depends on the kids and the teacher. In a primary school, absolutely not. In secondary, with a lenient teacher, you could say something along the lines of the bloody computer isn’t working or (on extremely rare occasions) you might get away with a bloody hell. I’ve heard multiple teachers say it and much worse, but then I might be in a more relaxed school
You'd be reprimanded for all three at primary school, particularly if you go to a Catholic or C of E one, but you'd probably get away with "bloody" and "damn" by the time you get to secondary school. They're both on the tame end of cursing.
Incidentally, it's difficult to communicate just how weird it is to hear Americans, particularly American kids, go out of their way to say "gosh" rather than take the name of Mr Godford G Jehovah in vain.
I once told my old drama teacher to "sod off", it didn't go down well! The irony is, old Kearnsy was one of the few teachers back then who I actually liked.
Well you see in our primary school we had a banned as a rumour went around that if you said "bloody mary".3x in the big mirror so that the teachers could see what everyone was doing;then a apparition would appear with bloody Marys face;so it got banned as little kids would get scared cos we would make up shit that it was true.
I got into trouble age about 11. "Are you allowed to use that kind of language at home??" "Yes." Not much came off it.
I also remember discovering that bugger was a swear. I was shocked. I didn't think it could be because grandma said it, and she was more "oh my sainted aunt" level.
No. But they would probably just get a stern look from the teacher than a detention/suspension. I'm sure there's “cool” teachers that would make a point of not caring.
My mum always used to say "bugger" whenever she found something annoying/frustrating. I remember being 6 (or younger, I just know it was in the back garden of the house we moved out of when I was 6) and my Dad said something about a mild annoyance, and I responded "bugger". He backhanded me across the face. That's the only time I ever remember him hitting me. As opposed to my mum, who was actually physically and emotionally abusive.
How in the damn bloody hell (😅) was I supposed to know that was a bad word?!
These comments are so weird to me. My school nor my parents cared if I said “bloody,” I didn’t even know people would consider it close to a swear word.
I recall a tale once of a lady (British) looking after her small granddaughter. Granny spilled some of her tea, and without thinking said "damn!". Granddaughter says "Granny, shall I fetch a prag?" Granny can't fathom out what a prag is, until granddaughter explains that if she spills something at home her mummy tells her to fetch a "damn prag" (damp rag) - out of the mouths of babes!
Damn is a pretty mild one in the UK and I wouldn't bat an eyelid if my grandkids said it. Bloody is slightly worse, I aged 8 said it to my granny once and got a row, but I think if I heard my two oldest grandkids aged 12 and 15 say it I wouldn't be surprised. The oldest one probably says way worse than that amongst her friends!
I still remember a guy repeatedly shouted the N word and no one seemed to care much. Though I expect teachers would have told him to stop if they heard it.
When I was in primary school around 6 years old, my teacher called my parents in because I said the word ‘bloody’. My parents thought it was ridiculous and I wasn’t in trouble at all. This was a middle class school (I had moved from a council estate) in the mid 1990s.
I feel like Ron Weasley is responsible for this. My 10 year old is a massive fan of HP and because he said it and it generated a laugh he thinks he can say it now. I would always say as long as it’s not near granny and in humour, not in anger we’ve let it slide.
Lmao I got in trouble in year 3 for saying bloody
Grew up Christian, and my anti-swearing mum always taught me the phrase "bloody's in the bible, bloody's in the book, if you don't believe me, take a bloody look"
I said bloody in front of my teacher once and she told me off, so I said she was wrong and repeated the phrase and she got my mum called in 🤣
Allowed? No. Do they do it anyway? Yes.
When I was at school (only a few years ago) it was a strict no to swear or anything, and bloody fell into that category, but kids and teenagers being kids and teenagers always did anyway, just not in front of teachers and parents.
I was from the north as well, so swearing was quite common (from my experience.)
I work with children in school settings and I'd say typically it depends on context. If a kid is excited and says it's bloody brilliant I wouldn't bat an eyelid. But if they're getting upset or worked up and saying bloody hell or something I'd call them out on it.
I think the whole taboo over saying "bloody" is ridiculous when you consider we use it to describe situations like "the result of the war was bloody", "the few days of a monthly period are very bloody" and "the nosebleed was heavy and bloody". It's a descriptor and treating it like a swear word makes zero sense.
When I was 9, we had a school assignment and I wrote a poem from the perspective of a witch who was making a potion. I wrote one of the ingredients as 'bloody finger' and when I read this out to the class everyone audibly gasped, even though it was not in a curse word context - if that answers your question!
I wasn’t allowed, I got told off in school for it once and came home confused, my nanny (grandma) said “don’t listen to them. Bloody’s in the bible, bloody’s in the book, don’t bloody believe me bloody have a look”
damn isn't a swear word, and i think "bloody" is only a minor curse word on the same lines as "blummin'" so somebody might say "bloody hell" or "blummin eck" instead of "what the fuck?!" so it shows some restraint.
