# Why do we swear? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 10, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545 "2008-12-10T11:54:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/21 "2008-12-10T19:34:40Z")
Terry Pratchett, _Guards, Guards_ > [@](#): > > When you hit your thumb with an eight-pound hammer it’s nice to be able to blaspheme. It takes a very special and strong-minded atheist to jump up and down with their hand clasped under their other armpit and shout, ‘Oh, random-fluctuations-in-the-space-time-continuum!’ or ‘Aaargh, primitive-and-outmoded-concept on a crutch!’ Swearing is like poetry or song, it has emotional content as well as information. It’s cathartic, and helps you deal with the situation that causes it. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/22 "2008-12-10T19:53:41Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Swear words generally are a lazy sort of shorthand, if they have any meaning at all. ‘Go fuck yourself’ can be shorthand for ‘I disagreee with you because…’, or it can mean ‘I hate you because…’ or it can be an involuntary tick, like ‘I mean’ and ‘y’know’. I walk past people who are having an ordinary conversation, but pepper it with swear words. E.g. “Fuck me! I went to the fucking shops today to buy a fucking sandwich…” You get the picture. The '‘fucking’ adds absolutely nothing to the sense or meaning of what they’re saying. > > At times of extremis, they can be a necessary form of escape valve. But if that’s overused, they can become meaningless. > > In other situations they can be a display as to the degree of anger or frustration being expressed. You can climb the ladder from ‘bother’ to ‘Jesus!’ to ‘crap’ to ‘fuck’ to ‘cunt’. When you’ve stubbed your toe, a reasoned discourse as to why you’re in pain and upset may be unnecessary, and a short, sharp expletive may be more suitable. But in a lot of cases, particularly here on the Dope, where the contributors are ostensibly reasonable and intelligent people (OK - I know what I’m letting myself in for), we should be above that sort of shorthand. Erudition is all, eh? > > Or am I being precious, or old fashioned or elitist? Tell me what you think the purpose of swear words is and should be. I am with you one hundred percent of the way on this issue. Swear words are a net minus for society and we’d be better off without them. They are definitely lazy. One could, I suppose, have an academic debate of whether they’re theoretically useful for “escape valve” or “code switching” purposes. In reality, it’s gone way past that point. There are now a lot of people who spout profanity in every single sentence they use, for no reason whatever except that they can’t be bothered to speak English correctly. To take an example I recall: “When we got to the garage there was all kinds of shit all over the place.” People who talk like this feel perfectly happy dropping “shit” in place of any noun. Hence we have no idea what the speaker found at the garage. Car parts? Garbage? Actual excrement? Meaning has been lost. Communication has been rendered less effective. And it’s all because of addiction to swear words. Like marijuana, swear words may or may not be useful in small quantities, but are definitely undesirable in the quantities that most people use them. Further, of course, polite people refrain from using them because they offend, just like polite people don’t use racial slurs. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/23 "2008-12-10T19:56:15Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > There are now a lot of people who spout profanity in every single sentence they use, for no reason whatever except that they can’t be bothered to speak English correctly. You’ve confused your definition of politeness with some vague notion of “correct.” > [@](#): > > People who talk like this feel perfectly happy dropping “shit” in place of any noun. Hence we have no idea what the speaker found at the garage. Car parts? Garbage? Actual excrement? Meaning has been lost. Communication has been rendered less effective. And it’s all because of addiction to swear words. “Stuff,” I guess, would have been more helpful? ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/24 "2008-12-10T20:05:28Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You’ve confused your definition of politeness with some vague notion of “correct.” You’re persistent, I’ll give you that. Using swear words inserted randomly in to sentences has nothing to politeness or lack of it. They’re not using the words to swear; they’re just meaningless (like ‘I mean’ and ‘like’). They’re just not speaking English in a generally accepted correct way. > [@](#): > > “Stuff,” I guess, would have been more helpful? Car parts or garbage would have been more helpful. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/25 "2008-12-10T20:12:32Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > I am with you one hundred percent of the way on this issue. Swear words are a net minus for society and we’d be better off without them. They are definitely lazy. One could, I suppose, have an academic debate of whether they’re theoretically useful for “escape valve” or “code switching” purposes. In reality, it’s gone way past that point. There are now a lot of people who spout profanity in every single sentence they use, for no reason whatever except that they can’t be bothered to speak English correctly. To take an example I recall: Hmm, so are you saying is that those specific people have a problem with swearing, or are you making a sweeping generalization that all swearing is bad because some people have a problem with it? Cuz I can’t figure it out. > [@](#): > > People who talk like this feel perfectly happy dropping “shit” in place of any noun. Hence we have no idea what the speaker found at the garage. Car parts? Garbage? Actual excrement? Meaning has been lost. Communication has been rendered less effective. And it’s all because of addiction to swear words. Well, was the statement made to exchange factual information, or was it made to express disgust? I know which one I’m guessing. > [@](#): > > Further, of course, polite people refrain from using them because they offend, just like polite people don’t use racial slurs. You’re honestly going to compare swear words to racial slurs? Huh? You’ve got to be kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/26 "2008-12-10T20:15:49Z")
