@#6 ... A very wise professor once told my class in English Lit that a constant use of profanity was an indication of a poor vocabulary. ...
I do not disagree.
But I also hold the view that those with, as you say, a poor vocabulary, are quite entitled to express their opinions however they want.
And that is a main reason why I read, and as I find apropos, respond to all the comments here. Regardless of the language used to express those comments.
To understand what people are telling you, you have to listen to those people.
(that, btw, was taught to me on the General Electric Manage Training Program, back before Jack Welch seemed to have destroyed that company. But, that's a different thread).
OK, all that aside, the alias that prompted this discussion, yeah, my guess is that it is quite capable of a conversation without the ---. But it decides to be more emphatic.
And yeah, I often find that alias' comments to be quite astute.
So maybe, "a vocabulary" is not needed to state one's views?