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Why are curse words bad?

Y

YoungGun21

Platinum Member
My question is this, how can a single set of words be bad? I don't mean offensive, I mean bad to say and use. Obviously racial and homosexual slurs are bad, but words like fvck, sh*t, ass, etc... They have no true definition anymore. They have really become bad words just because we are told from day one that they are bad. I don't see how me saying "shit" when I accidently get cut or something is offensive. I said a single word, not aimed at any person. I did not call somebody a piece of sh*t, I just simply said the word by itself. They have become more like expressions than anything else...

Who decided these words were bad? How did they become bad?
 
Personally in my mind they are way overused in today's culture that there is no impact to them anymore.
 
The associations and symbols to which they refer in real life. Historically directed at people, undesired context, and/or used in a display of defiance (against the church or authority). Language is alive and changing and as these particular words have grown in their usage. The coming generations will have less and less stigma to attach to them (as people move away from the church and puritan-minded lifestyle). I'd say that we are bordering the time when this will happen (to teens these days it has less stigma than for us and our parents). Like Imaginer said, it has very little impact anymore.

The word is meaningless, the intent and value conveyed is everything. Though that dips into philosophy of language and I'm no Kripke or Wittgenstein so I'll stop here 😉
 
Sociodemoecopolitically it NEEDS to be bad in order to serve its own very purpose. It curse/swear words weren't bad, what good is it for saying it to relieve stress & express anger?
 
Originally posted by: Flyback
The associations and symbols to which they refer in real life. Historically directed at people and/or used in a display of defiance (against the church or authority). Language is alive and changing and as these particular words have grown in their usage. The coming generations will have less and less stigma to attach to them (as people move away from the church and puritan-minded lifestyle). I'd say that we are bordering the time when this will happen (to teens these days it has less stigma than for us and our parents). Like Imaginer said, it has very little impact anymore.

The word is meaningless, the intent and value conveyed is everything. Though that dips into philosophy of language and I'm no Kripke or Wittgenstein so I'll stop here 😉
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fvck = sex
sh!t = crap = poop
ass = butt

If going by the statement in your post that I bolded, then the other words should also be curse words. Shit and crap refer to the same thing, why would shit be any worse of a word?

I agree that with each generation they become "less bad." I, obviously, don't see why they were bad to begin with. I think now they have become a way to add a little more emphasis to a phrase or sentence.
 
They were originally used as an expletive. Words that you only used when you were really angry, excited, scared. Ect. They added color to your feelings.

Any more I just see many people using them for filler in an otherwise meaningless dialog void of any real thought or creativity.

I certainly curse, but you can probably count on one hand the number of times that I've done it in a professional environment. If it's not part of your normal character/conversation, it really gains the attention of the people around you. If I curse, it's because I really am angry or emotionally charged. I use them as a true expletive.
 
About 10 years ago, I attempted to go to college part time. Unfortunately, my work interfered, so I dropped my classes, BUT, one of the things I (slightly) remember is one of my English teachers discussing the origins of cuss words. According to him, they (more or less) sprang from the difference between the Saxon language and the conquering Norman language. Both groups had similar words for things, but the "more refined" Norman words were considered acceptable, while the coarser Saxon words were not...simple things like fornicate and it's Saxon opposite, feces, and it's Saxon counterpart, etc.
Is this the actual facts? Who knows? After all, that was nearly 1000 years ago, and languages have changed quite a bit since then, BUT, a bit of Googling yielded these: (some are pretty hilarious and may not be safe for work)

http://www.antimoon.com/forum/2003/1574.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A753527

for more fun and friviolity:
http://www.google.com/search?s...=origin+of+curse+words
http://www.google.com/search?h...wear+words&btnG=Search




 
I'm a huge user of expletives, even at work, and it's true that they don't have much of an impact anymore. If anything, I find it unrealistic and odd that primetime TV shows stay away from using them. It is very refreshing to hear the F bomb on HBO/Showtime/et al shows.

As for why they're bad... probably exactly cause people say it's bad. Since everyone's been socialized to think they're bad, people will give you a "disgusted"/negative reaction, and so the cycle continues. There's probably some good/underlying reason that goes way back though.

As for the big 3: F, S and A, I've used them to death. Nowadays, it's C-sucker and/or a combination of them...
 
Does anybody else feel the same way as me, that these words shouldn't necessarily be bad words?

This thread proves that nobody really knows why they are bad. We only think they are bad because thats the way we are told our whole lives.
 
Originally posted by: YoungGun21
Does anybody else feel the same way as me, that these words shouldn't necessarily be bad words?

This thread proves that nobody really knows why they are bad. We only think they are bad because thats the way we are told our whole lives.
Click to expand...

They are only words. But a big flashing "DANGER! STRONG TIDE!!" sign posted at a beach is only words too.

If every single beach in the world in the had the same sign in front of it most people would just start ignoring the sign and it would lose it's affect.

Same with curse words. I'm not saying they shouldn't be used, just that overuse just dilutes their effect and purpose.
 
Originally posted by: YoungGun21
Does anybody else feel the same way as me, that these words shouldn't necessarily be bad words?

This thread proves that nobody really knows why they are bad. We only think they are bad because thats the way we are told our whole lives.
Click to expand...

Yup

Personally, I cant swear, ever... I feel bad about myself for some reason, and because of that I dont even have a swear instinct.. I mean, why do you say "FUCK" when you get hurt? Wheres the logic behind it? I might scream or make a weird facial expression or gesture, but why say fuck? Its weird
 
Originally posted by: Snatchface
F.ornication U.nder C.onsent of the K.ing - in case anyone was wondering.
Click to expand...

I really hope you were just joking and don't believe this to be true! It's a hoax. The first time the story passed through my inbox, I laughed at the original author's ingorance. As written, the author did not know the definition of "fornication" or realize that acronyms are fairly modern.

More at Snopes.

 
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