Question to native English speakers

[rainsometimes]

I've started to think - a bit late, I know - that maybe I ought to be more responsible about the ratings I give my fics, especially perhaps when I post things outside my private journal on comms or on ffnet (though they have their own rating system over there). But when it comes to swearwords, I still don't think I really know enough about their impact and how it affects the rating. (Nor do I know the MPAA system very well, for that matter - but I'm not expecting an indepth explanation of that.) Should anyone reading this have the inclination and patience to give me a hint, I'd be very grateful - though I understand if no-one feels like it.



For instance, I'm curious about the words "shit" (and "shitty") and "goddamn". Are they generally considered about equally strong, or is one worse than the other? If they were to appear in a fic whose language and content is otherwise all within the G rating, how high should the fic then be rated?

And what about the f-word? Does that generally mean an R-rating? Or maybe PG-13?

I am of course aware that it's very hard to give hard and fast answers on this type of question, and in any case fanfics on LJ is hardly the same as movies. But some general hints would be great, even if they can't help but be rather subjective.

Comments

[zero-dances.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think SHIT is just strong because we have a wide variety of different ways to say that word? In Swedish, do you have many other degrees of way to say "skit" that are "less offensive"? Like as you're aware we say crap, or just silly little kid words like doodoo or what have you.

Kuso is like that, it means "shit" but it isn't as offensive, again, maybe it's because they don't have as many words as we do with varying degrees of acceptability? No idea hahah.

As for worrying about ratings because most Americans use the internet I wouldn't worry TOO much about it. You can get away with more on the internet than media, of course, I've ULed short fanfics to FF.N rated PG with like 3 uses of "shit" in them (thank you Sanji) and had no problems, I just put warning of swearing in the disclaimer and at least made SURE it wasn't G, because, as the other person said, that wouldn't have any swears except you could get away with like "GOD" or "CRAP" I should think.

[serrende.livejournal.com]

In Swedish, do you have many other degrees of way to say "skit" that are "less offensive"? Like as you're aware we say crap, or just silly little kid words like doodoo or what have you.

I've never thought of it like that, but I do believe you're right - there's no real stylistic equivalent of 'crap' in Swedish I can think of, not with that meaning. (There is a kiddy word, but that's considered embarrassing for adults to use, though nowadays many hip young people do.)