What’s with the profanity?

Steven Pinker, the Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology, discussed swearing in a chapter of his book “The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature” (2007).

The significance of curse words differs across cultures, languages, and historical contexts, as demonstrated by the fact that terms like damn and hell were once viewed as deeply offensive in English. This shift is partly attributed to the reduction of religious sensitivities. In a time when individuals genuinely believed that a divine presence scrutinized their every utterance and feared eternal damnation, a curse implying damnation carried greater weight than it does in the present day. Similarly, regarding sexuality, prior to the sexual revolution, terms like f*ck and pr*ck were significantly more shocking than they are now, although they still uphold a level of taboo. Historically, cultural standards and prohibitions have given rise to curse words.

The common thread among curse words is their ability to invoke negative emotions, whether stemming from fear of the supernatural, as seen in religious curse words; disgust towards bodily fluids; abhorrence of immoral sexual acts; or animosity towards certain marginalized individuals.

Using profanity signifies a readiness to impart discomfort, yet it may also serve as a method to convey a relaxed atmosphere; an environment where we don’t filter our speech. A significant cultural transformation that began around the early 20th century diminished formality, restraint, and propriety in various aspects of life, favoring authenticity, self-expression, and spontaneity. This informal approach has also led to a reduction in restraint against swearing.

Among the various forms of swearing, dysphemistic swearing stands out. A dysphemism is the converse of a euphemism, a term typically utilized to avoid eliciting strong emotions in your listener. Dysphemism is a word intentionally chosen to provoke an emotional response, such as when you assert, “Will you please pick up your dog sh*t?” because you wish to express your irritation and disgust. Abusive swearing occurs when negative feelings are employed to humiliate or intimidate someone by comparing them to an unpleasant or emotionally charged entity, like calling someone a d*ck or charging them with engaging in degrading sexual behavior. There is also cathartic swearing, often happening when one bangs their head on an object, and idiomatic swearing, exemplified by phrases like “get your sh*t together,” “pissed off,” or “a pain in the behind.”

Truncated profanities are another feature, where individuals may suppress the impulse to say a taboo word by using alternatives that rhyme with or are similar phonically to the forbidden term. Examples include geez and gee-whiz for Jesus Christ, or gosh and golly for God. Another characteristic of taboo vocabulary is employing hyphens and asterisks. The use of asterisks prompts the question: Who is deceived by using f*ck, or when a word is censored on television? It’s less about the word’s underlying concept and more about the act of saying it, which both speaker and listener recognize as an intentional endeavor to shock or violate norms. The use of truncated profanity removes that intention while maintaining all else intact. It conveys “I am purposefully and consciously not trying to offend you,” which is often the entire objective of swearing.

I believe swearing should be used sparingly. The powerful impact of forbidden language relies on it not being utilized in every instance, yet it should be reserved for moments when you wish to astonish an audience or highlight the serious or evocative nature of a subject. It’s advisable to keep the powder dry, as the saying goes. I find it quite tiresome when individuals use f*ck excessively as if it’s their sole method to emphasize a point. With the English language boasting around half a million words, it’s simply more desirable for individuals to explore the lexicon and select the most fitting word, rather than resorting to a simplistic taboo term.

— As recounted to Liz Mineo, Harvard Staff Writer