Swearies: (Was:June's OT Board Dictionary Launched)

[Kirstini]

Grannybat:
> Tangentially related...I've also been given to understand that in 
> Britian "bleeding" is a much worse obscenity than "bloody." Any 
> natives care to elaborate?

Yup! And..er, no. "Bleeding" is a very old swear word, only used on 
(cockney soap opera) Eastenders these days. And not offensive in the 
slightest. "Bloody" really isn't bad either - I think it also pops up 
on soaps, and is therefore sanctified pre-watershed swearing. At the 
beginning of the century, that Eliza Doolittle said "bloody" onstage 
in Pygmalion caused outrage (fainting? Am I exaggerating?). When they 
told us this at high school we all burst out laughing.
Personally, I think it remains around only because it's so bloody 
satisfying to use.
Kirstini