A big part of it is habit. Since swearing is forbidden for kids in most places, you get to act like “one of the big kids” by swearing. It makes you cool with your friends. Profanity has a shock value with little kids that it doesn’t have with adults. Eventually, the shock is gone and people continue to swear out of habit. Another big part is fitting in, even if it’s not conscious. Live in the south long enough and you’ll start saying “y’all.” Hang out with people who swear constantly, and you’ll probably start swearing. Some people swear simply to be offensive. They know that many people don’t like it, so they make a point of saying “God damn” in front of the church group or wearing a “fuck off” t-shirt to the mall. They _want_ to be rude and obnoxious. **Marley** ’s comments notwithstanding, I know a _lot_ of people who swear because they’re too lazy to figure out the right word to use. With half a million words in the English language, there’s almost always a better way to express yourself. When used carefully, profanity can have quite an impact. I swear very little, thus when I do it, people notice. If I shouted George Carlin’s seven words every time I stubbed my toe, I wouldn’t have a way to show when I was _really_ pissed (and I wouldn’t get invited to very many parties or events). For the most part, I look at profanity the same way I look at filler words like um, er, ah, like, and so on. It’s all just an indication that you didn’t put any time into coming up with the right word, or that you’re filling space. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/27 "2008-12-10T20:17:52Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > You’re honestly going to compare swear words to racial slurs? Huh? You’ve got to be kidding. Why would you _not_ compare them? They have the same root purpose: to shock and/or offend. That’s where they came from. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/28 "2008-12-10T20:20:13Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > You’re persistent, I’ll give you that. Fuckin’ A! 😉 > [@](#): > > Using swear words inserted randomly in to sentences has nothing to politeness or lack of it. They’re not using the words to swear; they’re just meaningless (like ‘I mean’ and ‘like’). I was responding specifically to **ITR Champion** , who was using “correct” in the sense of “polite.” They’re distinct concepts that should not be confused in this discussion. > [@](#): > > They’re just not speaking English in a generally accepted correct way. Here’s why: when the topic is politeness, that’s pretty well understood by everybody. I agree that swearing is impolite, that’s essentially the definition - not to mention the point of most profanity in the first place. “Correct” is much less clear and when you say that, you start getting into the morass of prescriptivism, which happens a lot on this board. It’s a blackhole that should be avoided. The bottom line is this: if you convey whatever meaning you want to convey, the statement isn’t “incorrect.” > [@](#): > > Car parts or garbage would have been more helpful. The statement isn’t supposed to be “helpful,” it’s an expression of the speaker’s frustration and confusion at finding whatever is on the floor. This lack of helpfulness is easily remedied with a followup question anyway. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/29 "2008-12-10T20:31:28Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Fuckin’ A! 😉 > > I was responding specifically to **ITR Champion** , who was using “correct” in the sense of “polite.” They’re distinct concepts that should not be confused in this discussion. How do you know that? Is it an American term that has a different meaning to that in the UK? If so, ignorance fought. > [@](#): > > Here’s why: when the topic is politeness, that’s pretty well understood by everybody. I agree that swearing is impolite, that’s essentially the definition - not to mention the point of most profanity in the first place. “Correct” is much less clear and when you say that, you start getting into the morass of prescriptivism, which happens a lot on this board. It’s a blackhole that should be avoided. > The bottom line is this: if you convey whatever meaning you want to convey, the statement isn’t “incorrect.” This is where I think there is a huge gap in our communication. What I, and, I think **ITR Champion** are talking about is when people are using swear words _not_ as swear words; just as gibberish - in this usage they don’t have - and aren’t meant to have - meaning. > [@](#): > > The statement isn’t supposed to be “helpful,” it’s an expression of the speaker’s frustration and confusion at finding whatever is on the floor. This lack of helpfulness is easily remedied with a followup question anyway. True. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/30 "2008-12-10T20:42:32Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > Why would you _not_ compare them? They have the same root purpose: to shock and/or offend. That’s where they came from. Intent is the difference, and it should be obvious. A racial slur is intended to insult a specific group, not just shock. Who is a swear word intended to insult? Yes, they can both be shocking, but swear words don’t have any other baggage coming along for the ride. