![Profanity](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Profanity.svg)
Profanity, also known as cursing, cussing, swearing, bad language, foul language, obscenities, expletives or vulgarism, is a
socially offensive use of language. Accordingly, profanity is language use that is sometimes deemed impolite, rude, indecent, or
culturally
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...
offensive; in certain religions, it constitutes
sin
In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...
. It can show a
debasement of someone or something, or be considered an expression of strong feeling towards something. Some words may also be used as
intensifiers.
In its older, more literal sense, "profanity" refers to a lack of respect for things that are held to be
sacred
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
, which implies anything inspiring or deserving of
reverence, as well as
behaviour showing similar disrespect or causing
religious offense
Religious offense is any action which offends religious sensibilities and arouses serious negative emotions in people with strong belief.
Causes
Different religions are sensitive to different things in different measure, particularly such to ...
.
Etymology
The term ''profane'' originates from classical
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, literally "before (outside) the temple", meaning 'outside' and meaning 'temple' or 'sanctuary'. The term ''profane'' carried the meaning of either "desecrating what is holy" or "with a secular purpose" as early as the 1450s. Profanity represented secular indifference to religion or religious figures, while
blasphemy was a more offensive attack on religion and religious figures, considered
sin
In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...
ful, and a direct violation of
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
in the majority-
Christian Western world. Moreover, many
Bible verses speak against swearing.
In some countries, profanity words often have
pagan roots that after Christian influence were turned from names of deities and spirits to profanity and used as such, like famous
Finnish profanity
Profanity in Finnish is used in the form of intensifiers, adjectives, adverbs and particles. There is also an aggressive mood that involves omission of the negative verb ' while implying its meaning with a swear word.Eero Voutilainen. ''.'' K ...
word , which was believed to be an original name of the thunder god
Ukko
Ukko (), Äijä or Äijö ( Finnish for 'male grandparent', 'grandfather', 'old man'), parallel to Uku in Estonian mythology, is the god of the sky, weather, harvest and thunder in Finnish mythology.
Ukkonen, the Finnish word for thunder, ...
, the chief god of the
Finnish pagan pantheon.
Profanities, in the original meaning of ''blasphemous profanity'', are part of the ancient tradition of the comic cults which laughed and scoffed at the deity or deities: an example of this would be Lucian's ''
Dialogues of the Gods
''Dialogues of the Gods'' ( grc, Θεῶν Διάλογοι) are 25 miniature dialogues mocking the Homeric conception of the Greek gods written in the Attic Greek dialect by the Greek author Lucian of Samosata. There are 25 dialogues in total. ...
'' satire.
English
In
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, swear words and curse words like ''
shit'' have a Germanic root, as likely does ''
fuck'', though ''
damn'' and ''
piss'' come from
Old French
Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intellig ...
and ultimately Latin. The more technical and polite alternatives are often Latin in origin, such as ''
defecate
Defecation (or defaecation) follows digestion, and is a necessary process by which organisms eliminate a solid, semisolid, or liquid waste material known as feces from the digestive tract via the anus. The act has a variety of names ranging fro ...
'' or ''
excrete
Excretion is a process in which metabolic waste
is eliminated from an organism. In vertebrates this is primarily carried out by the lungs, kidneys, and skin. This is in contrast with secretion, where the substance may have specific tasks after lea ...
'' (for ''shit'') and ''
fornicate'' or ''
copulate
Sexual intercourse (or coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion and thrusting of the penis into the vagina for sexual pleasure or reproduction.Sexual intercourse most commonly means penile–vaginal penetr ...
'' (for ''fuck''). Due to the stereotype of English profanity being largely Germanic, profanity is sometimes referred to colloquially as "Anglo-Saxon", in reference to the oldest form of English. This is not always the case. The word "
wanker
Wanker is slang for "one who wanks ( masturbates)", but is most often used as a general insult. It is a pejorative term of English origin common in Britain and other parts of the English-speaking world (mainly Commonwealth nations), including ...
" is considered profane in Britain, but it dates only to the mid-20th century.
[A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: Colloquialisms and Catch Phrases, Fossilised Jokes and Puns, General Nicknames, Vulgarisms and Such Americanisms As Have Been Naturalised. Eric Partridge, Paul Beale. Routledge, 15 Nov 2002]
History
Words currently considered curse words or profanity were common parlance in medieval English. In the Elizabethan era, some playwrights, like
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
, largely avoided direct use of these words, but others, like
Ben Jonson
Benjamin "Ben" Jonson (c. 11 June 1572 – c. 16 August 1637) was an English playwright and poet. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence upon English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for t ...
