Attention all UK ers!

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Are words like "bloody" bleeped out on the televison in the U.K. The word "bloody" isn't seen as so bad here in the U.S.
Any comments? I watch "Eastenders". We get the show on public television but we get the ones that are from about 7 years past. They use the word "bleedin" and "bloomin" a lot. I thought I heard the word bloody used also. I'm just not sure. I've watched shows from Ireland that said the word "feckin" without any bleeping (audio blocking).

'bloody' definitely wouldn't be bleeped out, at any time of day.

Post-watershed I don't think anything's censored over here, I can't think of many (any?) shows where words are bleeped. American censorship seems tame/prudish from a UK perspective.

I'm an American.

"Bloody" has its origins in the denigration of woman's menstrual periods. That's why it's considered such a curse in the UK.

In the West Indies, "blood clot," which comes from "blood cloth," is considered extremely offensive/worthy of a fight because of the fact that woman menstruating used to use "blood cloths" to stanch the bleeding.

We don't have such associations in the US, for some reason.

^ I always thought 'bloody' was a contraction of 'by our lady', and it's offence was of a blasphemous nature.

It's far to commonplace to be offensive these days.

^^ You're more right than me. I would say what you stated is the ultimate origin.

I wanna know why UKers point at things (like maps, photographs and small items) with their middle fingers. Don't they know that doing that is as rude as a rude turnip on rude-turnip day? Where is Daniel Radcliffe when we need him?

In all my living memory of seeing people point at things, I have never seen anyone use their middle finger.

I'd say the UK's tolerance of swear/curse words is much great than in the states.

Only during children's shows and times when children are going to/from school. But it's rare even then.

In broadcasts before 9pm, either there is no swearing ("profanity"), or it is bleeped, and the mouth is blurred out. Although, I believe an occasional word is allowed: Channel 4 (yes, it was the fourth channel broadcast) leaves Bill Murray's lines in Ghostbusters intact.

Bloody is less used than others, but is used more as emphasis. I think it's more in the upper-class dramas. No F-bombs before the watershed. Even the one never even alluded to in polite conversation is allowed (rhymes with punt, for those still guessing).


On the middle-finger-pointing issue: I have seen this, but it is not the most common. It might be regional. I can only think it's used because it is the longest finger. Anecdote: I've seen people "advised" against using the middle finger to point when signing (sign language).

"Bloomin" is not a swear word, I've heard them say that word in childrens movies.

"Bloody" doesn't get bleeped out, although it is avoided in childrens movies.

'Bloody' is considered relatively mild - not something many parents would really like their little kids to be using, but it's not what most would consider 'disgusting' language either. I'd say it's on the same level as things like 'damn', and it seems to be more commonly used by middle-aged/older adults than younger ones.
It's not something you'd expect to hear on children's TV channels, but you might hear it in family movies once or twice, and it often airs before the watershed uncensored. Bleeps are usually reserved for the stronger words.

I've noticed that a lot of shows in the UK use a lot of swears that still get censored in the US and slightly less so in Canada. They also seem to have less of a problem with naked human butts, or bums, whichever you want to call it. Back in the 90's it was only acceptable to show naked human butts in diaper commercials in the US, then that show NYPD Blue showed rear ends in the nude and the entire country went nuts, it was sensationalized and satirized everywhere.

I don't know what the big deal is, it's not like it isn't a body part both male and female people have.

I do know that "spaz" is considered very offensive to people who suffer spasms or seizures in the UK. It's not as big of a deal over here.