Linguistics of Swearing

1. Linguistics of Swearing By Sara, Ravindu & Andrew

2. General Information • In everylanguage (more common in somethanothers) • - Somedialects of the samelanguagemayhavedifferentswearwords • Areeither ”Deistic” or”Visceral” • - Deistic = related to religion • - Visceral = related to bodyand/oritsfunctions • In somelanguages, racistremarksareswearing (in otherstheyaren’t) • Studies show thatmenswearmoreoverallthanwomen • Whenwomenswear, it’smore in context

3. WHEN AND WHERE IS SWEARING USED? • AGE • Emerges by age 2 • Knows which words are naughty • Becomes adult-like at age 11/12 • SWEARING MAKES UP • 3% of all adult conversation at work • 13% of all adult leisure conversation • “POSITIVELY” IN • Joking or storytelling • Stress management • Fitting in with the crowd • Substitute for physical aggression • NEGATIVELY IN • Verbal abuse • Sexual harassment • Discrimination

4. Cont. • SWEARING IN PUBLIC • 72% of men • 58% of women • 74% of 18 to 34 year olds • 48% of people over the age of 55 in America • DIFFERENCES IN CULTURES • Swear at different times or situations • In different contexts • DIFFERENCES IN PEOPLE • Speak more than one language  swear in different languages but swear words from primary language have biggest emotional impact • Learn language through immersion(not classroom)  swear more

5. WhatDoesSwearingMean? • Profanelanguageused to express feelings • To promise to dosomething • - E.g., ”I swear to bringyouyour money later” • Addingemphasis to storiesoranecdotes.

6. HowSwearingAffects Us • Somereligionsorpartiesfindswearingveryoffensive • - Somepeoplenot in thesegroupsalsofindswearingveryoffensive • Swearingsometimesaddsemphasis to certainthings • - Givesparts of a storymoremeaning • - Canmakesomethingsseemfunnier (e.g., stand-upcomedy act) • Swearingaroundchildren • - Makes the childthinkswearing is okay • - Childmayswearwithoutknowingmeaning • Whenyouswear a lot in free-time, youstartnaturallyswearing in situationswhereyoushouldn’tswear • Cangivepeople a badreason to judgeyou • - MayruinFirstimpressions on somepeople

7. Cont. • Somepeoplesayswearinghelpstoleratecertainsituations • Long termswearingcanleadlack of emotionalresponse • - Sometimesnotreactingnormally in somesituations • - E.g., somedying • - Gettingtoldoffbyparentorteacher • - Notgetting the sameemotionalfeelingfrom a situation

8. Goodquotesfrom An Anatomy of Swearing ”The function of swearing is to provide an outlet for agressivefeelingsthusinduced, and in this manner to restore the normalpsychophysicalequilibrium of the individual.”

9. The Psychology of Profanity ”Profanity is a primitiveand instinctiveform of reaction to a situationwhichthreatens in someway the well-being of the individual, standingnext to that of actualcombat.”

10. The study of Swearing What is Swearing? Swearingcanbeinterpreted in bothways. One meaning is to curse, to saybad/vulgarwords. While the othermeans to take an oathor a vow in marriage. Whydoweswear? Weswear to express ourhowwearefeeling; anger, frustration, joy, surprise, etc. Anotherreason is thatitrelieves pain orit is a way out for ouragressivefeelings. And itcouldevenbe a typical, primitiveorinstictiveresponse to somesituations.

11. Swearing in OtherCultures • Someculturesacceptsomewordswhileotherswouldn’t • - E.g., Someunacceptablewords in Britainareacceptableelsewhere • Mostcultures’ swearwordstranslate to a word in anotherlanguage

12. Swearing in Singhalese In singhaleseswearingit is no differentthanwhenyouswear in english. There is thoughonemajordifference, in singhaleseyoudon’tuseswearwordswhenyou express happinessorjoy (f*** yea). The swearwords in singhaleseusuallyrelate to lazy and dumbpeople.

13. Works Cited • Internet Sources: • "How Swearing Works." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://people.howstuffworks.com/swearing.htm>. • Prontes, Isabel. "The Effects of Profanity." EHow. Demand Media, 30 Oct. 2008. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ehow.com/about_4576302_effects-profanity.html>. • "Why Does Swearing a Lot Affect How Cursing Activates Our Brains? - Science and Religion Today." Why Does Swearing a Lot Affect How Cursing Activates Our Brains? - Science and Religion Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. <http://www.scienceandreligiontoday.com/2011/12/05/why-does-swearing-a-lot-affect-how-cursing-activates-our-brains/>. • Picture Sources: • msnbcmedia1.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Components/ArtAndPhoto-Fronts/HEALTH/Illustrations/HLG-Curse-Relief.gif • 1.bp.blogspot.com/-xweHRyGS8ZA/TjHEj8c6ugI/AAAAAAAABcQ/oExhraYGTs/s1600/2008-09-06-hate-swearing.jpg • education.byu.edu/youcandothis/images/criticize_principles.jpg

14. Cont. • More Internet Sources: • "What Does Swearing Mean ?" What Does Swearing Mean ?N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. <http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatDoesSwearingMean/bzjbb/post.htm>. • "Definitions for Swearing." What Does Swearing Mean?N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. <http://www.definitions.net/definition/swearing>. • "The Anatomy of Swearing." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. <http://books.google.fi/books?id=QERsPn0nN-YC>. • "Linguistics." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/linguistics>. • "WhyDoWeSwear? | World of Psychology." PsychCentral.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. <http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/03/30/why-do-we-swear/>.