, did use them in his plays. The word ''
fuck'' was likely first used in English (borrowed) in the 15th century, though the use of ''
shit'' in English is much older, rooted in the Proto-Germanic word ''skit-,'' then evolved in
Middle English
Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English ...
to the word , meaning excrement, and , to defecate. Another profanity, ''damn'', has its origins in Latin, with the word meaning 'to damage, hurt or harm'.
Research
Analyses of recorded conversations reveal that an average of roughly 80–90 words that a person speaks each day—0.5% to 0.7% of all words—are curse words, with usage varying from 0% to 3.4%. In comparison,
first-person plural pronouns (''we'', ''us'', ''our'') make up 1% of spoken words.
A three-country poll conducted by
Angus Reid Public Opinion in July 2010 found that Canadians swear more often than Americans and British when talking to friends, while Britons are more likely than Canadians and Americans to hear strangers swear during a conversation.
[Reid, Angus. (2010)]
Canadians Swear More Often Than Americans and British
. Retrieved 2012-11-19
Swearing performs certain psychological functions, and uses particular linguistic and neurological mechanisms; all these are avenues of research. ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' author Natalie Angier notes that functionally similar behavior can be observed in chimpanzees, and may contribute to our understanding.
Angier also notes that swearing is a widespread but perhaps underappreciated anger management technique; that "Men generally curse more than women, unless said women are in a sorority, and that university provosts swear more than librarians or the staff members of the university day care center".
Keele University
Keele University, officially known as the University of Keele, is a public research university in Keele, approximately from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as the University College of North Staffordshire, Keele ...
researchers Stephens, Atkins, and Kingston found that swearing
relieves the effects of physical pain.
Stephens said "I would advise people, if they hurt themselves, to swear".
However, the overuse of swear words tends to diminish this effect.
The Keele team won the
Ig Nobel Peace Prize in
2010 for their research.
A team of neurologists and psychologists at the UCLA Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research suggested that swearing may help differentiate
Alzheimer's disease from
frontotemporal dementia.
Neurologist
Antonio Damasio
Antonio Damasio ( pt, António Damásio) is a Portuguese-American neuroscientist. He is currently the David Dornsife Chair in Neuroscience, as well as Professor of Psychology, Philosophy, and Neurology, at the University of Southern California, ...
noted that despite the loss of language due to damage to the language areas of the brain, patients were still often able to swear.
A group of researchers from
Wright State University studied why people swear in the online world by collecting tweets posted on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
. They found that cursing is associated with negative emotions such as sadness (21.83%) and anger (16.79%), thus showing people in the online world mainly use curse words to express their sadness and anger towards others.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw ( pl, Uniwersytet Warszawski, la, Universitas Varsoviensis) is a public university in Warsaw, Poland. Established in 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country offering 37 different fields o ...
investigated bilingual swearing, and how it is easier to swear in a foreign language, finding that bilinguals strengthen the offensiveness of profanities when they switch into their second language, but soften it when they switch into their first tongue, doing both statistically significantly only in the case of ethnophaulisms (ethnic slurs), leading the scientists to the conclusion that switching into the second language exempts bilinguals from the social norms and constraints (whether own or socially imposed) such as political correctness, and makes them more prone to swearing and offending others.
Types
According to
Steven Pinker
Steven Arthur Pinker (born September 18, 1954) is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, popular science author, and public intellectual. He is an advocate of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind.
...
, there are five possible functions of swearing:
*
Abusive swearing, intended to offend, intimidate or otherwise cause emotional or psychological harm
*
Cathartic
In medicine, a cathartic is a substance that ''accelerates'' defecation. This is similar to a laxative, which is a substance that ''eases'' defecation, usually by softening feces. It is possible for a substance to be both a laxative and a catha ...
swearing, used in response to pain or misfortune
*
Dysphemistic
A dysphemism is an expression with connotations that are derogatory either about the subject matter or to the audience. Dysphemisms contrast with neutral or euphemistic expressions. Dysphemism may be motivated by fear, distaste, hatred, contempt, ...
swearing, used to convey that the speaker thinks negatively of the subject matter and to make the listener do the same
*
Emphatic swearing, intended to draw additional attention to what is considered to be worth paying attention to
*
Idiomatic
Idiom, also called idiomaticness or idiomaticity, is the syntactical, grammatical, or structural form peculiar to a language. Idiom is the realized structure of a language, as opposed to possible but unrealized structures that could have develop ...
swearing, used for no other particular purpose, but as a sign that the conversation and relationship between speaker and listener is informal
In addition,
Coprolalia
Coprolalia () is involuntary swearing or the involuntary utterance of obscene words or socially inappropriate and derogatory remarks. Coprolalia comes from the Greek (''kópros''), meaning "dung, feces", and (''laliā́'') "speech", from (''lal ...
