"Why do we Swear?" Created 17 years ago2006-06-03 11:11:06 UTC by alexb911

[u]"Why do we swear?"[/u]

I've often wondered about this - nearly everyone in the world is guilty of it, yet in many cases it is treated as a crime or a serious offence.

Of course, there are the two extremes - for example, the truckers (no offence to any truckers or relatives of truckers) in general, swear a considerable amount, in comparison to the one-word wonders that usually proceed an injury or loss of something.

What also occurs to me, is that swearing can be, or will be used in nearly all situations, such as:

Surprise - Being made to jump or scream

Anger / Annoyance - Usually aimed at an individual or group, or in some circumstances, an item

Happiness - Used to express the entend of ones enjoyment / happiness

General Conversation - The people who swear every other word, to no effect

you can probably think of more, but these are the first that crossed by mind.

What makes you think though is the fact that although everyone does it, many think that it is now a part of life, when yet it effectively achieves nothing. It only has as much effect as the receiptient is prepared to give it.

At some point in life, the universe, and everything, some people must have 'created' these words that nowadays play such a large part in our lives as a whole, and quite often cause great offense.... but how? Did someone decide that they wanted a horrible name to call an enemy, and it grew from there? Why bother?

So, why do some people swear excessively? Does it really make them seem 'hard' in the eyes of others, do they really think that it will improve their social status by doing it? I grant that in these causes, 99% of the time there is a strong influence such as parent's that constantly swear, or friends... but then we get back to parents eventually, and they got it from their parents, etc, etc.... but back to where? Where did it originate, and for what purpose? And what's more, why are some words deemed more offensive than others. Furthermore, different people find different words offensive. Some familes as a whole swear far more than others, yet for no apparent reason.

Of course, there are some exceptions... such as words with meanings that have changed over the years, such as:

'Gay'

Not many years ago, that term basically meant happy. Yet, over the years, it has been adopted by the ever-increasing vocabulary of offensive / swearing words, it is now treated as either the term for a individual 'keen' on their own sex, or a word that effectively disregards gay people. You may be thinking "gay" isn't a swear-word, and I agree, yet now it is used in the same manner as many other swear-words, and yes, people do find it offensive.

But, to return my point, "why do we swear," used in general context, what does it achieve? Emphasis?

You decide.

I fluffing swear all the flipping time to get my freaking point across you silly fruit

we brits swear quite a bit, americans use the term 'liberal' as a derogatary, swearing makes baby jesus cry and I try to use the lords name in vain as much as I can

It makes you feel good.

Fuck whore shit ass damn bitch slut.

I feel great.

only horses swear, humans perspire
something like that

Swearing is like a smoke addiction or a habit...Once you start you can't stop easily...I can't stop saying 'mate' at the end of my sentences now...(Real-life not text)

im not in any way against it... i do it all the time, yet it does make you wonder... well, it makes me wonder, well... i'll just shut up now!

Swearing can also be used for comedy...Father Ted Series 3 - Father Jack quote "FEKK OFF!"

I'm addicted to it... Also I got like a kinda stupid sickness or something... All the time when I see a text I must place them in different groups... Only 3 letters can be in the same group and then I count how many groups it is... I've been doing it for like 3 years and it gets very annoying... And I can't stop for some reason...

Swearing is used for [extreme]emphasis. However, my philosophy on "swear words" is that there really isnt such thing. Words like that are only bad people people say they are bad. Flabagurt, I just made that word up and I say its a bad word. there you go, another swear.
My point is that people need to realize that the only thing they are doing by turning words into "swear words" is tainting their language with useless bullshit.

Swearing is great. It makes you seem like you mean what your saying.

Like when you find a pot of gold you don't just go, "Great!". You go "Holy Shit!".

People should stop complaining about swearing. If you don't find it offensive, it isn't offensive, and just becomes another slang expression.

Anglo-Saxon is cool, though, wankers.

Like when you find a pot of gold you don't just go, "Great!". You go "Holy Shit!".

I'd sure like to see if i do that, mainly because i really need some cash!

Fiddlesticks!

Flabagurt! Swearing is a part of life and was passed down through generations...As Stewie Griffin once said..."Look! I'm writing Palfammy on the wall! Poppy Cock!"

Flabagurt? Sounds like something the professor off Futurama would say!

Well then the professor is a potty mouth now isn't he

anglo-saxon? sheisse!

Hmm...

1.
A phenomeno within the psychology.
A way to release anger!

2.
Created for offencive use in the past by religous means.

3.
Now days.
"Use it in every sentence and you're definitely cool".

---

That's what I could think of.

I stand by my philosophy.

We swear because there is extra emotion tied to these words. There is extra emotion tied to these words because humans are drawn to what is taboo. Victorian society and before were keen on separating the "common" people from the "high-class" people. Thus it became taboo for anyone to say the words like common people used (vulgar means common). and since everyone wants to be like the high-class folks, it sorta became a tradition not to use "vulgarities."

On an interesting side note, my grandmother has Alzheimer's and pretty much the only words she remembers are cuss words and little kid words.

The first words we learn in other languages are cuss words, and foreign exchange students always know how to curse in english really well.

heh, madcow is probly the most right so far. I think its that simple too.

