Where did curse/cuss/swear words come from?

Question

i want like how they originated and if they were okay words at one time or if they are bad cause they come from a certain base or what

that you!

Answer 1

I assume you're referring to "four-letter words", and how they came to be socially unacceptable. The terms you chose --"swear words" and "curse words" [colloquially "cuss words"] -- helps to explain that, especially if you understand the VARIETY of words that we toss together under these headings, and how they came to be connected.

If all you want to know is the etymology/history of specific words, many dictionaries provide such things. But it isn't as if all "curse words", or even specific groups of them came into modern English from the same source (whether Germanic or Latin roots...) ANY word might conceivably end up in such a category. I'll try to suggest how this happened with SOME groups of them further down.

General notes on "bad language" -- in most if not all human languages there are certain types of speech (words, expressions) that is to be used with the utmost care, if at all.

Sociologists sometimes use the expression "taboo words" to express the idea that this is language that one is not allowed to use, or only to use within carefully circumscribed circumstances. Sometimes it includes the idea that the language is "dangerous". This may be because speaking it wrongly or carelessly is thought to cause something bad to happen, esp. to stir up supernatural forces to do something. Or it may simply be that there will be strong SOCIAL consequences of misusing the language. Or both.

At any rate, this special "strong language" may be of various sorts and sources, but it may 'fall together' at times. That's a bit of what has happened with "swear words" in English.

One good starting place is to note two groups of words/types of language, that may be closely related:
a) "swear words" --used to take an oath -- such as "[I swear] in God's name"
b) "curse words" -- used IN a curse, to call down judgment on one's self --as when TAKING an oath --or on others.

In some cultures there a sense that these words are almost magical, that they have power in and of themselves to cause things to happen. Others believe that God, or other divine powers, listen and respond. But in many cases it may be primarily a SOCIAL-LEGAL thing. That is, when one speaks these words in public,esp. in a formally recognized way, it is considered a binding act, that is, a legally-binding act, in that society.

So we start with one set of words that is sacred and POSITIVE (e.g. God's name), and another that is very negative (describing the curse). . . all of which are used to make a very STRONG statement (declaration or promise). And note that many of these are solemn and "sacred" terms that are NOT considered wrong to use in themselves, but which it is considered very wrong to MIS-use, including by using the language LIGHTLY or disrespectfully.
__________

These features of the language help explain how 'four-letter words' came to be included and called 'swear words', though this is, strictly speaking, inaccurate, since they are NOT used to swear an oath. Note that this sort of language is often called VULGARITY or PROFANITY.

The idea is something like this. To profane is to misuse something considered sacred or special... dishonoring something that is supposed to be honored. "Profanity" refers to language that --at least in certain contexts-- dishonors, treat lightly or as "profane" --that is common or 'vulgar'-- things that are supposed to be honored as sacred.

Note that THIS language is not necessarily considered wrong in ALL contexts (though the view of that depends on the society or social group one belongs to). But to use "profane" language when talking about something that is supposed to be honored is very much frowned on.

In more recent times, certain 'common' ways of speaking about 'private' bodily functions -- mainly 'elimination of waste' [defecation, urination] and sexual acts -- have fallen into this category of "profanity". . . and so loosely called "swear words" or "curse words". They are considered at best 'impolite' ways of speaking.

All of this does NOT necessarily mean the thing spoken about is considered a negative thing in itself. In fact, the idea of 'profanity' is simply that it is to spoken of with care and RESPECT, because it is private and/or it is considered very GOOD and worthy of respect. That, in fact, is the case for words related to sexual acts. In short, four-letter words concerning sex are NOT necessarily considered 'dirty', 'vulgar', 'swear words', etc. because the acts themselves are thought of in this way. It may be precisely the opposite -- that these are considered as things that are as GOOD in their proper place, and SPECIAL, and so to be spoken of with care and respect. Thus the 'swear words' themselves are the ones that are regarded as expressing a negative or low view of sex.

