Bloody out of line? (a slang question)

[dracos_boyfriend]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "ftah3" <ftah3 at y...> wrote:
> For the British hereabouts:  is 'bloody' a naughty curse word?  I 
> read something the other day in which the individual commented on 
the 
> scene in the movie in which Ron reacts to MacGonnagall's 
> transformation with "Bloody brilliant," saying that if a child had 
> said that to a teacher in a classroom anywhere in Britain/Scotland, 
> the teacher wouldn't have quipped back, but would have probably 
given 
> the kid detention.
> 
> Just wondering, so is 'bloody' really quite naughty?
> 
> Mahoney

Wow, you'd been reading a while back *g*.  I must've posted that more 
than a month ago!

It's not especially naughty in the great scheme of things - it's more 
mild swearing than other, more explicit gems.  You'd generally expect 
kids to be using much worse words by that age to each other.  But to 
say bloody to a teacher - at that stage in one's education I think 
would be taken as very disrespectful and rather rude.  Although by 
Sixth Form, when we were more on the same level as the teaching 
staff, people in my history class (myself included) would quite 
happily say, 'I buggered up that essay,' or 'bloody hell, that lesson 
went quick.'  But not when we were eleven.

It might also depend on the kid - a sporty, captain of Quidditch type 
(a jock, to use the Americanism) would be allowed to get away with 
worse than someone like Ron, who is a new kid with a lot to live up 
to.  Ron would be too concerned with appearing to be on everyone's 
good side (much like Harry) on their first day at school to even dare 
using such language.  Plus he has been well brought up and comes from 
a stable background.  If he was off the wizarding equivalent of the 
local council estate, he might get a bit more leeway.  IMO it is just 
unrealistic.

Hope that clears things up
Al

Al