Shit doesn't even belong on the list!
Nods, and apologies to George Carlin, for his seminal work,"7 words you can't say on television." Granted, in the original bit, it was "Tits doesn't even belong on the list," but I am not here to talk about tits (lovely as they are.) I am here to make the case that 95% of the time, at least, shit is not a cuss.
Firstly, my favorite form of the word: BULLSHIT. Even if it might have been usually considered to be a term that was generally not considered a cuss, across wide swaths of American society, the publication of Princeton Professor Harry Frankfort's Essay, "On Bullshit," sealed the word as a legitimate term with a particular meaning.
Next, let us consider the good meanings of the word (or at least neutral.)
"Hot Shit!"
That one is the happiest friendliest form.
"Good Shit."
Hmm according to potheads, that might be better than the previous exclamation.
"No shit?"
Hmm that one is close to the professor's eurdite definition of the real meaning of the word bullshit, as in, "You are not bullshitting me?"
Now for the verb form. Now before I go there, I will say myself, personally, I can speak the best college English with either a Midlantic accent, or a subtle Beacon Hill accent. But I am a Joisey boy. That means I can use any regularly considered cuss word as easily as a sailor. Even not minding that, sorry but I am not alone in using the word shit the way some will use the word crap, or dump or pic-on, or bug, or bother, or tease, or any similar word.
For example, if someone is bugging me in a way that bugs me, I will think if not say, you are shiting on me, or, please don't shit on me, or stop treating me like shit, or say that I am being treated like shit.
It is not me cussin. It is just a basic word that describes a core and visceral feeling.
Let's not forget, the everpopular "You look like shit," or "I feel like shit." Again, it is emotion, but not cuss.
And depending on the relationship and the context, you might get away with calling someone a "Little Shit."
But never say to someone, "You are a SHIT!" Using it that way, it is definitely a cuss.
I shit you not!
Firstly, my favorite form of the word: BULLSHIT. Even if it might have been usually considered to be a term that was generally not considered a cuss, across wide swaths of American society, the publication of Princeton Professor Harry Frankfort's Essay, "On Bullshit," sealed the word as a legitimate term with a particular meaning.
Next, let us consider the good meanings of the word (or at least neutral.)
"Hot Shit!"
That one is the happiest friendliest form.
"Good Shit."
Hmm according to potheads, that might be better than the previous exclamation.
"No shit?"
Hmm that one is close to the professor's eurdite definition of the real meaning of the word bullshit, as in, "You are not bullshitting me?"
Now for the verb form. Now before I go there, I will say myself, personally, I can speak the best college English with either a Midlantic accent, or a subtle Beacon Hill accent. But I am a Joisey boy. That means I can use any regularly considered cuss word as easily as a sailor. Even not minding that, sorry but I am not alone in using the word shit the way some will use the word crap, or dump or pic-on, or bug, or bother, or tease, or any similar word.
For example, if someone is bugging me in a way that bugs me, I will think if not say, you are shiting on me, or, please don't shit on me, or stop treating me like shit, or say that I am being treated like shit.
It is not me cussin. It is just a basic word that describes a core and visceral feeling.
Let's not forget, the everpopular "You look like shit," or "I feel like shit." Again, it is emotion, but not cuss.
And depending on the relationship and the context, you might get away with calling someone a "Little Shit."
But never say to someone, "You are a SHIT!" Using it that way, it is definitely a cuss.
I shit you not!
posted by Abstentus at 10:42 PM
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