, which is an occasional characteristic of
tic disorder
Tic disorders are defined in the ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (DSM) based on type (motor or phonic) and duration of tics (sudden, rapid, nonrhythmic movements). Tic disorders are defined similarly by the World Health ...
s, is involuntary swearing or the involuntary utterance of obscene words or socially inappropriate and derogatory remarks.
It encompasses words and phrases that are culturally
taboo
A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
or generally unsuitable for acceptable social use, when used out of context. The term is not used to describe contextual swearing.
Tourette Association of America
The Tourette Association of America (TAA), based in Bayside, New York, United States, is a non-profit voluntary organization and the only US health-related organization serving people with Tourette syndrome. It was founded in 1972 as the Tourette S ...
Understanding Coprolalia – A misunderstood symptom
Accessed 12 October 2021. It can be distinguished from voluntary profanity by characteristics such as interrupting the flow of dialogue, differences in tone and volume relative to a normal voice, variable frequency that increases with anxiety, and association with brain disorders.
[ It is usually expressed out of social or emotional context, and may be spoken in a louder tone or different cadence or pitch than normal conversation. It can be a single word, or complex phrases.][
]
Slurs vs. profanity
Profanity is widely considered socially offensive and strongly impolite; slurs, however, are both intended to be and by definition are derogatory, as they are meant to harm another individual. Although profanity has been seen to improve performance or relieve anxiety and anger, and can be used in a lighthearted way, this effect and impact cannot be observed with slurs. Though slurs are considered profanity by definition, being both socially offensive and strongly impolite, profanity can be used in a non-targeted manner where slurs cannot. For example, in the sentence "If I don't get an A on this exam, I'm fucked", the word "fucked" is profanity; however, the way it is embedded is not intended to offend anyone, as the speaker is not making an offensive claim.
Legality
Australia
In every Australian state and territory it is a crime to use offensive, indecent or insulting language in or near a public place. These offences are classed as summary offences
A summary offence or petty offence is a violation in some common law jurisdictions that can be proceeded against summarily, without the right to a jury trial and/or indictment (required for an indictable offence).
Canada
In Canada, summary offen ...
. This means that they are usually tried before a local or magistrates court. Police also have the power to issue fixed penalty notices to alleged offenders. It is a defence in some Australian jurisdictions to have "a reasonable excuse" to conduct oneself in the manner alleged.
Brazil
In Brazil, the Penal Code does not contain any penalties for profanity in public immediately. However, direct offenses against one can be considered a crime against honor, with a penalty of imprisonment of one to three months or a fine. The analysis of the offence is considered "subjective", depending on the context of the discussion and the relationship between the parts.
Canada
Section 175 of Canada's Criminal Code
A criminal code (or penal code) is a document that compiles all, or a significant amount of a particular jurisdiction's criminal law. Typically a criminal code will contain offences that are recognised in the jurisdiction, penalties that might ...
makes it a criminal offence to "cause a disturbance in or near a public place" by "swearing or using insulting or obscene language". Provinces and municipalities may also have their laws against swearing in public. For instance, the Municipal Code of Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
bars "profane or abusive language" in public parks. In June 2016, a man in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348 ...
, was arrested for using profane language at a protest against Bill C-51.
India
Sections 294A and 294B of Indian penal code have legal provisions for punishing individuals who use inappropriate or obscene words (either spoken or written) in public that are maliciously deliberate to outrage religious feelings or beliefs. In February 2015, a local court in Mumbai asked police to file a first information report
__NOTOC__
A first information report (FIR) is a document prepared by police organisations in Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asian countries including Myanmar, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan when they receive information about the commissio ...
against 14 Bollywood celebrities who were part of the stage show of ''All India Bakchod
All India Bakchod (abbreviated as AIB) was a Mumbai-based comedy company which created the eponymous podcast, YouTube channel and production company. The name is a parody of All India Radio. It began in 2012 as a humour/pop-culture podcast co- ...
