Unless you're a Bishop (or maybe they do it in private, too?).
Especially in New Zealand.
We all know what a GC is and it's nothing to do with the white sandy beaches of Queensland.
You don't say them in front of mum, and you shouldn't shout them in anger at people, unless they really deserve it.
But have you noticed the media's obsession with calling out people for swearing, lately?
Exhibit A: furious Benji Marshall's (Wests Tigers coach) expletive-laden presser.
The media had been saying he was in a spat with a now former player, and they were at war, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
None of which, according to Benji, was true. So, he responds and they say he's ranting and swearing and 'going nuclear'.
Isn't that what they used to call gaslighting?
Then there was Winston Peters...
Media called that one a foul-language outburst. How can a word so many people use be so offensive or worthy of mention?
Christine Fletcher, Auckland Council, complains about swearing in the council chambers. The Dunedin council boss was done for swearing about councillors and calling them bad words behind their backs.
Who hasn't done that?
The truth is most Kiwis don't mind, occasionally. Too much and you sound like trash. Too little you sound too cautious. Directed in anger? Never a good idea and should not happen at work.
The obsession with people using it from time to time, especially in the age of the internet where people do and say what they want?
Waste of f***ing time.
Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.
7 comments:
What a load of bullshit from Ryan. Kiwis are ok with this and he bloody well knows it.
No idea what a GC is, none of this is technically swearing, it is foul language. Swearing involves public oaths of some type and can be sinful when you swear to God something is true but is a lie. Cursing your neighbour is always sinful. New Zealanders need to clean up their language in general. There are many words you can use to describe how you’re feeling without using bad ones.
Re: Anon 924
Modern dictionaries define swearing in terms of foul or offensive language in general. There may or may not be a profanity involved. 'Swearing an oath' is an entirely different thing. 'Sin' is when one breaks a religious rule. It has no place in secular morality or law. In the Middle Ages, secular courts dealt with crimes while religious courts dealt with sins.
In the late 70s and early 80s our football side in Taranaki had an excellent player from Liverpool. He used the f word as an adjective for everything often five times in a sentence. It was just him. The word meant nothing and had no impact
I thought freedom of speech was an important issue/right in NZ such that anonymous@ 9.24 could perhaps reflect on their opinion. There are many forms of 'bad' language and I choose what seems appropriate for each occasion. Whatever I choose helps keep my blood pressure down anyway.
Bugger that.
Abso-bloody-lutely, Allen. You took the words right out of my (foul?) mouth. Some of us so need that release these days.
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