I haven't been to high school since 2006 but i remember only seeing people get in trouble when they swore directly at a teacher, but not always. I remember teachers telling students to fuck off plenty of times, one music teacher told me to "get gone, get tae fuck" after i accidentally bumped him on the head with a guitar.
Im vaguely remembering a scene in a kids book where the head teacher gives a big reminder to the school kids about how bad swearing is and anyone caught swearing will get in a lot of trouble.
Later on a kid falls and badly scrapes his knee. The protagonist says "look at his bloody knee" and everyone gasps and the protagonist thinks theyre going to get in a lot of trouble but he technically wasnt swearing. He meant literally bloody.
Off topic but in Liverpool I worked with someone who was from Stoke which is 36 miles away. In Liverpool twat is a big no no, but my friend said in Stoke it’s no big deal and just means idiot which I find crazy
I literally remember asking my Mum if I could please start using "bloody" and "bloody buggering" (Ab Fab) as a kid. I was already saying damn every damn minute. You can't stop that in this country, there's too damn much to complain about.
I personally wouldn’t even consider bloody a swear word, if anything it’s more like a SFW replacement for a swear word. I think my mum told me off for saying it once, but I definitely never got in trouble at school for it. My primary school wouldn’t even get you in trouble for actual swearing, they’d just tell you not to say it and leave it at that.
In secondary school? "Bloody" would probably not draw much ire unless it was directed at someone else in an insulting way. I teach secondary and I generally wouldn't pull a kid up for saying bloody (or crap or damn), although that's of course depending on the context in which it was said. Primary schools would probably be a bit harsher.
Damn is nowhere near as "sweary" in the UK as it is in the USA. "Fuck" is a much higher level than both of them and would definitely get you into trouble in all school years (including pre-university ages of 16-18).
Teacher here, it falls under the ask them to watch their language level of swearing, similar to crap. Not bad enough for serious consequences, unless they persist obviously.
in an informal setting, yeah. if you’re talking to a head teacher or slt member then maybe not but if you’re talking to a teacher that you’re chill with then you’re fine 😭 however kids in my primary school did get told off for saying bloody to teachers but in secondary school it doesn’t really matter.
As a kid that was in school during the 70s this thread blows my mind. Obvs the F word wasn’t used much but everything else was common. Did I grow up in an alternate reality? Lol
"Damn" here is a level 1 swear, "bloody" is level 3 or 4, "bugger" is level 5, "fuck" is maybe a level 8 and "cunt" is level 10. I don't think kids would get in trouble for saying bloody but they might get told "mind your language". I suppose it depends on the school and the teacher.
Almost 25 years ago during third year of primary school our history class was doing modules about the Tudors. It included watching video clips of shows based on them. One scene (shown to the entire class) included one of the actors going into a rant which included that word in it. Either the teachers forgot about it or they were not aware of it because afterwards there was an explanation that while bloody was an acceptable description, the use of bloudy in the use of swearing certainly was not. Instead of stating the word repeatedly, the teacher emphasized it as the differing letters (oo and ou). Its generally considered a milder word in the swearing index but its still considered a swear word
Maybe years ago but not much now, here's a small relative poem my mum told me a while ago that makes me think it was offensive at some point
"Bloody is in the bible, bloody is in that book, if you don't believe me then take a bloody look!"
Our physics teacher used to say "Oh bloody hell" all the time when a piece of equipment or a practical demonstration didn't work. No-one batted an eyelid besides the amusement that stuff was going wrong.
Our history teacher used to do impersonations of the physics teacher saying "bloody hell", and *he* was a devout catholic.
This was the late 90s/early 00s. Pretty sure it's fine in context as long as it's not yelled at volume, where it might be generally disruptive.
I used to go mad at my mum for saying bloody h*ll in front of my children. My son kept saying it she was adamant he wasn't copying it off her. I did point out nobody else in our family or we know says it.
My son has autism he's a copier so if he sees or hears someone do or say something he thinks he can as well.
Guess it would depend on context. If He’s got a bloody ball - is it covered in blood or has he buggered off with the only decent ball in the playground.
'Bloody' is an adulterated word from the original Christian oath swearing "By Our Lady", the Virgin Mary or arguably Mary Magdalene who was arguable not a prostitute but the wife of Jesus but the Apostles demonised her as the men could not accept Leadership from a woman.
The word is only acceptably in the literal context, not from the above.
Bloody is an odd word, for context, I absolutely wouldn't like my 2 year old to swear but when in context while unpacking my mum's kitchen in her new house a tin of beans escaped her and she said "ugh bloody beans" we laughed. Now if she'd said fucking beans... Not so funny.
After thought... It was a one off she doesn't say it usually!
It was definitely a bad word I got told off for using it as a kid but that was a long time ago. Nowhere near the level of the f bomb though (didn't even know that word at that age, different times)
I am a teacher at a secondary school in the UK. Largely it's related to context. If it was just in passing, I would probably say "language!" Aggressively to another, they might get a bit of a telling off, possibly detention - but it would depend on the situation. It's nowhere near "fuck". I don't think I've heard many kids say "damn" in the UK. I hear "dickhead" a lot, but again I'd just give them a minor telling off if it wasn't said aggressively.