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/31 "2008-12-10T20:44:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I was responding specifically to **ITR Champion** , who was using “correct” in the sense of “polite.” They’re distinct concepts that should not be confused in this discussion. At the top of my post, I used “correct” to mean correct English. At the end of the post, I switched to the topic of politeness. > [@](#): > > The bottom line is this: if you convey whatever meaning you want to convey, the statement isn’t “incorrect.” I don’t agree with that at all. I think there’s a reason why a substantial part of our education system is geared towards teaching correct English, by which I mean English in agreement with the rules established by the authorities. Any one particular lapse in conversational English has minimal effect. Pile up a long series of lapses and the language becomes incomprehensible. There are message boards out there that are allegedly in English, but where the posts are totally meaningless. I do not view it as a trivial issue. I believe that the quality of our language has an effect on the quality of our thinking. If our language becomes slapdash, that contributes to slapdash thinking. > [@](#): > > The statement isn’t supposed to be “helpful,” it’s an expression of the speaker’s frustration and confusion at finding whatever is on the floor. This lack of helpfulness is easily remedied with a followup question anyway. Actually, I believe that the statement was just idle chatter, but to me it is not trivial. I’ve learned quite a bit in life from conversations that began with something trivial. I’d hate for others to lose that opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/32 "2008-12-10T20:50:06Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > How do you know that? Is it an American term that has a different meaning to that in the UK? If so, ignorance fought. “Polite” is what’s socially acceptable in good company. “Correct” can have the same meaning, but more often it means right or true. > [@](#): > > This is where I think there is a huge gap in our communication. What I, and, I think **ITR Champion** are talking about is when people are using swear words _not_ as swear words; just as gibberish - in this usage they don’t have - and aren’t meant to have - meaning. Ok, I do see what you’re saying. That’s just filler and it doesn’t add anything. It doesn’t subtract anything, either, but it’s irritating. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/33 "2008-12-10T20:55:52Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Pile up a long series of lapses and the language becomes incomprehensible. There are message boards out there that are allegedly in English, but where the posts are totally meaningless. There are message boards out there you don’t understand, which isn’t the same thing at all. There’s plenty of stupid gibberish out there, no question, but if your contention is that the language is going downhill and sooner or later nobody’s going to understand each other - I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. > [@](#): > > I believe that the quality of our language has an effect on the quality of our thinking. If our language becomes slapdash, that contributes to slapdash thinking. That’s a prim but not widely accepted theory as far as I know. > [@](#): > > I’ve learned quite a bit in life from conversations that began with something trivial. I’d hate for others to lose that opportunity. Look - the whole point of language is for people to communicate. Language isn’t going to evolve to the point where nobody can understand each other anymore. That just doesn’t make any sense. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/34 "2008-12-10T21:23:54Z")
[QUOTE=NineToTheSky] Why do we swear? [/QUOTE] > [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Fucked if I know. I guess **someone** had to do it. Thanks for taking one for the team. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/35 "2008-12-10T21:33:04Z")
It’s fucking **[Chicken Town](http://www.cyberspike.com/clarke/chicktow.html)**. That’s why. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/36 "2008-12-10T21:44:23Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Intent is the difference, and it should be obvious. A racial slur is intended to insult a specific group, not just shock. Who is a swear word intended to insult? Yes, they can both be shocking, but swear words don’t have any other baggage coming along for the ride. Depends on the swear word. “cunt” and “cocksucker” are definitely insulting and degrading to specific groups and I find them to be way more offensive and unacceptable. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/37 "2008-12-10T22:07:02Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Depends on the swear word. “cunt” and “cocksucker” are definitely insulting and degrading to specific groups and I find them to be way more offensive and unacceptable. Well cunt maybe, but I see cocksucker as more gender neutral. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/38 "2008-12-10T22:11:14Z")
Oh, I love to use profanity. It is _delicious_. During sex, when having ‘philosophical’ debates with my husband, or when rapping along with my favorite hip-hop. The idea that it is ‘lazy’ or means you have a ‘short vocabulary’ has been bandied about often by people, but I have always disagreed with this. I save my juiciest ‘obscenities’ for my debates with my husband. It is always when we are trying to discuss higher ideas that we really get down and dirty. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/39 "2008-12-10T22:42:40Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Well cunt maybe, but I see cocksucker as more gender neutral. Really? I always thought that cocksucker was a slur against gay men. Either way, I think it’s funny that any man would use it to insult someone. I’m pretty sure that men, gay or straight, enjoy cocksuckers. It’s just weird. There’s not an insult comparable to cocksucker that incorporates the female genitalia in the same way and quite as offensively, is there? Rugmuncher or anything else like that usually elicits laughter and is not even remotely as offensive as cocksucker. Ok, I’m tired of typing cocksucker. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545/40 "2008-12-10T22:46:41Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Really? I always thought that cocksucker was a slur against gay men. Either way, I think it’s funny that any man would use it to insult someone. I’m pretty sure that men, gay or straight, enjoy cocksuckers. > > It’s just weird. There’s not an insult comparable to cocksucker that incorporates the female genitalia in the same way and quite as offensively, is there? Rugmuncher or anything else like that usually elicits laughter and is not even remotely as offensive as cocksucker. Ok, I’m tired of typing cocksucker. “Rugmuncher”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-swear/476545.md?page=3)