Oop--naughty words?

[melissaworcester]

Hi everyone. I'm a relatively new member to the HPforGrownups list, 
but the list elves won't let me post this question on that list. I'm 
on "no mail" here, I will read responses at the web site since I am 
already overwhelmed with too much mail, AND I'm only 1/3 of the way 
thru Oop, so I don't have time to chat with you all, though I'm sure 
your topics are highly interesting. So, if you respond to this, 
please leave the subject line the same so I can find it :-)

There are very, very minor spoilers in this note, but nothing that 
gives anything important away.

I'm a mom and am reading Oop to my children. I'm reading ahead, or 
trying to. I'm trying to forewarn myself about swear words. I 
noticed a few of what I would consider the milder swear words in GoF 
and also in the part of Oop that I've read so far (I'm up to the 
first Hogsmeade weekend). I was a bit alarmed, though, when I read 
Uncle Vernon's words in chapter 2:

"Enough -- effing -- [name of magical item that was particularly 
annoying him, deleted in case anyone is worried about spoilers]!"

Does that 2nd word there mean what I think it means, or does it mean 
something different in the UK?

Am I going to see more of the same later in the book? Am I going to 
see worse (by worse I mean, like the word I think he's hinting at, 
but actually spelled out, or the 4-letter word that starts with s, 
or Jesus' name in vane -- though, that would be in interesting topic 
of conversation based on speculations about the presence or absence 
of religion in the wizarding world...)?

I was hoping someone would be able to respond to this message 
without giving away major spoilers. I don't mind something 
like, "Yes, Harry says such-and-such to Draco after Draco said 
something worse to him" but don't tell me Harry says it to Voldemort 
after V kills both Ron and Hermione (fake, not a real spoiler, I 
haven't read to the end and I don't know who dies yet).

I've often discussed with my boys how an author sometimes uses 
swearing to show a person's character -- I mean, how the nasty ones 
will swear more than the good ones -- though I know that's not 
always true. Or it can show state of mind, Harry swearing at 
Hermione would show he was uncharacteristically angry with her, 
though I think the point was made very well in the early chapters 
without having to resort to that. These ARE supposed to be kids' 
books, after all.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to answer this! :-)

Melissa