It wasn’t all that long ago that President Trump angrily complained about Iran and Israel that they ‘have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what f--- they’re doing.’
(No. I’m not going to spell out the word in this column.)
Shortly afterwards, journalist David Penberthy asked whether the ‘F’ word now had a presidential pardon.
He wrote that: ‘Trump’s press conference was a major moment in the history of both linguistics and manners.’
Penberthy was raising the question of whether or not (as the leader of the Free World) Trump has issued a sort of global permission for anyone blowing off steam to use this highly offensive word.
Penberthy asked: ‘Will we be using it on radio soon? Will it make its way into press conferences?’
All I can say is: I hope not.
Admitting that he might he exposing himself as a foul-mouthed bogan he says in his opinion some sentences are rendered vastly better by inclusion of the “F” word.
Sorry, David, I can’t agree with you.
Part of David’s defence is that it is an ancient word that ‘predates Shakespeare and was used by Chaucer.’
The word in question appears in English in the 1500s, so it was most probably not known by Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400).
And there is no evidence of it in Shakespeare’s published works.
So how David claims to have this historical knowledge denied to everyone (except Doctor Who) I don’t know.
The “F” word seems to come from a Germanic source, and to be related to a large number of similar words in other Germanic languages.
It’s earliest meaning may have been something like ‘to hit’ or ‘to strike’ but it fairly quickly came to be applied to sexual intercourse.
And I must say it strikes me as odd to use a word that should refer to intimacy and affection as a swear word.
But whatever its history, it has long ceased to be a civilised word used by civilised people.
The Oxford English Dictionary labels it as ‘course.’ Exactly.
Our standards are collapsing, and if we are guided by David Penberthy in this matter they will only collapse further.
It is right and proper that language should strive to be decent and respectable—while still being vigorous and clear.
If someone utters the “F” word in a moment of great emotional distress, we might forgive them—but we would not make their behaviour standard or normal.
So, no, even if the president said it, the “F” word is still on the banned list!
Tonight I will be a panellist on 'The Sunday Showdown' on Sky News (8pm AEST)
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If you'd like to see my A-Z list of Aussie slang, you'll find it here in the Australian Geographic website -- A-Z list of Aussie slang. Here’s the link: The A-Z of Aussie slang - Australian Geographic
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