When were profanity words created?

Question

Does anyone know when profanity words created? How did they get their meaning? Give out your best theory or logic.

Thanks you guys for answering my question! I can't wait for the other answers!

Answer 1

Terms of profanity have historically been taboo words. Some words that were originally considered profane have become much less offensive with the increasing secularity of society. Others, primarily racial or ethnic epithets, can be considered part of hate speech.

William Shakespeare hinted at the word **** in Hamlet, Twelfth Night and Henry V: Hamlet makes reference to "country matters" when he tries to lay his head in Ophelia's lap; Malvolio has the salacious line "These be her very c's, her u's, and her t's, and thus she makes her great p's"; and the French Princess Katherine is amused by the word gown for its similarity to the French con. Interestingly, the word "****," while retaining its original meaning in America, has changed in meaning somewhat in Great Britain in the past thirty years. Where American usage of the word mostly refers to either female anatomy or (in extreme cases) an ill-tempered woman, "****" in the UK has attained the status of a gender-neutral insult, akin to arsehole etc.

In the U.S. today, terminology considered to be racist is often seen as more offensive than sexual or scatological terminology; this is most clearly shown in the attention given to use of the word ******, now effectively banned in American public discourse, although many black people use the word "*****" as a casual reference, more than most whites do in their normal conversations (though in certain racist or racially-biased social groups, ****** as a casual reference to black people is still in frequent use). Some mistakenly associate the word niggardly (meaning "stingy") with the word ******.[2] As with other types of profanity, context is very important; thus, Americans of African descent might use the word ******, or the related *****, in informal situations among themselves, without being considered offensive.

Many of the words now considered most 'profane' are held to be so because they were created to insult and disparage a particular group (see pejorative terms). Some of the targets of these words have however attempted to reclaim them and reduce their power as insults (see, for example, queer and ******). Other ethnic slurs like "*****" (East Asian person), "****" (Hispanic), "wop(s)" (Italian/Greek), "kraut" (German--used especially during World War II), "beaner" (Mexican), "raghead" or"towelhead" (Arab Moslem); and pejoratives like "fattie", "cripple", "retard", and "redneck" aren't entirely profane to a society, but can be considered very offensive when used in the company of certain people, and not socially accepted in polite settings or social situations.

The offensiveness or perceived intensity or vulgarity of the various profanities can change over time, with certain words becoming more or less offensive as time goes on. For example, in modern times the word piss is usually considered mildly vulgar and somewhat impolite, whereas the King James Bible unblushingly employs it where modern translators would prefer the word urine (2 Kings 18:27; Isa 36:12) or urinate (1 Sam 25:22, 25:34; 1 Kings 14:10, 16:11, 21:21; 2 Kings 9:8). The word **** has seen a similar evolution; its ancestor ("queynte") was not considered vulgar at all, but the word is now considered among the most offensive words in the English language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profanity

Answer 2

The first swear word was created when the first cave man or woman stubbed his/her toe on a rock.

When we're angry, we say words that we think are disagreeable. So, we use words for bodily functions and excretions that people find distasteful or words that disturb other people's sensibilities. We use words like "damn" because it originally meant that a person should go to Hell. When people were more religious, this had great meaning, today not so much. There is a Biblical injunction against using God's name in vain, so when a person does this, he is showing extreme anger, or used to back in the day.

We say things like, "I don't give a _______," to show disdain or contempt. We put a word on the line to show how useless the thing or person is. Actually, "dam" should be used rather than "damn" because the "dam" was a cheap hunk of metal used to mend a cooking pot.

If you stop and think about the way we use some profanity, the words just don't make sense used the way they are. "He's a hell of a nice guy." That makes no sense. Hell is supposed to be a terrible place. "Damn that was good." Again, "damn" is shortened "condemned to Hell."

Answer 3

I would have thought that profanity has been around for as long as language!

Specifically, though, the 'F' word dates back to the middle ages, when offenders were put in stocks for all to see and their offence was often engraved or painted on the stocks so that people knew why they were there.

The 'F' word stood for Full Unlawful Carnal Knowledge which was the full expression used before the word 'rape' was popularised.

Answer 4

Vulgarities: (s88t, p88s, etc.) arise whenever some segment of society decides that descriptions of certain bodily functions are not to be uttered in "polite" company. These words will vary according to whatever the society decides is repugnant about being human.

Profanities: (h88l, d88n, etc.) arise when a society decides that certain words or phrases that pertain to religious beliefs are not to be used, again, in "polite" company.

Obscenities: (f88k, and its ilk) arise when catchphrases or other words become repugnant to society because of their usage by the ah....er....um....shall we say....less welcome members of said society.

