The F-word used to be powerful for its shock value - now it's ubiquitous. You hear it on the telly - crikey, thanks to The Sopranos, you can even hear the C-word on TV - you hear it in music, you hear it at bus stops.
So I was a little surprised to read that a woman has been evicted for using the F-word.
Her landlord decided that her use of the swear word - which came about after her landlord left a gate to the property open, causing her dog to run out on the road - was disturbing and not normal behaviour.
Vrnda Torckler said she didn't normally swear and it wasn't directed at anyone in particular - she was just worried about her dog and her inability to control the situation.
Not good enough for landlord Vincent Calzone who, in an interview with the Herald, used a number of swear words - although no F-bombs.
He wants her gone as her language, he says, is symptomatic of a personality type he doesn't want in the house.
His house, his rules I suppose - and I wouldn't want to stay in a house where my landlord was so obviously eccentric, shall we say.
I get that some people don't like swear words - my own mother has ruined perfectly good jokes by refusing to swear.
But I love language with all its refinement and all its vulgarity. Words in all their fabulous glory are wonderful. Evanescent. Curmudgeonly. Petrichor.
And yes, the F-word. It's just so complete. Why do you think its one of the first words toddlers pick up - to the horror of their parents?
The "uck" sound is just so satisfying.
And sometimes the F-word is the "mot juste". Absolutely the only word that will do.
If you don't like to hear it, I sympathise and I absolutely moderate my language among those who I know detest swearing.
Perhaps people could take to wearing badges that let the rest of us - with a wide-ranging and less filtered lexicon - limit ourselves to G-rated conversations around them.