'', a controversial comedy stage show known for vulgar and profanity based content. In May 2019 during the election campaign, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament fro ...
listed out the abusive words the opposition Congress party had used against him and his mother during their campaign.
In January 2016, a Mumbai-based communications agency initiated a campaign against profanity and abusive language called "Gaali free India
Gaali free India () is a social campaign against profanity and the use of abusive words. It started in 2016 with a motive to raise awareness among youth who are unable to control their feelings and find refuge in profanity to vent their feelings a ...
" ( is the Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
word for profanity). Using creative ads, it called upon people to use swatch (clean) language on the lines of Swachh Bharat Mission
Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, or Clean India Mission is a country-wide campaign initiated by the Government of India in 2014 to eliminate open defecation and improve solid waste management. It is a restructured version of ...
for nationwide cleanliness. It further influenced other news media outlets who further raised the issue of abusive language in the society especially incest abuses against women, such as "mother fucker".
In an increasing market for OTT content, several Indian web series have been using profanity and expletives to gain attention of the audiences.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, the '' Summary Offences Act 1981'' makes it illegal to use "indecent or obscene words in or within hearing of any public place". However, if the defendant has "reasonable grounds for believing that his words would not be overheard" then no offence is committed. Also, "the court shall have regard to all the circumstances pertaining at the material time, including whether the defendant had reasonable grounds for believing that the person to whom the words were addressed, or any person by whom they might be overheard, would not be offended".
Pakistan
Political leaders in Pakistan have been consistently picked up for using profane, abusive language. While there is no legislation to punish abusers, the problem aggravated with abusive language being used in the parliament and even against women.
Philippines
The Department of Education in the Philippine city of Baguio expressed that while cursing was prohibited in schools, children were not following this prohibition at home. Thus as part of its anti profanity initiative, in November 2018, the Baguio
Baguio ( ,
), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
city government in the Philippines passed an anti profanity law that prohibits cursing and profanity in areas of the city frequented by children. This move was welcomed by educators[ and the Department of Education in Cordillera.]
Russia
Swearing in public is an administrative crime in Russia. However, law enforcement is rarely applied onto swearing people. Fine equals to 500-1000 roubles or even a 15 days arrest.
United Kingdom
In public
Swearing, in and of itself, is not usually a criminal offence
In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...
in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
although in context may constitute a component of a crime. However, it may be a criminal offence in Salford Quays
Salford Quays is an area of Salford, Greater Manchester, England, near the end of the Manchester Ship Canal. Previously the site of Manchester Docks, it became one of the first and largest urban regeneration projects in the United Kingdom fol ...
under a public spaces protection order which outlaws the use of "foul and abusive language" without specifying any further component to the offence, although it appears to be unclear as to whether all and every instance of swearing is covered. Salford City Council
Salford City Council is the local authority of the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England. It is a metropolitan borough council, one of ten in Greater Manchester and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England, and provides the maj ...
claims that the defence of "reasonable excuse" allows all the circumstances to be taken into account. In England and Wales
England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Eng ...
, swearing in public where it is seen to cause harassment, alarm or distress
Harassment, alarm or distress is an element of a statutory offence in England and Wales, arising from an expression used in sections 4A and 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, which created the offence. The Act was amended in 1994.
The offence
The ...
may constitute an offence under section 5(1) and (6) of the Public Order Act 1986. In Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
, a similar common law offence of breach of the peace
Breach of the peace, or disturbing the peace, is a legal term used in constitutional law in English-speaking countries and in a public order sense in the several jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It is a form of disorderly conduct.
Public ord ...
covers issues causing public alarm and distress.
In the workplace
In the United Kingdom, swearing in the workplace can be an act of gross misconduct
''Gross Misconduct'' is the second album from crossover thrash metal band, M.O.D. It was released in 1989 on Megaforce Records and Noise International and follows 1988's extended play '' Surfin' M.O.D.'' It was three years until the band releas ...
under certain circumstances. In particular, this is the case when swearing accompanies insubordination against a superior or humiliation of a subordinate employee. However, in other cases, it may not be grounds for instant dismissal. According to a UK site on work etiquette, the "fact that swearing is a part of everyday life means that we need to navigate away through a day in the office without offending anyone, while still appreciating that people do swear. Of course, there are different types of swearing and, without spelling it out, you really ought to avoid the 'worst words' regardless of who you're talking to".[Work Etiquette – Swearing in the Workplace](_blank)
Retrieved 2012-11-19 Within the UK, the appropriateness of swearing can vary largely by a person's industry of employment, though it is still not typically used in situations where employees of a higher position than oneself are present.