Swears have a meaning that is offesive. Even though now they really don't have much meaning.

Fuck

Fornication
Under
Commission of the
King

This was a term used when the royal officials tried to breed out infidels. Like in the movie Braveheart. The term was keyed very easily.

"I'm Fucked!"
"You're Fucked"
"Fucked!? We're Fucked!?"

Ass

Derived from an alternate term for the donkey. People of lower standard could afford these pack animals over an expensive horse. Much like the different between have a clunker ride, and a Porsche. These lower class people were called the asses of the society, or somehow aligned with the butt.

Hell

meh. we all know. Religious place of badness.

Damn

Short for Damnation. Being cast into the place mentioned above. Not Ass, you moron.

Shit

The act of pooing. A bad connotation for the word poop. Also, a term for tretchery and deceit of the worse kind, related to diverse in ancient times and how love and turn into... well... shit.

Nigger

Probably the most offensive one by date, only because its the newest one and its effects are rather fresh. It was a racist term given during the times of Black Freedom in the U.S. Although the word itself is a bit funny on where it came from, it may have to do with the country of Nigeria in Africa.

Cracker

A word given to a white man who is being an asshole. Term keyed by the whiteman who cracked whips at the slaves during the slavery times of the U.S. It's only offensive if you know its meaning, and even then, it's not that bad.

Lesbian

Derived from a Greek Lyrical Poet named Lesbo, who rhymed about the homosexuality of Sappho and women.

So now you all know.

Bastard:

Jimmi.

Cunt:

The female naughty part.

GHEY!1!lAWL1:

just slap whoever says this.

a majority christian nation spends a week celebrating a pagan festival and we care about swearing? I swear because fuck, I do.

ehk, i meant Divorce, not Diverse on the Shit definition.

Forgot about bastard. But i don't know anything about that one beside a fatherless child.

Can't really say cunt, cock, gay, fag, and all of the hollow terms swears. They're just word with alternate meanings. well most of them

Rimrook, lesbian isn't a swear word

yeah, but no one ever got that question on jeopardy.

BITCH

We do it cause it's fun.

ok, so maybe a got a bit carried away, hell, it don't even bother me, i was just curious. but now, this is just damn funny!

Swearing is great but I hate people who is it in every single sentence...Like people who say fuck, fucking and fucker in one sentence.

"nigger" comes from a souther accent on the word "negro" then "nigro" then "nigra" and finally "nigger"

nickelplate is in the hizzaz with his flippity floppity floo

What the fuck is wrong with swearing, you fucking fuckity-fuck fucker?

Nothing wrong with swearing, example....ouch my brother just poked me in the eye, I think I will let him know how I feel about that.......You fucking dickhead what the fuck was you thinking you two bob wanker, I'm so going to shove the sharp end of the cricket stump up your fucking arse you cock smocking faggot, you fucking piece of shit.

Translation...You hurt me, how would you feel if I did something terrible to you?

Yup. Pretty much spot on translation there. A*!

I think that we swear to literally look cool!

For example.. I don't swear.. (unless its in IRC or forums.. [writin']) To me, I think its dirty. I haven't spoken a swear word in a loooonggg time. But have written it because I find that when reading post it's much easier to express a feeling.. mainly jokes in my case..


SO FOR FUCK SAKES! WHAT THE HELL!

Swearing is just a waste of words, letters and/or effort. why say a FOUR letter word when you can say "ow."

so very true. you win.

that good idea nick why use long words ever, save time

Hey, it work 4 cave man why not it work for me too?

I agree, we need to enforce 1337speek! It saves valuable time

The term Shit came from the old days of shipping. They used to ship cross-country on trains, or internationally on boats, all kinds of cargo, all mixed together. They used to ship cow manure, for fertilization processes. As you know, this material emits flammable fumes, called methane. When the manure was packed in closed quarters, the fumes would build up, and one way or another, would ignite, either from the coal powered engines, or another form of combustion. They weren't going to just stop the shipment of manure all together, so to eliminate the build up of the fumes, they would store the manure up higher on the freight liners, and boats, so the fumes wouldnt build up (because fumes only rise). this made them label all manure-type products: Ship High in Transit. or SHIT
I dont know if you belive me, but, that is the explanation I was given.

heh. So it was shit.

and it happens.

Not too far from what it means today.

I'm about 100% sure that's nonsense, Dorian :P.

yeah, although I must admit, it's a good story!

lol, "shit" comes from middle english "shite" and "shitten" which comes from a germanic root same as the German word "Schei?" It just means "excrement"

The f-bomb comes from German "Ficken" which is a vulgar term for intercourse.

Bitch is a female dog

cunt comes from latin cunnus (as in Cunnelingus)

anything else? I AM a studying linguist after all.

We swear because using words that are commonly reffered to as "Bad" help convey ou emotions better. If people swore as much as they used all other words, the swear word's purpose is lost.

Most ppl I know use curse words all the time. The f-word is just like every other word.

"Man i effin took that effin... oh what the eff is it called, the effin transmission and effin shifted that mother-effer into fifth effin gear!!"