Cursing

[kirinke]

I used to curse a lot in college, but I don't so much anymore.

I've found that the curse jar works, as does word substitution.

I especially liked word substitution- used to great effect in many movies over the years, most recently A Christmas Story with Davin McGavin. While using archaic or incongruous words (like pop-culture references) works, pure nonsense words worked best (at least for me).

Saying something like "Oh flarginbibble!" when you're frustrated instead of " Oh F***!" still helps you vent, and will tend to lighten up the room, rather than send people into apoplexy over your language. It will be like a game, and over time, it'll become almost second nature. Now I only REALLY cuss when I mean it, and those around me understand the difference.

Of course, someone down in the Bible Belt (where I am) might just mistake your babbling for Speaking in Tongues...

Nonsense words are fun. My favorites are Flibberty-gibbit and Flibberty-flumph as substitutions for the f-word. Other good words are frak, frell, zorking frude, and the like.
Another great way to cuss without really cussing is learning Klingon.

 

[ceratitis]

a variant on the cuss jar is really a story we tell kids (the short short version)-

the dad of a kid who swears a lot sends him to put a nail in the fence every time he curses... afer a while like with the jar the kid only curses a little so dad tells him to pull a nail out everytime he curses. when he's done the dad sends him to look at the fence which is all full of holes to see the damage done even if you say sorry.

i know you dont need the story and the moral and all, just thought you might like it.
Z

 

[Bryon_Soulweaver]

Work part-time at a day-care center or replace the F word with dang, shoot, heck, crud, crap, nonygogin (a word me and my bestfriend/bro made up), ect. Might work.

 

[Templetroll]

In college, my rather religious roommate bet me that I couldn't go a whole week without swearing or being a smart-ass. The being a smart-ass part was easy, but to suppress the instinctive curse, I got myself in the habit of saying 'hippopotamus' to myself before speaking out loud. It gave me that split-second to let the brain catch up with my mouth.

Now, after a week, I collected my bet and returned to my sailor-speaking ways, so I don't know if it could have affected a permanent change, but you never know. It's just a habit like any other, so substituting one habit for another might work.

Rodgrigo, you proved that you can effect a change in how you speak but you went back to swearing. What is it about foul language that fulfills a need in you? I'm just interested.

I was in the Navy, and swore as most did. When I got out I decided to change, and not use that kind of language. My wife swears more often than I do; she knows if I start that I am seriously bothered by something.

For Harmon: Make use of your roleplaying experience. At work your persona is much more dignified and speaks more formally than you do at home or with friends. It is usually easier to refrain from swearing when you have your mind actively seeking other words all the time.

I've found that "Balderdash and piffle!" work well if you really need to expletiviate. "Avaunt thee to perdition!" also works in and out of the game.

 

[Viking Bastard]

Say 'frell' or 'frack'.

Stroke your inner geek.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm rereading Elizabeth Moon's Serrano Legacy; one of the main characters mutters "Bad words, bad words, bad words!" when frustrated

Metacursing - give it a try!

-Hyp.

 

[kirinke]

Another good fake language to cuss in is Tolkien Orcish or the Black tongue. Sindarin and Quenya is also good. Here are some Sindarin insults/negative endearments.

Negative Endearments
[sblock]
Abominable one(s) = Thaurer(ea)
Angry one(s) = Ruthaer(ea)
Blood-sucker(s) = Agaryulnaer(ea)
Dark one(s) = Morier(ea)
Deceitfull one(s) = Wethrinaer(ea)
Disgusting one(s) = Feuyaer(ea)
Dreaded one(s) = Gayaer(ea)
Evil one(s) = 'Ksher(ea)
Excessive one(s) = Beikaer(ea)
Fearful one(s) = Gorgaer(ea)
Foul one(s) = Saurar(ea)
Hollow one(s) = Unguer(ea)
Hostile one(s) = Kotyaer(ea)
Icy one(s) = Helkaer(ea)
Ill one(s) = Engwarer(ea)
Impetous one(s) = Ascarer(ea)
Lofty one(s) = Taraer(ea)
My foe(s) = Goth(rim)amin
Old one(s) = Ianter(ea)
Silent one(s) = Dinaer(ea)
Smelly one(s) = Usquener(ea)
Stern one(s) = Telcoer(ea)
Tormented one(s) = Nwalmaer(ea)
Unwilling one(s) = Avarier(ea)
Wide one(s) = Lanner(ea)
[/sblock]


Insults
[sblock]
Cowardly dog(s) = Nadorhuan(rim)
Feast of wolves (slain enemy) = Mereth en draugrim
Gate bird(slain enemy) = Andodulin
Go kiss an orc = Auta miqula orqu
I hate you = Amin delotha lle
Listen to my laughter = Lasta lalaithamin
Much wind pours from your mouth = Antolle ulua sulrim
Son of snakes (dishonest person) = Utinu en lokirim
You are king in your imagination = Lle naa haran e' nausalle
You disgust me = Amin feuya ten' lle
You smell like a human = Lle holma ve' edan
You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny = Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina
Your head is empty = Dolle naa lost
[/sblock]

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

There's a cool one I found in Paul Dickson's Words (a book that has a whole chapter on inventive curses):

"AMPLEXUS!" It means the rutting of frogs and toads. It sounds like an archaic curse word, and technically, it does refer to a subset of f**k!

For that matter, as he points out, you could also simply shout "ASTERISK!" or say "You bet your asterisk!"

 

[Templetroll]

There's a cool one I found in Paul Dickson's Words (a book that has a whole chapter on inventive curses):

"AMPLEXUS!" It means the rutting of frogs and toads. It sounds like an archaic curse word, and technically, it does refer to a subset of f**k!

For that matter, as he points out, you could also simply shout "ASTERISK!" or say "You bet your asterisk!"

W. C. Fields: "Godfrey Daniels!"

"Shades of Bacchus!"

(Fields' response after a mischievous child drops grapes on his face while he's trying to sleep in It's a Gift.)

"Don't be a luddy duddy. Don't be a moon calf. Don't be a jabbernowl. You're not those, are you?"

(WC calling his future son-in-law names because he refuses to embezzle money from the bank where WC is guard, in The Bank Dick.)

 

[Harmon]

Problem with a lot of these is that I am so comfortable with speaking in swear words that its second nature. Like trying to never say the word "and" or "the" or something along those lines. Its ingrained and that is my real issue- breaking that cycle.

Thanks for the suggestions, I hope this helps more then just me. Again, thank you.