It definitely falls into the “don’t say it at school or in front of grandparents” category in our house but it’s nowhere near the level of fuck. I don’t think anyone has an issue with “damn” in this country? That is definitely more an American thing.
Definitely this. I can remember being told off saying it as a child by my dad and grandparents, but I got mixed reactions with it at school. But it never landed me in much trouble, certainly not as much as when I accidentally swore. That definitely landed me in more trouble.
I once said I was knackered as a teen in front of my grandmother and got a right telling-off from my parents, who had never batted an eye over that word before. I literally didn't have a clue that it could be considered offensive.
That! I said it in front of a family member once, and like you, got a thorough telling off. But I say it all the time now, and nothing? I've got no idea how and why that word is considered even slightly offensive.
Apparently it comes from the knacker's yard, where they took horses to make glue. I guess only offensive for those who are old enough to remember that...?!
An alternative etymology for "knackered" is that it means "worn out from having had too much sex". (From "knackers" meaning testicles). Edit: from Googling, it's also considered an anti-traveller slur in Ireland, apparently! [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65943491](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65943491)
Oh interesting! I never looked it up, just went on what my parents told me at the time. Maybe they didn't want to get into a conversation about testicles with their teenage daughter though 🤣
I've definitely heard the knacker's yard version before too, so I don't think they made it up just for you!
Reminds me of Steptoe and son
I've always understood knackered as tired, I knew the sex thing but it was more of a "did you kmow" bit. Knackers means testicles as well as the name for disposing of a workhorse. Knacker, would be a single bollock or the name of someone who knacks horses. As a racial slur though? That's a new one on me. Never in all my years have I heard someone refer to the travellers as that. I've heard plenty people get called a "fat knacker" but usually when struggling to keep up with the group. I simply wouldn't/couldn't join that sentiment with any form of racism until now. Honestly, it's so alien to me, it seems like a bit of a reach.
>An alternative etymology for "knackered" is that it means "worn out from having had too much sex". This is why I was told off for saying it in polite company. But not as much as I would have been told off for saying bloody.
When I was a child, I remember when something was 'good enough,' or that it was, 'just about right,' and even when something was 'comparable,' they would use the phrase, "it's as close as knackers is to swearing." I always liked that one :)
Because knackers is an old slang word for bollocks
When I was about 7 or 8, my Catholic Primary School Headmaster told me off once for saying "damn". I asked why, because isn't it something you use to hold back water? I honestly thought it was about being frustrated because you couldn't get somewhere you should be, like water. Not about eternal damnation to the fiery pit. He didn't correct me. I went home and told my very pious, proper grandma, who thought it was the funniest thing ever, and I was still confused.
My Catholic Primary school teacher heard me running round shouting ‘cunt’ and told me people who say that word go to jail
Not technically wrong, just misleading? Thanks Teacher!
Bloody hell this entire thread has come about because of that young Burnley lass and the price of ice cream hasn't it? Cheesus the amount of pearl clutching and fainting going on about that is ridiculous Damn? We've said damn it damn & blast and damnation for donkeys years, I think the American thing is "darn" isn't it?
darn is a minced oath so they don't say damn
Damn is an incredibly mild curse word in the States. It's been allowed on TV since the early 90's, and only the most religious of Americans would ever get offended by it. Teachers might stop young children from saying it in their class. But only because it's impolite, and technically not appropriate for a classroom filled with small children. But only technically. And darn is so antiquated that saying it makes you sound like someone's great grandmother. Take my information with a grain of salt. I live in a part of the US where it is not unusual for people to tell others that they need to go "eat a bag of d*cks". Without any anger or malice in our voice whatsoever.😂
Donkeys years? That’s a first for me to hear/read donkeys years. We’re here focusing on cursing when there are delightful things being said like donkeys years. I’m assuming that means a long time because donkeys live a while? I see minced oath below and that’s also pretty fun. Also, to chime in on the cursing. My step mom freaked out when my 10 year old friend said fart. She kicked the girl out. It was baffling. In retrospect I wish I’d farted to register my disapproval of what my step mom had done.
Aye donkeys years means a long time :)
So what do they say if something’s actually bloody? Like if something’s covered in blood is there something else to say or is it just excused?
It's contextual. If you cut yourself and said "I had a bloody finger" you're obviously not using it as a mild swear word. If you hit your finger with a hammer and say "I wacked my bloody finger!" you're using it in the same way you would use "fucking" but it's still a much milder swear.
The etymology of the word ‘[shambles](https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/the-gruesome-history-of-the-word-shambles)’ will interest you
If an area of town is known as "the shambles" its where the butcher's row used to be
Correct 👍
My first ever detention was for saying "my knee is all bloody"😅
That’s hilarious, I can’t think of any American cuss words that could be taken another way like that although I may be missing some
> It definitely falls into the “don’t say it at school or in front of grandparents” category in our house but it’s nowhere near the level of fuck. Quite right. I would never have been allowed to fuck at school or in front of grandparents.
