Why are certain words, 'swear words' or 'bad words'

Okay to get right to the point I am quite curious in wondering why we have 'swear words' or perhaps as some like to say 'bad words" You know the H, S, F, D words and all the like. Though I have asked my parents and searched for it a bit I am unable to find out WHY society or someone deemed them bad as each one is somehow a part of nature (In a way more or less) and I'm just really confused as to why these words are bad and banned. Can anyone please enlighten me as to this?

Also sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I do not see it as a conspiracy or so and thought this might fit in here. Though if it does not can a mod please move it.

Thank you for any insight that is given

Phonetics mate. F C S and to a lesser degree W and T push verbal phonetics, the easiest way to get basic thoughts into language. These terms can also be extreme compliments, for example 'What a f* c*,' as a form of appreciation. We will always have our short syllable heavy sound insults, but remember this: Every word we have for a certain specificity will simplify over time to that glotteral, bit by bit we seek to bring our words onto a universal platform.

Well I know a couple of stories that are supposedly the origin of a couple but I would not say if they are in fact true.

One is the S word. The story I heard that while shipping manuere (I think) or something if stored to low in the ship, when wet smelled. Therefore it was written; Ship High In Tow.

The F word. Story goes that during the plague the king would only allow intercourse by not sick people therefore he would mark their doors Fornication Under Consent of King.

Like I said I don't know if either are true.

reply to post by cindymars


both wrong. Both German in origin. firk = F--- schite= S---. the reason they are considered bad is because they put images in your head. if you call someone a s---head they get the mental image of that and its disgusting. in dont agree with this i rather see it as the government trying to control what we say until they start tellign people freedom, anarchy, and revolution are bad words.

I have always wondered the same.

I also wonder: Why is it okay to say a word in place of a "bad" word?
Example: Saying "shoot" in lieu of "sh.t"....when the meaning/context is exactly the same!?

Somewhere, at some time, some random person decided what words are good and what are bad.........the rebel in me wants to rebel against that person whom I dont know and never asked for my opinionon the matter.

Swearing in certain places and by certain people have taken on completly new meanings and in some instances are no longer used as insults, rather they are used to exaggerate other words.

at a recent football match an incident on the pitch caused displeasure amongst some of the fans....one of whom could not control his anger anymore

he pointed to the pitch and screamed....F******........BOOOOOOO

obviously BOO didn't quite convey his feelings, LOL

reply to post by whoswatchinwho


Good Grief!

That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages!!

I think words in general are innocent in and of themselves. It's the connotation that people give to them that determines their power. I think that the most important thing about 'swears' or 'profanities' is how they are used. If you're just directly calling someone profane names, using 'profanity' to make fun of someone/thing, or label a person in an undesirable light, then yeah, that would be (IMO) the profane usage of the word(s).

If you drop a hammer on your foot and you say "F#%#!G$#D#@%#@!!" then yeah, that's more of a cathartic way of using the words. It's all in how you say it, and how someone may interpret it.

My gosh, seems like all of this seems to be a bit shrouded in mystery. I mean I know your not supposed to say it in the presence of those you do not wish to (Such as when in business meetings and the likes that I can see as being understandable as it may be the equivalent of saying "Shut up" to someone) but, when with friends and someone comes by and accidentally overhears you or something they seem rather annoyed that you would say such a thing.

Also if these words are 'meaningless' in a way as not being so bad, those poor kids that had to get their mouth washed out with soap .

History of the F word

And a video that just about sums it up.

www.youtube.com...

reply to post by Techsnow


Star for that thank you.

reply to post by N. Tesla


And star here to, well stars around basically.

In General to all:

I suppose this sheds some light on it, though not as much as I had hoped at least their is some.

reply to post by cindymars


Interesting. I once read where when a prostitute was arrested in England, they would write out the offense, "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge."

In time, they would use the shortened acronym to save writing.

Interesting how words come about.

F#*^ing cuss words are bad because they make your speech sound like crap. I guess people really thought these words were too sh#*^y to use in public so they decided to make them slightly taboo so they wouldn't have to hear the atrocious sounds that disrupt their glorious thoughts. They were above even wiping their @$$es with these horrid disruptions.

It is the meaning behind words.

The B word is calling a woman a female dog.

The MF words are implying somebody had incestuous sex with their own mother.

You get the drift.

Other words are used to insult and demean people like the N word. That word is also hate speech.

The best reason for you not to use them is their use shows an inability to express yourself without using offensive words. Another is that you will never hold a decent job if your communication skills are so poor you can not express yourself without resorting to offensive language.

When you use such words, your intent is assumed to be bad as most of us know before we use these words what their intent is. You don't run around calling Women B's or people MFers unless you are uneducated and crude, rude and obnoxious yourself.

You should have more respect for yourself and others than to use that language. You will get farther in this society and in life if you learn to express yourself without those words. Not to mention guys who call their women whores or B's will never in their lives have a woman worth having and women who use that language are of no interest to a man worth having.

reply to post by Blaine91555


Oh I understand the 'N' Word, the MF, and B pretty much. It's just I don't understand why the 'F' word or 'F' bomb () is bad? When I see it as just another way for saying sex, though I suppose we as a society have been conditioned to saying sex instead of the F word as sex seems more...'polite?' in a way I would say.

As for the rest I really don't understand why the S word is, though their are a myriad of other words to use for that as well to. I'm guessing most of this has to do with conditioning as well as what you have stated in your post to? Basically a way for business to know how well an individual is able to communicate and hold a discussion without resorting to those words.

I don't see why derogatory cuss words are any worse than derogatory non-cuss words, though. If I called you a retarded, ugly, poopy head, gay, old, incestual pig. Why would other more socially unacceptable words that may mean some of the same things be any worse?

I have been asking this question to myself for quite some time. I only see all these terms as offensive only because they aren't "proper" terms. I had a real term for it a day ago, but that's long gone, maybe I'll get it back. I use hell and damn on a normal basis because i see it only as this, the people offended by these 2 terms are overly-sensitive and in turn SHOULD be exposed to these turns, growing up LDS (and still LDS) I've seen parents who considered poop, heck, and dang a "bad word". I do see the other terms inappropriate for certain occasions but that doesn't mean that should be labeled "bad". Their only sentence enhancers (thanks Spongebob for that term). Try watching a comedy without any language, even hell and damn. Or better yet, try to just find one.

I've always wondered about this. What makes one word bad? To me, nothing. In my house, I could give a rats behind who swears, or what swear words they use. However, that rule does not apply outside the house. We all watch our mouth once we leave the house and there's no problem.

I never could understand the big deal about swearing. It drives me absolutely nuts to hear someone say freak, or frick,---you mean the f-word, so say it.

We can come up with some unique combo ways to swear in my house.

reply to post by screamo


See I thought about this, but why are they not proper? That's the main question I've come to ask now (That I have gained a bit more insight as to why they are bad) Why are these words not proper? I mean we all know what a female dog is, and should just say it, the label attached to it that has been given should not matter (When one calls a female [of the human species that word.]) Or perhaps a few of the others.

Though I suppose their is something about the words also, as I asked my parents that and they just told me it is something that they have come to learn.