Usage of the "C" word - Just how vulgar is it? (To Americans)

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Streamline

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I actually meant to ask this a while ago, but forgot -

So i was watching Dr. Phil a few months back and they had a couple on there and the husband was one of these abusive types. Dr. Phil went on to explain to him how wrong his actions were and how she can't possibly move back in with him and this a direct quote from the show (he said this to the husband)..."You called her b--tch, sl-t, wh-re and the C word"....At first i laughed at his reluctance to say the word after he already said three other explicit words preceeding it (and they didn't even bother to bleep out those words). But then i thought...eeeerm, you already said b-itch, sl-t and wh-re on TV, so why can't you say the "C" word?

Later on, i popped in a family guy DVD and coincidentally, they brought up the C word in the episode i was watching and again didn't actually say the word. For those who have watched Family Guy before, you'll know they don't stray from using colorful language. I'd seen this episode a number of times before but i never realised this one scene until after i watched dr. phil earlier. And come to think of it, i have never heard an american say the word on TV and in all my years of posting (in this forum and on others) the C words has only come up like maybe once (and most posters on the forums i visit are american).

Now, compared to where I live, there's a huge contrast in usage of the word. In fact i even remember back in high school, there was a guy from El Salvador - I'd known him since grade 3 and he was on an academic scholarship and obviously spoke quite fluent English. Usage of the C word had become so rampant within the school (and surrounding suburbs) that he actually told a number of people that the translation of the Spanish word "ese" to English was "c-nt"....For those who don't know, ese is just a word Spanish people use for "man/dude/mate/etc.". I had a Spanish girlfriend at the time and she confirmed this for me.

So, in short, people were using the word so much that a person that speaks good english was convinced that it was just friendly local slang and not vulgar at all. This led to me whitnessing some awkward and embarrassing conversations between the Spanish guy and some his friends, due them using the word "ese" incorrectly. I tried to explain to them, that ese doesn't translate to that and that it's just a misunderstanding of usage of the word but of course, they didn't believe me because "I didn't speak Spanish".

But seriously, we use the word all the time...For example if i step on something sharp i might go "ahhh c-nt!"...If i'm ready to leave to out and i'm waiting i'm on someone, i might say "hurry up c-nt". If i call someone my opening line might be "watsup c-nt"...And a lot of people (teens and early 20's especially) will use the word in a similar way to what i just described. I'm not saying this is how i always talk, but i'm just trying to get accross that the word is used quite frequently in both a negative insulting way and also in a friendly way.

I've just rambled a whole bunch and i can't even remember the point of this thread anymore...Basically i'm just curious as to how the word is percieved to (mostly) those of you in the US and other parts of the world as well. I guess i should also point out that it's almost exclusively Generation Y that speaks like this to each other and very rarely used amongst adults. So this may only be applicable to those in their teens and early 20's
 
I always use *-*-*-*, love it. Good word to express :D

Love calling someone a ''silly c*nt''
 
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For some reason that word in America is very taboo. Probably just because we are all too sensitive. I mumble it all the time under my breath to describe many of my female co-workers. LOL

The whole damn country needs to refer to my siggy line as far as I'm concerned.
 
For me, it depends on where it is said and what it it being said for.

I don't like words like that to be used in casual everyday conversation or as silly insults even if it doesn't mean that much. It doesn't bother me a lot if I overhear it, but if someone called me the C word, I would be quite angry. That's just not my kind of humor.

Now, in other situations, if you catch my drift, any harsh language is welcome as long as it heightens the mood and both people understand that it's just for that reason.
 
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I think most women here consider it the worst thing you can call them.

I used to work with a woman who cussed like a sailor, but that word would make her blush...so of course I said it all the time (we were friends, or I wouldn't have otherwise)LOL
 
spicypumpkin said:
Now, in other situations, if you catch my drift, any harsh language is welcome as long as it heightens the mood and both people understand that it's just for that reason.
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I can't say I've EVER used the "C" word in one of those "other" situations. Nor have I heard it used by the "other" in the situation...

... although it would be a dirty but welcome bit of vocabulary.

Back to streamline's original question: that word is pretty taboo in America. I don't have a problem most vulgarity, but only use that word on rare occasions.
 
whats total hypocrisy is not bleeping out slut, whore and bitch. I would not want my kids to go around saying those words either. This business of selecting a few words that are considered taboo is ridiculous. It should be either all or nothing.