In 2006, ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' reported that "36% of the 308 UK senior managers and directors having responded to a survey accepted swearing as part of workplace culture", but warned about specific inappropriate uses of swearing such as when it is discriminatory or part of bullying behaviour. The article ended with a quotation from Ben Wilmott (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development): "Employers can ensure professional language in the workplace by having a well-drafted policy on bullying and harassment that emphasises how bad language has potential to amount to harassment or bullying."
United States
In the United States, courts have generally ruled that the government does not have the right to prosecute someone solely for the use of an expletive, which would be a violation of their right to free speech
Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recogni ...
enshrined in the First Amendment
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
. On the other hand, they have upheld convictions of people who used profanity to incite riots, harass people, or disturb the peace. In 2011, a North Carolina statute that made it illegal to use "indecent or profane language" in a "loud and boisterous manner" within earshot of two or more people on any public road or highway was struck down as unconstitutional. In 2015, the US city of Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
passed an ordinance that makes profane language punishable with fines up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail. An amount of $22,000 was collected from these fines in 2017 alone.
Religious views
Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...
forbids the use of profanity as contradicting the Torah
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the ...
's command to "Be holy", which revolves around the concept of separating oneself from worldly practices (including the use of vulgar language). The Talmud
The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...
teaches that the words that leave the mouth make an impact on the heart and mind; the use of profanity thus causes the regression of the soul. Judaism thus teaches that ''shemirat halashon'' (guarding one's tongue) is one of the first steps to spiritual improvement.
Christianity
In Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
, the use of profanity is condemned as being sinful
In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...
, a position held since the time of the early Church. To this end, the Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...
commands "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them" () and also "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving" (). These teachings are echoed in , , and , all of which are found in the Deuterocanon
The deuterocanonical books (from the Greek meaning "belonging to the second canon") are books and passages considered by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Assyrian Church of the East to be ...
/Apocrypha
Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. The word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered ...
. Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
taught that individuals would be acquitted by their wholesome words, while foul language would condemn people to Hell (cf. ), with revilers being listed as being among the damned in . Profanity revolving around the dictum "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" () (KJV; also "You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God" (NRSV) and variants) is the second or third (depending on numbering) of God's Ten Commandments to man in t ...
", one of the Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
, is regarded as blasphemy as Christians regard it as "an affront to God's holiness". For those who have had a conversion to Christianity, Paul the Apostle defines the ridding of filthy language from one's lips as being evidence of living in a relationship with Jesus (cf. ). The Epistle to the Colossians
The Epistle to the Colossians is the twelfth book of the New Testament. It was written, according to the text, by Paul the Apostle and Timothy, and addressed to the church in Colossae, a small Phrygian city near Laodicea and approximately f ...
teaches that controlling the tongue "is the key to gaining mastery over the whole body." The Didache 3:3 included the use of foul language as being part of the lifestyle that puts one on the way to eternal death. John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom (; gr, Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος; 14 September 407) was an important Early Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of ...
, an early Church Father, taught that those engaged in the use of profanity should repent of the sin. The Epistle of James
The Epistle of James). is a general epistle and one of the 21 epistles ( didactic letters) in the New Testament.
James 1:1 identifies the author as "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" who is writing to "the twelve tribes ...
holds that "blessing God" is the primary function of the Christian's tongue, not speaking foul language. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, a bishop of Eastern Orthodox Church
The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops vi ...
, lambasted profanity and blasphemy, teaching that it is "extremely unbefitting orChristians" and that believers should guard themselves from ever using it.
Islam
In Islam, the use of profanity is haram
''Haram'' (; ar, حَرَام, , ) is an Arabic term meaning 'Forbidden'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowle ...
. Additionally, impertinence and slander are considered immoral acts.
Minced oaths
Minced oaths are euphemistic
A euphemism () is an innocuous word or expression used in place of one that is deemed offensive or suggests something unpleasant. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the user wishes ...
expressions made by altering or clipping profane and blasphemous words and expressions to make them less or not objectionable. Although minced oaths are often acceptable in situations where profanity is not (including the radio), some people still consider them profanity. In 1941, a judge threatened a lawyer with contempt of court for using the word ''darn''.
