[Fantasma]

My books are "all-ages," as they say, & there are not (I hope!) any words that would give offense to anybody.

But I really truly don't know if I can have a 16-year-old character speak of being pissed off at his mother. Is this offensive? I hear this expression on TV. OTOH, I never heard it come out of my mother's mouth.

This is just a light comedy, & I don't want to challenge anyone.

Aha! I see it got *ed out here. So that's one vote for finding another expression. Then can anybody suggest an alternative?

 

[♨]

Maybe he can be piddled off? "Mom, I'm so piddled at you right now, I could piddle myself! And then you'll have to wash my clothes!"

Or could he be dissed off? You could invent new slang. "I'm dissed that you disrespect me like that, mother!"

Maybe the safest bet is ticked off.

 

[Quiss]

Ticked off is pretty safe and will work for a 16-year old.

However, I don't know many 16-year olds who do NOT use "p*ssed off" where and whenever it suits them.

 

[AKMartin]

Hey

Pissed off to me just means fed up etc and i am sure 16 year olds use far worse than that , its not appropriate behaviour but if it fits the story
then use it  its more real

Anthony

 

[Fantasma]

Ticked off is perfect! I don't know why I didn't think of it myself. Thanks!

I know 16-year-olds say things that would curl your hair. But not in this book! Realism isn't my main criterion here.

Forgot to say--"piddled off" is hilarious!

 

[dalya]

I see it as a swear word, so if you want to have a swear-word-free book, I'd say leave it out.

Here's a post on yaindie about swearing, if interested:
http://www.yaindie.com/2012/07/shut-front-door-swearing-in-ya.html

 

[AndreSanThomas]

I consider it crude and not for kids.

 

[edmjill]

How about "cheesed off" or "browned off"?  I've heard each of these used over the years.

I like the earlier suggestion of "piddled off" - hilarious!!!

 

[AKMartin]

what about peeved off ,

 

[Kevin Muldoon]

The thing that annoys me is when books and newspapers use asterisks so that the full swear word isn't displayed though it's pretty pointless if you know what it says. It really p****s me off!

 

[Carol (was Dara)]

I consider it crude and not for kids.

What Andre said. When I was growing up, we said "ticked off". I've also heard "cheesed off", so my vote is for one of those. Also, in the 80's we said "I'm so steamed" but I don't know if anybody still says that today.

And I agree that "piddled off" is hilarious.

 

[Kay Bratt]

I have a 17-yr-old and a 22-yr-old. They both know better than to say p*ssed off in front of their mother. Not that I don't say it--and probably more frequently than I should, (though try to save it for when I'm alone) but that doesn't mean I'll let my kids talk that way.

BUT...I have 'overheard' both of them using that word when they think I'm out of earshot.

So my point is that most children in my life use the word but have respect for their parents by not cursing in front of them. I'm not saying it's wrong or right, it's just the way it is here. Ya'll have to remember, I'm speaking from the deep south of the good 'ole USA.

 

[crebel]

My kids used "hacked off" or "ticked off" just a few years ago.  Pi**ed off or Pis*y are phrases that just send my mother into orbit still. 

I have to confess that whenever my sisters and I are together with my mother, we all keep quarters in our pocket and whenever one of us can work one of the two phrases into the conversation just to get a rise out of her, we have to pay whoever used it a quarter.  Yes, we are now 54, 53, and 48 and Mom goes along with the game, but it's the little things that bring pleasure...

 

[Fantasma]

I see it as a swear word

I guess this is really what I wanted to know. It's on TV, though, so that confused me. But the consensus seems to be that it's not the word I want, and I had that sense myself.

Thank you all very much.

I'm going with "ticked off."

 

[Fantasma]

My kids used "hacked off" or "ticked off" just a few years ago. Pi**ed off or Pis*y are phrases that just send my mother into orbit still.

I have to confess that whenever my sisters and I are together with my mother, we all keep quarters in our pocket and whenever one of us can work one of the two phrases into the conversation just to get a rise out of her, we have to pay whoever used it a quarter. Yes, we are now 54, 53, and 48 and Mom goes along with the game, but it's the little things that bring pleasure...

But that's just it. I don't want one little word in my book to send anybody into orbit. I just want to entertain everybody.