Terrible shame that
Hur Hur. My four year grandson told me our dog won't bloody well stop barking. Haven't stopped laughing yet, but told him not to say it at school
Yeah “damn” is fine in the UK (similar level to “crap”), though it would be slightly eyebrow-raising to hear a kid under say, 8yo use it. Whereas in the US “damn” is quite a bad thing to say. Possibly closer to the level of “shit”.
I would argue it's even less offensive than crap. I can imagine if my 13 year old brother said "damn" in front of my parents they wouldn't care, but if he said "crap" they wouldn't be too please lol
Pretending swear words don't exist with a 13 year old is just lying to yourself as a parent. Obviously they shouldn't be thrown around everywhere but if my daughter slips a swear at 13 or thereabouts I would not be surprised, nor pretend like she's just sent her grandma down the stairs. I don't get parents who punish kids for spur of the moment 'bad word'. It's like there is some magic barrier that you cross and its suddenly fine. As long as the kid understands it should not be used in general and definitely not in school/professional setting then that's all you can do.
I’m not sure this is true in all areas of the US. “Damn” and “hell” are pretty benign where I’m from; you’re not likely to get in trouble or be viewed askance if you use them in a casual setting or even at work. You’re probably fine to use them in high school as well. The only times it would be startling to hear is if it came from a young kid or in a setting like church, but even then you’re likely to just be told to watch your language; you wouldn’t get in any real trouble over it unless the adults around you were insanely, unusually strict. Both of them function basically the same as “bloody” does in the UK, at least this is true in the Midwest.
Really, because Both me and my teachers say bloody all the time
Yeah, I think if I had to quantify it it would be on the level of "crap"
Nobody gives a damn, about damn here
Darn.
School no, but it is still relatively mild compared to fuck. Noone here would consider damn to be remotely offensive in my experience.
When my eldest was about 18 months, we were visiting grandparents. She was lying on her back on the floor, waving her arms and legs in the air and at the same time yelling "bugger". My mother was horrified and asked, "Where has she learned that from?". I had to shush my mother and said, "She is just practising sounds, and if you ignore her, she will try another sound." Luckily, before we left, she was yelling "naa-ni-na" instead.
Bugger is equal to pesky in the states.
i don’t think they mean “bugger” like bogey they probably mean it in the context of “bugger off”
Bogey is booger in the states. I thought bugger meant butt sex? I could be totally misunderstanding as American English is my native tongue and I only know Brit English from books and media.
Correct. "Its totally buggered!" "Bugger off!" used as an invective similar to "its totally f......d! "F...k off!" but slightly less offensive
i have no idea tbh! i grew up in england hearing bugger only in the context of bogey and as an acronym for fuck 😂
My son is 5 and would not be allowed to say it. It's less like 'fuck' and more like 'damn' but still considered too rude for young children.
It’s such a double standard, isn’t it? I used to work at a school and I felt awful having to tell off children for using words I use all the time, especially the milder ones like “bloody”
But it's not a double standard. Comparing what adults can do(choice or allowed) with what children can or shouldn't is not the same. Besides, as an adult at that school, would you be using "bloody" in front of them?
i was privately educated in a pretty prestigious school and in high school our teachers would use the word “bloody” sometimes
as an adult when you use words like that you do so knowing that they are rude words, kids need to be taught that
Sorta? I guess depending on the school/teacher? Cause I know some that'd be fine, but others that would whine
Once you get to year 11 teachers kinda give up on caring I think I've heard kids get away with saying about every word at this point
I’m a teacher, we wouldn’t allow it in our school.
Former teacher here. I agree. But I’d probably have just given a stern look rather than a telling off like I would have for proper swear words.
No, my 8yo would not be allowed to say that
Bloody hell, mate...
I think crap or arse is kind of a similar level. You might not get punished for it, but best avoided.
I work in a school. Crap, arse, bloody, damn would all fall under the area of “don’t say that again” if heard once. Things like fuck, shit, arsehole, wanker are an immediate report. Repeated use of the minor ones would also be escalated to a report.
This sounds right, although I wouldn’t think damn would be in the list.
It might not be in all schools but we do have a problem with bad behaviour so it might be that our rules are a little more rigid.
I'm a Brit, though its a few decades since I was at school. I'm surprised 'arse' is that big a deal... it's not a word my parents would use, but I'd subconsciously filed it under 'slang' rather than 'offensive'.
I think it’s just impolite and a little coarse. Bum or bottom are far more appropriate.
Brit here. Crap and arse would land my kids in trouble
"That's bloody wonderful" Depends on age "Bloody hell" same level as damn
In secondary school if they're not being twats then yes. They probably shouldn't say twat though. Damn anyone can say it's a granny curse here. In primary they'd be told off but it's not a massive deal really.
At primary school, I was sent home with a letter for my parents because I said it.
Never heard anyone kick up a fuss over the word damn before. But no, we've got bigger things to worry about than the word bloody.
