What does the F-word mean?

It's the F-word, you know, "F___!" That word was the subject of arguments before the Supreme Court about a month ago in FCC vs. Fox in regard to whether the FCC can fine a TV network for spontaneous utterances of bad words on live TV.

The Supreme Court hasn't yet ruled on it, but in an example of just how wonderful the internet is, you can read a transcript of the oral arguments in this PDF document. And right there in black and white are the exact words the Justices and attorneys used while sparing with each other about bleeping machines, tape delays, the F-word, the S-word and whether the FCC should take into account whether or not a bawdy joke is really funny.

What exactly does the F- word really mean? Merriam-Webster says this:

intransitive verb
1 usually obscene : copulate
2 usually vulgar : mess 3 —used with with
transitive verb
1 usually obscene : to engage in coitus with —sometimes used interjectionally with an object (as a personal or reflexive pronoun) to express anger, contempt, or disgust
2 usually vulgar : to deal with unfairly or harshly : cheat , screw

In reality "copulate" really isn't the most common usage of the F-word. Read further into the definition to find that it's used to express anger, contempt or disgust, and that's probably the most common usage. It's a swear word. Does anyone use it to refer to sex? "Oh darling, you mean the world to me. Let's f___." Not exactly the most endearing choice of words.

Reminds me of a story a friend told me years ago. She was babysitting a brat, and the brat said "F___ you!" The babysitter said, "That will probably happen, but you certainly won't be involved." So here we had one person using it as an insult, and the target of the insult turned it around to use it with the literal meaning with a retaliatory insult. Touché.

That story drives home another point. If we wonder why the word has such a high potential to shock it's good to keep in mind that it shocks only because we let it.

So the supreme Court had to hear arguments in FCC vs. Fox about the F-word being used in an awards show. Apparently the FCC had previously allowed occasional usage when it was used as a swear word as opposed to usage for its literal meaning. But that changed, and the FCC wanted to ban the word regardless of its usage.

My take? When dealing with our Constitutional rights we should ere on the side of freedom and not on the side of constraint -- there are too many people who would relish the chance to punish their critics. As for TV, if Nicole Richie wants to stand at a podium and unleash a string of expletives the market is going to be the final judge of how much talent really is on display.

But some people are offended by the word. So let's compromise. For those celebs who just can't control themselves let's use a swear jar. Every time a celeb utters one of those words on a TV show he/she puts a nickel into the swear jar. That's a nickel for every viewer. So if the show attracts a million viewers then the celeb deposits $50,000 into the kitty, and the viewers are invited to enter a contest for the kitty contents. So there's an incentive for the celebs not to swear and an incentive for people to watch and hope they do. When the audience hears an offensive word, ka-ching! It's win - win.

Hat tip First Amendment Law Profs Blog which links Time on the topic. And if you are unclear just what the F-word is, the FCC's FCC news release pdf provides some examples of the TV usage it finds offensive.

Finally, for an up-to-the-minute example of the F-word's common usage take a look at the jpg on the right. It's from the front page of the 12/10/08 print edition of the Wall Street Journal lifted from Newseum.org and purports to display a portion of an affidavit transcribing a disgraced Illinois governor's taped incriminating conversations. The conversation is about money and bribes, and clearly the F-word is meant for emphasis, not to describe a sex act.

Updated April 28, 2009 -- Ruling issued today. See Syllabus. Scalia wrote the opinion reinstating the FCC's order against Fox but the court did not rule on its Constitutionality. Well fudge!

Comments

[Jeff]

George ... all this time, I thought it meant "needs salt" ... that from hearing Gordon Ramsay use it so much on his shows!
:-)

[tb]

The origin of the word in question is from the London Police Force in the 19th Century. When booking in a prostitute, or "john", at the jail, the officer would enter the charge of "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge," into the log. Eventually, officers created an acronym from the phrase, F.*.*.K. (you get it). Use of the acronym caused it to become a word which referred to the um, "activity" the prostitutes engaged in. It's funny, really. The British use this word far less than we Americans do. They have cool expressions like "Sod Off" or "Bugger" which really don't mean anything specific, but say a whole lot.

[Jeronimo Dan]

same way the word S**t became a natsy word, as the Europeans would ship manure by ship. The manure was stored in the hull, or part of the ship. Then when one of the ships blew up, they found that methane gas formed from the manure and when some poor sailor lighting a lamp, or cigar found himself a hundred, or so feet sailing above the ship!
Thus, they then began to label the manure, stating on the side of crate to "Ship High In Transit. This being a long statement, they shorten it to S.H.*.T., problem solved.

[Geo]

Wow, this has been very educational.

Jeff, that was way over my head. I had to look up Gordon Ramsay, but I get it now. Good one.

TB, that's funny how that acronym has evolved into such a bad word. Seems strange that it's now used as an insult. I guess "F___ you" is an instruction to go have unlawful carnal knowledge.

Jeronimo Dan, thanks for enlightening us about the "S" word. Come to think of it, the long version seems to have more of an impact than the short form. I think instead of using the "S" word, the next time I'm tempted to say it I'll say "SHIP HIGH IN TRANSIT!"