Impact on society
While there is no evidence of harmful effects of swearing (for instance, that it leads to physical violence), there is research showing that swearing is associated with enhanced pain tolerance. A study by Stephens, Atkins and Kingston (2009) concluded that swearing prompts a fight-or-flight response and quashes the link between the fear of pain and the perception of pain itself.
Research by Jay and Janschewitz suggests that swearing emerges by age two. By the time children enter school, they have a working vocabulary of 30–40 "offensive words", and their swearing becomes similar to that of adults around the age of 11 to 12.
There is no established consensus as to how children learn to swear, although it is an inevitable part of language learning, and begins early in life. Young school children may adopt various "toning down" strategies when swearing depending on the context in which they are talking.
A 2017 paper by Gilad Feldman and co-workers claimed to show a correlation between swearing and various measures of honesty. From three separate studies, the authors "found a consistent positive relationship between profanity and honesty; profanity was associated with less lying and deception at the individual level and with higher integrity at the society level". However, the methodology of this study has been challenged by other psychologists, and the study is a subject of ongoing controversy.
In popular culture
* ''The Catcher in the Rye
''The Catcher in the Rye'' is an American novel by J. D. Salinger that was partially published in serial form from 1945–46 before being novelized in 1951. Originally intended for adults, it is often read by adolescents for its themes of angs ...
'' published in novel form in 1951 by J. D. Salinger
Jerome David Salinger (; January 1, 1919 January 27, 2010) was an American author best known for his 1951 novel ''The Catcher in the Rye''. Salinger got his start in 1940, before serving in World War II, by publishing several short stories in '' ...
became controversial for its use of the word ''fuck''.
* ''Gone with the Wind'', a 1939 film based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell (November 8, 1900 – August 16, 1949) was an American novelist and journalist. Mitchell wrote only one novel, published during her lifetime, the American Civil War-era novel '' Gone with the Wind'', for which she wo ...
includes the line "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" is a line from the 1939 film ''Gone with the Wind'' starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. The line is spoken by Rhett Butler (Gable), as his last words to Scarlett O'Hara (Leigh), in response to her tearfu ...
." This has been claimed to be the first use of profanity in a major American film, although films produced in America prior to 1935 occasionally used strong language and gestures.
* ''Seven Dirty Words
The seven dirty words are seven English-language curse words that American comedian George Carlin first listed in his 1972 "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" monologue. The words, in the order Carlin listed them, are: "shit", "piss", " ...
'' is a 1972 comedy monologue by George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of countercu ...
in which he named the seven words that, he said, must never be used in a television broadcast.
* Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...
's use of the word ''motherfucker'' in his novel ''Slaughterhouse-Five
''Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death'' is a 1969 semi-autobiographic science fiction-infused anti-war novel by Kurt Vonnegut. It follows the life and experiences of Billy Pilgrim, from his early years, to h ...
'' became a subject of much controversy and led to his books being banned (and in some cases physically destroyed) by several public and school libraries.
* Comedian Lenny Bruce was arrested in 1961, 1962, and 1964 for obscenity and profanity in his comedic sets.
* American director Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...
is infamous for the use of profanity in his films.
* British film director Ken Loach
Kenneth Charles Loach (born 17 June 1936) is a British film director and screenwriter. His socially critical directing style and socialist ideals are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as poverty ('' Poor Cow'', 1967), homelessn ...
generated media debate with his 2002 film ''Sweet Sixteen'', as the British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of f ...
gave it an 18 certificate for the very large amount of profanity, and not for any violent or sexual content.[BBFC Case Studies – Sweet Sixteen](_blank)
bbfc.co.uk Loach argued that the language used was typical of the working classes in Greenock in Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
and that the BBFC censors had a "London-centric view".
* Brandon Sanderson, in an annotation for his 2007 novel ''The Well of Ascension
''Mistborn: The Well of Ascension'' is a fantasy novel written by American author Brandon Sanderson. It was published on August 21, 2007, by Tor Books and is the second novel in the '' Mistborn trilogy''. It is preceded by ''The Final Empire'' ...
'', mentions that some readers are put off by "light" cursing:
* Several vehicle models have been given names that have an inappropriate meaning in a language foreign to the vendor's home country, such as the (rebranded as "Montero") and the Audi e-tron
The Audi e-tron is a series of electric and hybrid cars shown by Audi from 2009 onwards. In 2012 Audi unveiled a plug-in hybrid version, the A3 Sportback e-tron, released to retail customers in Europe in August 2014, and slated for the U.S. i ...