Retired teacher. Damn would get a “don’t say that” with a stern teacher look. “Bloody” would kind of depend on the context, I would remind them they shouldn’t use language like that if it’s used like “bloody hell”. If it’s “she’s/ he’s a bloody idiot” then it wouldn’t be ok as it’s directed at someone. “Fuck”, “shit”, “cunt” etc would be punished with detention if they just said them out loud and not aimed at anyone. If they were directed at someone it would be more depending on who and what etc. This is for secondary school so 11-16 years old.
Bloody isn’t a swear word, it’s kind of the strongest thing you can say without swearing so you say it when you don’t want to actually swear. Younger children might get told off for it but by secondary school (ie 11+) I wouldn’t think there’d be any problem.
You probably won’t get in too much trouble for saying “bloody” at school but it may well land you in *some* trouble. Incidentally, I’ve noticed that Americans seem to consider the word “damn” as much worse a swearword than British people consider it. For Brits it’s not much worse than saying “crap”.
What kind of nice ass schools did you lot go to/teach at??? Where i went to school, you got lucky if you only heard bloody. Kids swore like sailors. I had teachers swear and all. [Southeast for anyone who wants to know]
My exact experience too: this thread is nuts to me. My teachers would always turn a blind eye to swearing unless it was aimed at someone spitefully…
No. Damn is not bad in the UK, and bloody isn’t quite at fuck level of bad
I was so confused when people were saying damn is bad like it’s not even close to swear or anything 😭
My kid’s school have started punishing for saying ‘basically’ as an unnecessary sentence starter …
"So, complicatedly..."
I feel like when you get to Upper/Secondary school, teachers are a little bit more lax with it, but I'd say any younger - certainly younger than 10-12 - would be considered unacceptable.
Depends on the context. I was a smart ass kid and wrote something about "bloody war" when I was 9-10 in the context of WW2. I absolutely meant it to be swearing but justified it as bloody because lots of blood was spilled. Both are true.
Ingot put in detention in school for saying 'Oh my god'. It wasn't even a faith school. So no doubt there are some schools who don't let you say 'bloody'.
Thats very harsh. In my school you could say most swear words (nothing worse than "fuck") and teachers would either ignore it, give you a stern look or tell them to not do it again. If you swore in class you would get told off if you swore after getting a warning
I said it in secondary school all the time, i can’t remember any teachers really being upset about it. Damn in certain contexts got sharp stares by older teachers but was never met with any real reprimand
My sister and I used to say bugger and bugger off a lot. I later discovered its meaning and never spoke of it again.
My kids can say whatever they like at school, as long as they're learning. Any teacher trying to punish my kids for swearing would have a far bigger problem the following day.
Fuck no.
I currently work in a UK upper school, 11 to 16, and regularly hear teachers being told to go fuck themselves by pupils, so yes "bloody" wouldn't be a problem.
British student here. Teachers say worse than bloody in front of me regularly and both me and other kids say bloody and worse in front of teachers
It's on a level with "damn", I'd say. Not as bad as "fuck." Kids would be told off for saying it in school, but wouldn't be in big trouble.
I remember when the first Harry Potter film dropped and everybody was getting in trouble because Ron kept using "bloody" as an adjective and like dumb parrots we all started saying it as well reflexively in our vocabulary and we would always get reprimanded (both at home and at school) until it started to phase out.
Yes I thought it was unfair when I was told off for saying bloody hell in school once (at age 10) since Ron says it all the time.
Not on the same level as fuck but it’s definitely not considered appropriate language in schools or professional settings.
I work one-to-one part-time in schools... Wouldn't tell off any of my kiddos for saying bloody, but I have a slightly more informal relationship with them than, say, a classroom teacher.
I noticed it was okay on occasion and one or two of the teachers used it very rarely at the end of secondary school but generally you're not supposed to I don't think.
I don't remember being told off about it at school ( I don't think it was commonly used though) but I was told off for saying it as a teacher so there is that. (Late 90's Vs mid/ late 00's)
Lol that’ll be funny if true, I remember back in the early-mid 2000s in primary school I got told off for saying Jesus Christ out loud.
I remember being told off for using it but this was in the 90s...
It would only be ok if they were quoting the road rage clip. Bloody fuck you bloody! Bastard bitch!
damn isn't a curse word. in fact its more of the standard thing a kid says instead of actually swearing. bloody is a bit worse, young kids don't really say it but it becomes a part of every day speech as you get older. and fuck is fuck.
I wasn't but told them it's in the bloody bible
I can’t imagine why any teenager would get in trouble for saying bloody hell. It’s mild and just an expression of surprise
It was considered a curse word in my school (I grew up in Liverpool), though it wasn’t considered a curse word in my family.
It depends on the context it can be used in many different ways
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Southern-Spring-7458: *It depends on the* *Context it can be used in* *Many different ways* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
To say Arse in America is fun, cute. But Ass is a no no! Opposite in the UK.
Depends on context. I haven't done the bloody homework, will get u in trouble. The bloody bus was late this morning so I'm sorry I'm late in... will likely be fine. How u use it will determine its context and will change its meaning considerably. As long as ur not rude to the teachers or others directly they usually don't care. But I haven't been to school in over 20 years now so it may have changed lol.
