Chaotica & Ira - why some words are bad

[Joseph]

First off, let’s set the record straight regarding swearing, cursing (or “cussing”) and obscenities. They are three different things.

Swearing (or oaths) is actually very rare in our society – it refers to calling upon a higher power, usually God in a Judeo-Christian culture, to witness the truth of what one is saying, just as in any swearing-in ceremony. “”By God…” or "So help me God..." are the most common examples, although I thought Long John Silver’s “By the powers” was rather quaint.

Cursing is much more common – once again calling upon a higher power, but in this case to punish the person or object in question, “Damn it!” probably being the most common usage; damn of course meaning to consign the person or object in question to Hell.

Obscenities or vulgarities are primarily what we are discussing here – words used for various body parts or functions. Why these old Anglo-Saxon words are considered crude and vulgar while their Latin-based equivalents are not is not really clear, but I understand it goes back to the time of William the Conqueror. When French-speaking William conquered England, French became the language of Court and the old Anglo-Saxon tongue became vulgar and uncouth – the language of peasants. Why the words for various body parts or bodily functions (particularly copulation) survived as obscenities is not clear, but I suspect it has something to do with the bizarre concept held by many in the Christian-dominated culture, both then and now, that the human body is evil, and anything relating to its more intimate parts or functions is gross and disgusting. Hence, the most vulgar of words for the most vulgar of things held the most shock value.

Joseph

[Ira]

Why the words for various body parts or bodily functions (particularly copulation) survived as obscenities is not clear, but I suspect it has something to do with the bizarre concept held by many in the Christian-dominated culture, both then and now, that the human body is evil, and anything relating to its more intimate parts or functions is gross and disgusting.

Great explanation!

But some of my intimate parts ARE gross and disgusting.

[cracker39]

Was there a point being made by that explanation???

[Joseph]

Was there a point being made by that explanation???

Yes. Rather than tag on to the fourth or fifth page of the "Foul Language" thread, I started a new one.

Joseph

[Ira]

It was educational for me because the words swearing and cursing are usually used interchangeably with each other, and with vulgarities and obscenities, although they're really very different things.

But there was a South Park episode which was wrong about this, a great one, where they started using the word s*** on TV, and ancient spirits came back to destroy the world because they presented s*** as a curse word, and using it meant you were cursed.

I know--it's only South Park. But it's still funny to me.

BUTTERS ROCKS!!!

[Joseph]

...and ancient spirits came back to destroy the world because they presented s*** as a curse word, and using it meant you were cursed.

Reminds me of the story of the phoo bird...

Joseph

[Tear Fan]

Would that be the phoo bird that populates the area around the great greasy green Limpopo River, perhaps? Hmmm???

[cracker39]

I don't know where the phoo bird habitats, but if you're near one, wear a large, wide-brim hat.

[BrwBier]

I think people most times mistake one word for another. Like the word for copulation being mixed up with the word fuct. Example: You really fuct up that time, or that car is really fuct up. Or like when someone uses a certain herb and gets fuct up. See, just a simple mistake.
Brwbier