Hello Lynn.

          Absolutely! The deterioration of languages through the last decades have been deep, and unfortunately it seems irreversible. There is still a small stronghold of adult people who think and speak with what it could be called "good manners" even if nowadays this is stared down as  "old manners"  and is referred to in a pejorative way. 
English and Spanish are mature languages that have beautiful ways to express ideas so it is a pity not to use them.

Spanish also uses "vulgar" to denominate something below the educated standard, only we are moving down the definition of educated standard so sometimes it gets down some speaking ways we would have categorized as vulgar some years ago. In that matter, even if I do not condone it, I can understand  people who having not the opportunity to access to formal education use vulgar speech, but unfortunately all these obscenities have reached the younger echelons of our society as a new way to be "different" and if we must accept changes coming from our youngsters since that is what each generation must bring to society, this is an unwelcome change.

I agree with you, Lynn, we must know dirty words in all languages we use, as we must know the enemy to fight a successful battle, and to avoid their use unless it is absolutely necessary as in the case you mention: interpreting or translating, when you must convey the exact idea expressed by the person or author.

And finally, yes, by the novel definition of  "prude person" most of us adults go into that category and I welcome a polite person. I didn't know you were called prude by some of my fellows South Americans but then, please, accept my apologies in the name of all of us in South America who still think good manners are the beauty and splendor of a human being.

Ramón.

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CLHW@... wrote:

The way I was raised was with absolutely obscene or profane words being
spoken in front of children or ladies. The deterioration of the American
society, primarily through the media of TV and movies, in this respect, is
very sad.
As many adults used to say, the person who has to resort to obscenity to
express themselves is showing their ignorance, their poor education and
their lack of good manners. There are other ways to show your surprise,
disgust, etc., than to use dirty words, at least in English.
If I encounter a person who cusses or swears frequently, I do everything I
can to avoid ever speaking to that person again. I do not invite them to my
home; I try to avoid being seen in public with them; I avoid social
settings where they may be present and I avoid doing business with them.
The English word "vulgar" once had the meaning of "common", in other words,
not "polite society". It was a description of a person of low class,
societal, economic, educational and moral, to be called common or vulgar.
Today, the term "vulgar" usually has a sexual connotation attached to it.
But in my book, a person who is called common or vulgar is a rather
dispicable person.
The only reason I would want to know the obscene Spanish vocabulary is to
interpret it. I was trained to warn the hearer that the language will be
vulgar but to go ahead and say what the Spanish-speaker said. An American
case worker using such language would be likely to lose their job.
I know someone of the South Americans on this list called me a prude before
because I gently attempted to say what I've said above. Here, I would be
called a polite person.
Lynn

Además te diría que, al menos los argentinos estamos acostumbrados a usar
‘malas palabras’ de manera totalmente innecesaria.

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