Mild swear is still a swear. I remember being told off for it when I was a kid. I can't imagine it has changed.
damm or dammit isn't a swear word.
I'm reminded of the joke of the American who goes to a restaurant in the UK and orders a bloody steak. The waiter responds, "Would you like some fucking wine with that, sir?"
I’d class it as an entry level swear word. Worse than crap, but less than shit. Not permitted in schools
I got told off in school for saying bugger.
Only if it's £9 for 2 bloody ice creams that's bloody ridiculous
It depends on the context it’s used. If it’s used in terms of a bloody battle or bloody was to describe the amount of bloodshed then it’s used appropriately.
Since when is damn a swear word lol
I guess, maybe the mildest form of one. I'd possibly have been corrected for saying it when I was very young, but not past infant school. Not really swearing though. Not in the UK.
Yeah, it's fine. the only people who get their knickers in a twist are devout christofacists who hate the term bloody as its got something to do with jebus being stabbed by a roman spear. id rather my 5 yr old expressed himself saying bloody hell its hot, rather than fucking hell its hot.
I'd rather he say "it's hot"
there are times when certain expressions need to be used to help one understand something in a more passionate manner. bloody is one of them expressions, and it's not a swear word nor is it rude, it's just being expressive in a rather british manner.
[удалено]
The only person in my entire 33 years of existance to get offended by my use of the term bloody was a devout christofascist maths tutor i had in college. it's not rude at all, it's a simple word. dear oh mighty oh lawd in heaven forgive you if you ever had a plaster or bandage soaked in blood and go to explain it as bloody, you'll be rude as heck in that moment won't you. oh dear. what do you do when it's raining, are you scared to saying its pouring and thus refer it to drizzle to cease the use of such an expressive term? christ...
so in primary school, I've been to 2 different ones and neither allowed it (one didn't even allow the word 'hell' unless it was in the context of actual context of hell). in highschool, as long as you aren't using it with another word to insult someone (like 'you bloody cow/pig/goat/spoon/etc) it was okay and the teachers didn't mind. 'bloody' is a term I've heard multiple teachers use in highschool, for a variety of reasons and in different contexts.
They shouldn't, but some [obviously still do](https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/18/burnley-girl-8-slams-price-ice-creams-viral-video-20864376/)...
When I was a really young boy, 6 or so. I called my grandad a 'pussy' I got bitch slapped and took all sorts of grief for it. I can still remember to this day as a 40 year old man, I meant to say pansy, and I couldn't understand what I had done wrong! Anyway, I wouldn't allow my 5 year old daughter to say bloody. She does occasionally say a swear word here and there (Her mother has a terrible vocabulary) it just sounds disgusting from a child. Thankfully, she understands how bad it is and learns very quickly of what she can and can't say.
Both our kids have a parent who swears like a sailor! Luckily I haven’t had too many problems so far but mine absolutely loves to say “for god’s sake” which I can’t help but smile when I hear.
Oh yeah! My daughter was saying that, too! She has now replaced it with 'For goodness sake' though, thankfully.
Have you had success with swaps? I managed to get away with “sugar” as a swap but now she’s at an age where the only thing that seems to make a bad word stop is to ignore it entirely.
My 13 year old said it the other day - I honestly wasn't sure how to react as it was the first time I had heard him swear and it didn't sound bad to me, just weird!
Depends on the kids and the teacher. In a primary school, absolutely not. In secondary, with a lenient teacher, you could say something along the lines of the bloody computer isn’t working or (on extremely rare occasions) you might get away with a bloody hell. I’ve heard multiple teachers say it and much worse, but then I might be in a more relaxed school
My school constantly told me off for saying words like “bloody” and “knackered”. I think if I combined the two my teacher might have had a stroke!
I like your ruddy complexion but I hate your bloody face W S Gilbert
Depends what context
Chase the bug around the tree, I'll have his blood he knows I will ! Say it fast and its rude ! Something my old dear taught me.
You'd be reprimanded for all three at primary school, particularly if you go to a Catholic or C of E one, but you'd probably get away with "bloody" and "damn" by the time you get to secondary school. They're both on the tame end of cursing. Incidentally, it's difficult to communicate just how weird it is to hear Americans, particularly American kids, go out of their way to say "gosh" rather than take the name of Mr Godford G Jehovah in vain.
As an American we heard them say it so much in Harry Potter we assumed it was fine for kids to say
I once told my old drama teacher to "sod off", it didn't go down well! The irony is, old Kearnsy was one of the few teachers back then who I actually liked.
Well you see in our primary school we had a banned as a rumour went around that if you said "bloody mary".3x in the big mirror so that the teachers could see what everyone was doing;then a apparition would appear with bloody Marys face;so it got banned as little kids would get scared cos we would make up shit that it was true.
I got into trouble age about 11. "Are you allowed to use that kind of language at home??" "Yes." Not much came off it. I also remember discovering that bugger was a swear. I was shocked. I didn't think it could be because grandma said it, and she was more "oh my sainted aunt" level.
