Why are we so offended by curse words?

Question

They're negative. They're words. They're curse words.. they put a curse on us.. mentally I suppose. They're so taboo! Why do we hold on to this concept so dearly when after all, they are just words.

Answer 1

Just the way people perceive them. I've thought about that, too. Just like bad people have bad repuations, bad worse must have bad repuations. I think bad words were probably good words just used in vain.

Answer 2

I think it's foolish to say they are just words. Words are sounds that carry meaning. So long as the meaning is even remotely there, words have extreme power. Look at the rise of Hitler or the inspirational speech of Martin Luther King. Those were just words. But look at the legacy they left behind. Curse words are negative and I don't like hearing them too much because I do believe that they have a negative effect on people after a while. Oprah was told she was beautiful, a person who struggled with drugs but overcame them was told, "just hold on"...words can make or break a person, so I don't like the use of curse words and I disapprove of their use.

Answer 3

I guess it's the connotation associated with them. Also it's how the person perceives it. I never thought "stupid" was a bad word and I never thought I was stupid when someone called me that--I didn't take it personally--but now my three year old niece calls me on it telling me that that isn't a nice word. Stupid that is; I don't curse in front of the kids because society frowns on children cursing more than they do when adults do it and I'm really trying to cut down on the cursing.

Answer 4

People have feelings, that's why! Once they are they are said, the ears heard it, sending signals to the brain, and then we reacted! It hurts even more when it's not true! Curse words are made by filthy mouths, and it can break a heart! They are not just words, they are words! Exactly, something that can make or break a life...

Answer 5

Because words are creative. What we say is what is brought to us. And besides, the old saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me" is WRONG> Words hurt worse than anything. Broken bones and scrapes heal, but words get replayed over and over in a persons psyche and can do real damage. BUT if you have no feeling toward the word or meaning behind the word, then you wouldn't be offended, you'd laugh instead.

Answer 6

thanks Dee Jay my sentiments precisely. Jim I agree. Jan you and that i have an identical concept, i don't like the Lord's call being taken in ineffective, and that i will't stand the "N" be conscious! My lady friend is from a sect in India and says there somewhat isn't a be conscious for calling a lady a "B"? they don't use particular colourful words. sure they have cuss be conscious yet some derogatory words do not exists like ours. And that is something about the action cuss be conscious "F" that I merely did not understand considering that in our slang it meant, properly you recognize what it meant, and that meant some "sturdy serious company". no longer to be taken gently. It develop into the kinky verbal substitute in the mattress room, no longer merely expletives for everyday language. perchance i'm too previous for this new way of speaking.

Answer 7

I am not offended by them unless someone calls me a derogitory word in a negative way. Then I freak out. They are ways of expressing ourselves and I have wondered this same question before. They are only letters formed into a word and you take them as you wish.

Answer 8

The very fact that you called them curse words should tell you something. The Word of God tell us to abstain from all immorality, idle babbles, immoral conduct,,,,,,, shall I go on. If we let the curse words slide today, what will it be tommorrow, phornography, incest, gay marriages, come on now. Let's get a grip. May God Bless

Answer 9

Here's the funny part--take the Latin origin word, and it is clean. Excrement is clean, the Old English four letter word for exactly the same thing is dirty. Copulate is fine, but the Old English four letter word for exactly the same thing is dirty. Obviously it applies to body parts too. It is just the symbol, the word, that people find offensive, people deal with the reality just fine.

Answer 10

Though you are correct ( I have often wondered this myself), I think many people associate "bad words" with something negative, maybe even traumatic happening to them. As a child, my mother did not let me ever express myself to her. Out of anger she would often get in my face and yell "F uck What You Feel!" To this day, when I hear the word "f uck", I always cringe a little and it just sounds so harsh to me.