Is this swearing?

nuttytigger · 12/02/14 - 04:17

I've been told on another forum that the word "Knackered" is rude and swearing.

I always thought it meant tired - e.g " I just went for a run and now I'm knackered "

I'm in Scotland if it makes a difference.

Addisonian · 12/02/14 - 04:19

I wouldn't have thought so.

'Knackered', to me, means tired also.

droogiefret · 12/02/14 - 04:20

nuttytigger wrote: »

I've been told on another forum that the word "Knackered" is rude and swearing.

I always thought it meant tired - e.g " I just went for a run and now I'm knackered "

I'm in Scotland if it makes a difference.

I think it probably does make a difference. There are lots of hills in Scotland so you're bound to get knackered going for a run.

nuttytigger · 12/02/14 - 04:22

Addisonian wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought so.

'Knackered', to me, means tired also.

Thats what I thought!

droogiefret wrote: »

I think it probably does make a difference. There are lots of hills in Scotland so you're bound to get knackered going for a run.

If I run round a hill here I wont be knackered, I'll be dead!

pickwick · 12/02/14 - 04:23

I think originally it meant specifically tired out from sex...but I still wouldn't call that swearing, and certainly not these days!

droogiefret · 12/02/14 - 04:26

nuttytigger wrote: »

I've been told on another forum that the word "Knackered" is rude and swearing.

I always thought it meant tired - e.g " I just went for a run and now I'm knackered "

I'm in Scotland if it makes a difference.

Presumably because 'knackers' is a slang word for testicles.

RedRose9191 · 12/02/14 - 04:26

Um, no

As a side note, are damn and hell considered swear words? I know in the US they are but not sure about over here. I've never considered them to be swear words.

AOTB · 12/02/14 - 04:35

nuttytigger wrote: »

I've been told on another forum that the word "Knackered" is rude and swearing.

Ask for forgiveness, and tell them up until this minor faux paz you'd been having a 'blast'.

If they get all apoplectic with rage at this latest disgraceful piece of 'profanity', I'd call them all merchant bankers and then run off never to return.

nuttytigger · 12/02/14 - 04:36

Its a website that helps in all areas children.

droogiefret · 12/02/14 - 04:39

RedRose9191 wrote: »

Um, no

As a side note, are damn and hell considered swear words? I know in the US they are but not sure about over here. I've never considered them to be swear words.

And in the US it's OK to say 'spaz' .

Heartache · 12/02/14 - 04:45

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/knackered

What is the forum FGS, of course it's not swearing.

nuttytigger · 12/02/14 - 04:46

Babycentre

PrincessTT · 12/02/14 - 04:47

I'm sure I was once told that knackered originally meant 'tired after sex' but even in that case it wouldn't be swearing or offensive.

Nat28 · 12/02/14 - 04:49

nuttytigger wrote: »

I've been told on another forum that the word "Knackered" is rude and swearing.

I always thought it meant tired - e.g " I just went for a run and now I'm knackered "

I'm in Scotland if it makes a difference.

Yeah thats what knackered means. But im in scotland too

[Deleted User] · 12/02/14 - 04:52

RedRose9191 wrote: »

Um, no

As a side note, are damn and hell considered swear words? I know in the US they are but not sure about over here. I've never considered them to be swear words.

They were once. Now people aren't so religious, people aren't so bothered about them. Notice how, now we talk more openly about sex, sex-orientated words are considered.....well, less unacceptable? So it is with knackered - I'm old enough to remember a time when you couldn't use it in polite company.

Of course, the whole population doesn't change its attitude overnight - there's a period when you get it wrong when you use a certain word and end up giving offence.

cnbcwatcher · 12/02/14 - 04:59

No I don't think so. I always thought it meant someone was tired.

CLL Dodge · 12/02/14 - 04:59

Knackers (testicles) is vulgar.

Knackered (tired) is informal.

~ OED.

FMKK · 12/02/14 - 05:01

Is that swearing? Is it ****?

barbeler · 12/02/14 - 05:12

Rowdy wrote: »

Of course, the whole population doesn't change its attitude overnight - there's a period when you get it wrong when you use a certain word and end up giving offence.

You only have to take the word "coloured" as an example of that. About twenty years ago it was considered the most polite term to use, whereas "black" was considered very vulgar and abrasive. It's the complete opposite now, but I don't remember any official government pronouncements.

Shrike · 12/02/14 - 05:13

Maybe there's a bit of regional variation? I'm from London and primarily 'knacker' would be associated with the knackers yard so something that was knackered was broken or exhausted like the poor old horses that went to the knackers.
Knackers meaning testicles was used too - though I'm not sure of the reasoning? Some sort of clever rhyming slang, no doubt.

ROWLING2010 · 12/02/14 - 05:17

nuttytigger wrote: »

I've been told on another forum that the word "Knackered" is rude and swearing.

I always thought it meant tired - e.g " I just went for a run and now I'm knackered "

I'm in Scotland if it makes a difference.

Merlin's Beard!!

That is terrible bad language from you young lady.

10 points from Gryffindor!!

nuttytigger · 12/02/14 - 05:22

barbeler wrote: »

You only have to take the word "coloured" as an example of that. About twenty years ago it was considered the most polite term to use, whereas "black" was considered very vulgar and abrasive. It's the complete opposite now, but I don't remember any official government pronouncements.

20 years ago I was 9 and in primary and told "coloured" was the correct word to use, now at 29 I'm told "black" is correct.

ROWLING2010 wrote: »

Merlin's Beard!!

That is terrible bad language from you young lady.

10 points from Gryffindor!!

Merlins saggy pants!

I thought it was okay!

exlordlucan · 12/02/14 - 06:37

Tired, worn out, broken = knackered.

Supratad · 12/02/14 - 07:00

Late 16th century (originally denoting a harness-maker, then a slaughterer of horses): possibly from obsolete knack 'trinket'. The word also had the sense 'old worn-out horse' (late 18th century). sense 2 of the noun may be from dialect knacker 'castanet', from obsolete knack 'make a sharp abrupt noise', of imitative origin. It is unclear whether the verb represents a figurative use of ‘slaughter’, from sense 1 of the noun, or of ‘castrate’, from sense 2 of the noun.

From http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/knacker?q=knackers

sibooboo · 12/02/14 - 08:59

When something went to the knacker's yard, it meant they were past it, I think knackers as a term meaning bollox, is quite modern. (well, past 30 years or so

)

sibooboo · 12/02/14 - 09:00

Didn't read other posts before I posted :O

Hey there!

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