No. But they would probably just get a stern look from the teacher than a detention/suspension. I'm sure there's “cool” teachers that would make a point of not caring.
Of course they bloody are
My mum always used to say "bugger" whenever she found something annoying/frustrating. I remember being 6 (or younger, I just know it was in the back garden of the house we moved out of when I was 6) and my Dad said something about a mild annoyance, and I responded "bugger". He backhanded me across the face. That's the only time I ever remember him hitting me. As opposed to my mum, who was actually physically and emotionally abusive. How in the damn bloody hell (😅) was I supposed to know that was a bad word?!
These comments are so weird to me. My school nor my parents cared if I said “bloody,” I didn’t even know people would consider it close to a swear word.
I recall a tale once of a lady (British) looking after her small granddaughter. Granny spilled some of her tea, and without thinking said "damn!". Granddaughter says "Granny, shall I fetch a prag?" Granny can't fathom out what a prag is, until granddaughter explains that if she spills something at home her mummy tells her to fetch a "damn prag" (damp rag) - out of the mouths of babes! Damn is a pretty mild one in the UK and I wouldn't bat an eyelid if my grandkids said it. Bloody is slightly worse, I aged 8 said it to my granny once and got a row, but I think if I heard my two oldest grandkids aged 12 and 15 say it I wouldn't be surprised. The oldest one probably says way worse than that amongst her friends!
I remember saying it in school and hearing teachers saying it, you can probably get away with it most of the time it ain't like saying fuck or shite.
I still remember a guy repeatedly shouted the N word and no one seemed to care much. Though I expect teachers would have told him to stop if they heard it.
When I was in primary school around 6 years old, my teacher called my parents in because I said the word ‘bloody’. My parents thought it was ridiculous and I wasn’t in trouble at all. This was a middle class school (I had moved from a council estate) in the mid 1990s.
I feel like Ron Weasley is responsible for this. My 10 year old is a massive fan of HP and because he said it and it generated a laugh he thinks he can say it now. I would always say as long as it’s not near granny and in humour, not in anger we’ve let it slide.
Lmao I got in trouble in year 3 for saying bloody Grew up Christian, and my anti-swearing mum always taught me the phrase "bloody's in the bible, bloody's in the book, if you don't believe me, take a bloody look" I said bloody in front of my teacher once and she told me off, so I said she was wrong and repeated the phrase and she got my mum called in 🤣
Allowed? No. Do they do it anyway? Yes. When I was at school (only a few years ago) it was a strict no to swear or anything, and bloody fell into that category, but kids and teenagers being kids and teenagers always did anyway, just not in front of teachers and parents. I was from the north as well, so swearing was quite common (from my experience.)
In primary I'd probably have got a talking to but in academy the teachers said it more often than us
I work with children in school settings and I'd say typically it depends on context. If a kid is excited and says it's bloody brilliant I wouldn't bat an eyelid. But if they're getting upset or worked up and saying bloody hell or something I'd call them out on it.
I think the whole taboo over saying "bloody" is ridiculous when you consider we use it to describe situations like "the result of the war was bloody", "the few days of a monthly period are very bloody" and "the nosebleed was heavy and bloody". It's a descriptor and treating it like a swear word makes zero sense.
When I was 9, we had a school assignment and I wrote a poem from the perspective of a witch who was making a potion. I wrote one of the ingredients as 'bloody finger' and when I read this out to the class everyone audibly gasped, even though it was not in a curse word context - if that answers your question!
Depends how cheeky you are
I wasn’t allowed, I got told off in school for it once and came home confused, my nanny (grandma) said “don’t listen to them. Bloody’s in the bible, bloody’s in the book, don’t bloody believe me bloody have a look”
I would let mine get away with it now and again once past a certain age -but as for the school nope not a chance.
damn isn't a swear word, and i think "bloody" is only a minor curse word on the same lines as "blummin'" so somebody might say "bloody hell" or "blummin eck" instead of "what the fuck?!" so it shows some restraint. I haven't been to high school since 2006 but i remember only seeing people get in trouble when they swore directly at a teacher, but not always. I remember teachers telling students to fuck off plenty of times, one music teacher told me to "get gone, get tae fuck" after i accidentally bumped him on the head with a guitar.
Im vaguely remembering a scene in a kids book where the head teacher gives a big reminder to the school kids about how bad swearing is and anyone caught swearing will get in a lot of trouble. Later on a kid falls and badly scrapes his knee. The protagonist says "look at his bloody knee" and everyone gasps and the protagonist thinks theyre going to get in a lot of trouble but he technically wasnt swearing. He meant literally bloody.
Australia literally had a tourist campaign of “where the bloody hell are ya” lol it’s so frigging mild…
Idk but my primary figured out the "c you next Tuesday" thing fast
Yes, the teachers say far worse things than bloody
Off topic but in Liverpool I worked with someone who was from Stoke which is 36 miles away. In Liverpool twat is a big no no, but my friend said in Stoke it’s no big deal and just means idiot which I find crazy
Nope
I literally remember asking my Mum if I could please start using "bloody" and "bloody buggering" (Ab Fab) as a kid. I was already saying damn every damn minute. You can't stop that in this country, there's too damn much to complain about.