In reference to spicy's post. Wow! I've not used that word in any of "those" situations either but have used many others. Spicy has just earned a few more respect points from me. To be honest I'm not sure how the c word woudl fit into a situation like that. I'm running through various sayings in my head and just can't fit that one in. LOL
 
Kraken said:
whats total hypocrisy is not bleeping out slut, whore and bitch. I would not want my kids to go around saying those words either. This business of selecting a few words that are considered taboo is ridiculous. It should be either all or nothing.

In reference to spicy's post. Wow! I've not used that word in any of "those" situations either but have used many others. Spicy has just earned a few more respect points from me. To be honest I'm not sure how the c word woudl fit into a situation like that. I'm running through various sayings in my head and just can't fit that one in. LOL
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Without getting too specific, I'll tell you that the word refers to a part of the body, not to the woman herself. That's the definition I'm accustomed too and I think that's the original definition. The insulting name came later I think.
 
i asked my wife this question also. She always has a strong opinion when it comes to this stuff (her degree is in women's studies). We both agreed that it was a derogatory word for a certain body female body part. She feels that this is the worst possible word to use for that part, because of the sound of the word,the emotion accompanied, and the raunchiness and nastiness of the word. That being said, by calling a woman the c-word, she's being called the nastiest, lowest form of a woman possible.

If I want to have children in the future, I never say that word...ever. I do understand that it's used a lot outside the US. I once read the biography of Led Zeppelin, and that word was pretty much muttered on ever page, but usually towards a guy, never a woman.
 
spicypumpkin said:
Without getting too specific, I'll tell you that the word refers to a part of the body, not to the woman herself. That's the definition I'm accustomed too and I think that's the original definition. The insulting name came later I think.
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Without getting too specific, I need more explanation.... I'll be in Cali in a month or two.
 
spicypumpkin said:
Without getting too specific, I'll tell you that the word refers to a part of the body, not to the woman herself. That's the definition I'm accustomed too and I think that's the original definition. The insulting name came later I think.
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I knew that but I've always used the p word. Upon trying to replace the p word with the c word in certain phrases it just doesn't sound right LOL

But I'm open to suggestions :p
 
I've noticed the same trend among Canadians, and I don't really get it. Europeans and Latin peoples use it and a number of other words much more freely.

For myself, I rarely use the word because I don't feel the need. I'm not really much for cursing, except as a means of fitting in, really. I tend to use my words. On occasion, if I feel the need to insult someone, I will use the only three real insults that mean anything to me: dumbass; fatty*; hypocrite.

* Used in a lifestyle sense, and not as a judgement on a person's physical being. It is often the case, however, that a fatty is overweight. I know plenty of physically fit fatties, though.

Also, I don't really care for words that disparage women specifically. I notice a lot of them don't have male equivalents, and that doesn't seem right. **** is a pretty harsh word... its masculine counterpart is what, prick? Not nearly as vitriolic. If anything, I would use the word twat. I do say twat quite a lot. It has a nice sound. But almost exclusively when referring to men. :D
 
Any country that uses the word *** for cigarettes should and ought to use the c word often. I mean you would be like, "Hold on a second, if *** means cigarette, then the c word must mean lighter?"

Excuse me, I don't have a **** to start my ***. Thanks.
 
i get called a chode every so often. I wouldn't call that vulgar, though. It has a pretty charming ring to it, and you can follow it up with just about any word: chode master, chode cake...
 
FunctionalTrain said:
i get called a chode every so often. I wouldn't call that vulgar, though. It has a pretty charming ring to it, and you can follow it up with just about any word: chode master, chode cake...
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LMAO!!! I use that quite a bit too. choadio, choad stool, choady, quintessential choad,

Or my favorite that I sing to the tune of the chia pet commercial

cha cha choad

typically used while driving and directed towards people who have yet to grasp the concept of driving.
 
spicypumpkin said:
Now, in other situations, if you catch my drift, any harsh language is welcome as long as it heightens the mood and both people understand that it's just for that reason.
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There's a few ways a guy could use the word to initiate such acts but i won't say them on here, nor have i ever tried them. I don't think it'd work out too well for a guy to try the one i'm thinking of but can (and is) used for storytelling purposes.

In general, this was pretty much the reaction that i expected and i should have pointed out that this kind of talk is strictly amongst males. I would never talk to a girl like that and have never witnessed female interaction which included usage of the word.
 
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I had a friend named Ben Dover who used to try that line all the time. He said it got him all kinds of action: Palmela Handerson, Rosie Palm, Miss Michigan, Peter Beater, and even his best friend.
 
spicypumpkin said:
Now, in other situations, if you catch my drift, any harsh language is welcome as long as it heightens the mood and both people understand that it's just for that reason.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure whether to be excited or horrified;):D
 
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