[Acrylic-bob]

I would like to echo an earlier question, who decides what is offensive?

Everyone seems to be agreed that F**K, as swear words go, is pretty offensive. But no one has convincingly explained to me why this might be the case.

What is so offensive about common body parts or bodily functions or everyday actions or occupations?

Shakespeare, as has already been observed, contains a wealth of morally dodgy symbolism, much of which is now inaccessable to a modern audience. Shakespeare was adept at incorporating the profanities of the day and playing on them to satirise or to amuse or to shock. So did Chaucer who was, if anything, a good deal more earthy but, who was nevertheless once part of the National Curriculum.

Should we now shield our children from these two canons of the English Language on the grounds that they might hear something that was held to be offensive centuries ago?

Of course, nobody enjoys listening to speech in which every word is punctuated by the inclusion of the word F**K. It demonstrates laziness and lack of consideration for the listener and, more importantly, it becomes meaningless.

Expletives are the spice of language and, like all spices, they are used to best effect when used sparingly. I would never criticize a child for swearing, only swearing inappropriately!