DO note that one typical use of such language IS precisely to express very strong NEGATIVE emotions or attitudes --anger/outrage, disgust, etc., -- and esp. in a way that is INTENDED to strongly offend or at least to shock or underline how strongly the speaker feels. That is, people do use the language precisely BECAUSE it is considered offensive or "taboo".

Eventually such language may simply be used to express great surprise, or even simply to 'strengthen' or intensify a statement, without necessarily intending to offend.

Final note -- some object that all these words aren't really so special, that it's just that "society considers them bad". But that misses the very NATURE of language. The meanign of ALL language is defined by society, since it's whole reason for existence is to communicate with others! Consider also WHY people use these words when they KNOW how others regard them. Generally the choose these words precisely BECAUSE of the words are understood by others. So, in most cases, someone uses "offensive" language because they INTEND to give offense! (I won't judge whether/when it's morally right to do so in some contexts. One could easily argue there are situations where offending people is appropriate, even necessary.)

Answer 2

****: The word **** did not originate as an acronym like most people think: Fornication Under Consent of the King. It crept, fully formed, into the English language from Dutch or Low German around the 15th century (it's impossible to say precisely when because so little documentary evidence exists, probably due to the fact that the word was so taboo throughout its early history that people were afraid to write it down). The American Heritage Dictionary says its first known occurrence in English literature was in the satirical poem "Flen, Flyss" (c.1500), where it was not only disguised as a Latin word but encrypted - gxddbov - which has been deciphered as fuccant, pseudo-Latin for "they ****."

Answer 3

Many (but by far not all) of what we consider to be swear words in modern day English are words that come from Germanic and/or Anglo-Saxon backgrounds. The tongue of the commoner rather than the tongue of the noble (which would be Romance languages, eg. French, Italian, Latin). Every word has a different etymology, but I can't think of any off-hand that have bucked the trend and gone from acceptable to unacceptable, other than racial slurs, and perhaps the words "b*stard" which used to mean, specifically, a man born out of wedlock, and "b*tch" which means a female dog and is still used acceptably as such in breeding circles. Generally words either become acceptable over time, or remain unacceptable.

Answer 4

Well it seems that certain words like the F word originated in German, and it was just an exclamation as if they had hit themselves with a hammer on the thumb. So early English speaking people just started twisting it and turning it until it became what it is today. Just think of it like when you were a kid and how some words can have a whole bunch of meanings.

Answer 5

"From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."

Cursing or swearing is never good. But we curse and swear if only to express the burning feeling inside. But doing so does not make the situation any better but instead we are like inviting more evil spirits.

If only we can deal with our hearts, teach the heart to be calm and reasonable, such condition will be reflected in the words that go out of the mouth. And we are better off.

Answer 6

Some are Old English words (c**t, f**k) which had perfectly innocent meanings originally and which over time have somehow become corrupted. Others are of a religious source: 'bloody' being a contraction of 'by our Lady' (Mary, mother of Jesus), 'blimey' being a contraction of 'God, blind me', just for example.

Answer 7

From the day's of the black plague. They didn't know why people were dying so they blamed it on superstitious gobbledygook. They were religious and figured people got sick because they had offended God or something. They thought if you said certain "unclean" words then you would bring a curse on yourself or those around you or of whom you spoke, and so "curse" words were borne.

Answer 8

I promise you, if you didn't know a SINGLE cuss word- you'd make one up, -the SECOND you stubbed your toe on a piece of furniture in the dark- in the middle of the night!!! :) I think of it as a form of "verbal spontaneous combustion..." :)

Answer 9

Look each one up, individually, on wikipedia. Seriously. They'll tell you the origin of each word.

Answer 10

My Aunt Adelina, my Cousin Tony, Aunt Carmela and Louie Viducci ... non stop!

Answer 11

I know that C*nt means- a wild independent woman and Vagina means a sheath for a sword