"Swear" words are taboo in our society today, but is there any real reason? A lot of people substitute "frick" and "fetch" in place of more offensive words such as the f-bomb, but does that really absolve you of any "sin"? The emotion you want to imply is still there, you are just using a different word to express it. What is it about saying one particular word that makes that emotion so wrong, when all other words make it ok? Keeping all of this in mind, should someone who constantly uses 4-letter words really be criticized, assuming that person has been raised to give those words a different meaning than the general public? If you were raised your whole life being taught to say dam instead of shoot, when you make a mistake...is the world allowed to ostracize you for it?
2007-11-01 12:33:27 · 4 answers · asked by Amy D 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Four-letter words are taboo because they are powerful. People who use them, regardless of their background, know how powerful they are, and use them for that reason. It is impossible for a person to be raised not knowing how these words are used in the general public. A person does not only learn language from his/her parents, but also from television and his/her peers at school, etc.
As for how we should react to people who use this language: as I said earlier, people who use these words use them because they know, even unconsciously, how powerful they are. A person who is using them believes that he/she is getting some kind of power from them. This power apparently overrides the fear of ostracization for that person.
2007-11-01 12:57:35 · answer #1 · answered by drshorty 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've always felt that language is more than just a tool to convey information; it's a way of expressing oneself. Some people just do it differently than others. Although in polite company, it is always best not to use quite so "colorful" language, or yes, there is a risk of being ostracized. That's not fair...but that's the way it is.
My friend always uses whatever language she chooses. She says if the intent (emotion) is there, why be a wimp and water the words down. She said that to me when I started substituting the word "sh*t" for "sugar". Stupid, I know. But I was working in a place that if I swore, I would have really been embarrassed.
2007-11-01 13:16:39 · answer #2 · answered by Dustelightful 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think we need boundaries so we have something to cross. Having something small like a word we're not allowed to say, keeps us from doing larger things we're not allowed to, like killing each other. We cross the small boundary and feel naughty, and it satisfies us so we don't feel like we have to cross the larger one too.
2007-11-01 12:39:52 · answer #3 · answered by Marie Antoinette 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
there's a pretty deep history
2007-11-01 12:53:58 · answer #4 · answered by shightfuhk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