Blasphemys: (G-d88nit, J888sH.C8888t, etc.) are those words and phrases considered by society to be demeaning to or insulting to the Deity most worshiped by said society.

All of the above are subject to change without notice as society's mores change.

Certain words will probably always be less acceptable than others, but the amount of unacceptability can and usually will change with time and repetition.

Answer 5

Profanity, like language, is arbitrary, and is as old as language itself. We can assume this to be true since every language we know of has had words or phrases conisdered profane.

Edite: Do NOT believe Adam's Rib, there was never a "Golden Age." Sex has always been sex, elevated by some, and just treated as just sex by many others; it has even more significations. . .

Answer 6

They started out as simple slang terms.The early people were easily offended by slang terms.My view on it is thier no worse than the slang we use today although I myself don't try to use words that are offensive to others.To a Christian the using of the Lords name in vain is a sin. Some of the worst considered curse words are not in that catagory.

Answer 7

help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.

Look up Profanity in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
A common cartoonish depiction of profanity substituting symbols for words.Profanity is “the quality or state of being profane” (see Sacred-profane dichotomy). It can also relate to using profane language, or desecration or disrespect toward an object of religious veneration.[1] It can be a word, expression, gesture, or other social behavior which is socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, or vulgar.

Other words commonly used to describe profane language or its use include: cuss, curse, swearing, expletive, oath, bad word, dirty word, strong language, irreverent language, obscene language, and blasphemous language.

Usage
A profanity will have an original meaning (which may change across time and language) which in itself may give some cause for offence. Additionally, many profanities will have applied meanings of their own, usually associated to their context and which therefore may vary significantly depending upon the intended purpose of the word in the sentence. For example; ****, a profanity in English, is a verb for the sexual act and may be used literally in this sense - "I fucked that *****", but also in the context of an exclamation, "**** you", to refer to acts of violence - "I'll **** you up!" or to simply add weight to a sentence - "This is ******* interesting!" or "That was ******* cool!". Another example would be "That was fucked up!" The degree to which a profanity is offensive is a highly subjective matter as it relies upon how the use of the word affects an individual or group of individuals. Some will consider the original meaning of a word (for example, the sexual act) as being offensive or as a subject not fit for polite conversation (sexual acts, sexual references or reference to bodily parts, or religiously sensitive subjects) whilst others will have no objection to these subject matters and therefore words used to describe them.

Some will feel that certain words, having an established social taboo associated with them, are simply offensive by themselves, regardless of any context in which they are used; others will find profanities offensive mainly when used in a way deliberately intended to offend or insult, but less offensive in other contexts, such as a neutral exclamation.

Furthermore, some people may be in the habit of using highly insulting language (which may include profanity) for style or comedy purpose, especially amongst friends or familiar company where the intention is either not to insult or is to apply only a very mild insult. Thus, otherwise highly offensive insults can be used as terms of endearment - "How's it going, motherfucker?"

Finally, profanities may cause offence, regardless of context, if they have some religious meaning which may cause their use to offend those who follow a particular religion. The original meaning of the term was restricted to blasphemy, sacrilege or saying the Abrahamic god's name (or an identifier such as "Lord" or "God") in vain. Profanity in this context could be represented as a secular indifference to religion or religious figures, while blasphemy was a direct attack on them, often interpreted as such, even when the intent was not to do so.

As the concept of a profanity has been extended to include expressions with scatological, sexist, derogatory, racist, or sexual interpretations, the broader concept of 'socially unacceptable' language has emerged, with religious meaning playing a varying role, and the more vague and inclusive interpretation blurring the distinction between categories of offensiveness. This modern concept of profanity, has evolved differently throughout different cultures and languages. For example, many profanities in Canadian French are a corruption of religious terminology (the sacres), while many English obscenities tend to reference sexuality. A term which functions as a profanity in one language may often lack any profane quality when translated into another language such as Latin.

For still more details please visit wikipedia web on Profanity.

Answer 8

There are two theories on this -

The cave man while inventing the wheel hit his finger with a rock and said "sh*t!!".

Another theory is a cave man was stepping out to his favorite bush to take a leak and stepped in a big pile of dinosaur crap and exclaimed 'oh sh*t'

It's science man; I heard it on discovery LOL

Answer 9

For one, the word sh#t comes from pre-WWII when crates, full of manure, were shipped via boat. If this stuff got wet, it would get heavier and fermentation would occur sometimes causing it to spontaneously combust on board the ship. For this reason they needed to stow the manure crates highest in the hold. To identify them they would stamp S. H. I. T. on the crates.
Stack High in Transit

Answer 10

I would think the first bad word would have been ***...beings that it was one of the first animals created..and someone took it out of context because someone reminded them of that ,.did ant of this make sence...lol...have a great day