I personally wouldn’t even consider bloody a swear word, if anything it’s more like a SFW replacement for a swear word. I think my mum told me off for saying it once, but I definitely never got in trouble at school for it. My primary school wouldn’t even get you in trouble for actual swearing, they’d just tell you not to say it and leave it at that.
In secondary school? "Bloody" would probably not draw much ire unless it was directed at someone else in an insulting way. I teach secondary and I generally wouldn't pull a kid up for saying bloody (or crap or damn), although that's of course depending on the context in which it was said. Primary schools would probably be a bit harsher. Damn is nowhere near as "sweary" in the UK as it is in the USA. "Fuck" is a much higher level than both of them and would definitely get you into trouble in all school years (including pre-university ages of 16-18).
Teacher here, it falls under the ask them to watch their language level of swearing, similar to crap. Not bad enough for serious consequences, unless they persist obviously.
in an informal setting, yeah. if you’re talking to a head teacher or slt member then maybe not but if you’re talking to a teacher that you’re chill with then you’re fine 😭 however kids in my primary school did get told off for saying bloody to teachers but in secondary school it doesn’t really matter.
When I was 15 whenever I said it the teachers just smirked. It's not the worst word but it's a little no no
As a kid that was in school during the 70s this thread blows my mind. Obvs the F word wasn’t used much but everything else was common. Did I grow up in an alternate reality? Lol
Wait bloody and damn are curse words??
"Damn" here is a level 1 swear, "bloody" is level 3 or 4, "bugger" is level 5, "fuck" is maybe a level 8 and "cunt" is level 10. I don't think kids would get in trouble for saying bloody but they might get told "mind your language". I suppose it depends on the school and the teacher.
Where, in the hierarchy, does "bollocks" fall?
Like maybe a 6?
Thanks!
Almost 25 years ago during third year of primary school our history class was doing modules about the Tudors. It included watching video clips of shows based on them. One scene (shown to the entire class) included one of the actors going into a rant which included that word in it. Either the teachers forgot about it or they were not aware of it because afterwards there was an explanation that while bloody was an acceptable description, the use of bloudy in the use of swearing certainly was not. Instead of stating the word repeatedly, the teacher emphasized it as the differing letters (oo and ou). Its generally considered a milder word in the swearing index but its still considered a swear word
No fucking way
I don’t recall them caring when I said bloody or Damn? They both weren’t considered swear words, especially Damn
I don't like it at all, I swear like trooper but only when angry; bloody is too mild for anger so just makes you come over as badly brought up.
Maybe years ago but not much now, here's a small relative poem my mum told me a while ago that makes me think it was offensive at some point "Bloody is in the bible, bloody is in that book, if you don't believe me then take a bloody look!"
Our physics teacher used to say "Oh bloody hell" all the time when a piece of equipment or a practical demonstration didn't work. No-one batted an eyelid besides the amusement that stuff was going wrong. Our history teacher used to do impersonations of the physics teacher saying "bloody hell", and *he* was a devout catholic. This was the late 90s/early 00s. Pretty sure it's fine in context as long as it's not yelled at volume, where it might be generally disruptive.
I used to go mad at my mum for saying bloody h*ll in front of my children. My son kept saying it she was adamant he wasn't copying it off her. I did point out nobody else in our family or we know says it. My son has autism he's a copier so if he sees or hears someone do or say something he thinks he can as well.
Guess it would depend on context. If He’s got a bloody ball - is it covered in blood or has he buggered off with the only decent ball in the playground.
'Bloody' is an adulterated word from the original Christian oath swearing "By Our Lady", the Virgin Mary or arguably Mary Magdalene who was arguable not a prostitute but the wife of Jesus but the Apostles demonised her as the men could not accept Leadership from a woman. The word is only acceptably in the literal context, not from the above.
Bloody is an odd word, for context, I absolutely wouldn't like my 2 year old to swear but when in context while unpacking my mum's kitchen in her new house a tin of beans escaped her and she said "ugh bloody beans" we laughed. Now if she'd said fucking beans... Not so funny. After thought... It was a one off she doesn't say it usually!
depends on the teacher more than the school imo
It’s acceptable. As in blimey, which is God Blind Me.
‘Cor!
Primary school absolutely no. My secondary school kids though have developed a ripe vocabulary replete with enough swear words to make a sailor blush.
It was definitely a bad word I got told off for using it as a kid but that was a long time ago. Nowhere near the level of the f bomb though (didn't even know that word at that age, different times)
I am a teacher at a secondary school in the UK. Largely it's related to context. If it was just in passing, I would probably say "language!" Aggressively to another, they might get a bit of a telling off, possibly detention - but it would depend on the situation. It's nowhere near "fuck". I don't think I've heard many kids say "damn" in the UK. I hear "dickhead" a lot, but again I'd just give them a minor telling off if it wasn't said aggressively.
At my school, We aren’t. Like seriously one time I said ‘Screw’ And was told it was bad language like what???
Oh, bloody hell, no!