. Another example of a vehicle named after a term with a profane meaning is the Hellcat version of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango is a mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by Dodge in three generations starting with the 1998 model year. The first two generations were very similar in that both were based on the Dodge Dakota and Ram Pickup, both ...
; the word "hell" (first pronunciation of the version name) is reportedly forbidden in most US states when applying for a license plate.
See also
* Animal epithet
An animal epithet is a name used to label a person or group, by association with some perceived quality of an animal. Epithets may be formulated as similes, explicitly comparing people with the named animal, as in "he is as sly as a fox", or as ...
* Army creole
Army creole was a term used in Tom Wolfe's book '' The Right Stuff'' to describe an English dialect spoken by military personnel. The dialect relies upon extensive use of profane intensifiers like "fuck" to gain attention in confusing circumstance ...
* Bleep censor
A bleep censor is the replacement of a profanity or classified information with a beep sound (usually a ) in television and radio. It is mainly used in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and J ...
* Fighting words
Fighting words are written or spoken words intended to incite hatred or violence from their target. Specific definitions, freedoms, and limitations of fighting words vary by jurisdiction. The term ''fighting words'' is also used in a general sens ...
* '' Fuck: Word Taboo and Protecting Our First Amendment Liberties''
* Maledictology
* Mandarin Chinese profanity
Profanity in Mandarin Chinese most commonly involves sexual references and scorn of the object's ancestors, especially their mother. Other Mandarin insults accuse people of not being human. Compared to English, scatological and blasphemous refe ...
* Profanity in science fiction
* ''R v Penguin Books Ltd
''R v Penguin Books Ltd'' was the public prosecution in the United Kingdom of Penguin Books under the ''Obscene Publications Act 1959'' for the publication of D. H. Lawrence's 1928 novel ''Lady Chatterley's Lover''. The trial took place over ...
''
* "Sailor Mouth
"Sailor Mouth" is the first segment of the 18th episode of the second season, and the 38th overall episode of the American animated television series ''SpongeBob SquarePants''. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on September ...
"
* Scunthorpe problem
The Scunthorpe problem is the unintentional blocking of websites, e-mails, forum posts or search results by a spam filter or search engine because their text contains a string (or substring) of letters that appear to have an obscene or otherwise ...
* Swear jar
* Verbal abuse
Verbal abuse (also known as verbal aggression, verbal attack, verbal violence, verbal assault, psychic aggression, or psychic violence) is a type of psychological/mental abuse that involves the use of oral, gestured, and written language direct ...
* Vulgarity
Vulgarity is the quality of being common, coarse, or unrefined. This judgement may refer to language, visual art, social class, or social climbers. John Bayley claims the term can never be self-referential, because to be aware of vulgarity is to ...
* Wordfilter
A wordfilter (sometimes referred to as just "filter" or "censor") is a script typically used on Internet forums or chat rooms that automatically scans users' posts or comments as they are submitted and automatically changes or censors particular ...
*"Rude Removal
"Rude Removal" (also known as Dexter's Rude Removal) is a cartoon segment originally produced for the animated television series '' Dexter's Laboratory'' for Cartoon Network. It was intended to air as part of an episode from the second season, b ...
"
References
Further reading
*
* Bryson, Bill (1990) ''The Mother Tongue''
*
*
*
*
*
* Johnson, Sterling (2004) ''Watch Your F*cking Language''
* McEnery, Tony (2006) ''Swearing in English: bad language, purity and power from 1586 to the present'', Routledge
Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law ...
.
*
* O'Connor, Jim (2000) ''Cuss Control
''Cuss Control: The Complete Book on How to Curb Your Cursing'' is a self-help book on how to curb swearing written by James V. O'Connor in 2000. O'Connor, who also founded the Cuss Control Academy of Northbrook, Illinois in 1998, has gained a re ...
''
* Sagarin Edward (1962) ''The Anatomy of Dirty Words''
* Sheidlower, Jesse (2009) ''The F-Word'' (3rd ed.)
* Spears, Richard A. (1990) ''Forbidden American English''
*
* Wajnryb, Ruth (2005) ''Expletive Deleted: A Good Look at Bad Language''
External links
Most vulgar words in The Online Slang Dictionary
(as voted by visitors)
*
{{Authority control
Blasphemy
Obscenity
Censorship
Connotation
Bullying