Swearing: My Analysis
(As a person who doesn’t usually swear you might need to work with me on this)
Swearing... the epitome of all things wrong?
To be honest I’ve never really liked swearing, I tend not to do it but I don’t have a go at those who do. Swearing is just a part of the world we live in and no matter how hard any of us try we’re probably not going to escape it.
Probably the first issue concerning swearing was brought up to me as a kid.
Did any of you watch that show Recess?
It was aired on The Disney Channel a few years back now but it’ll always remain in my memory as being one of the best cartoons they ever showed. There was a character on that show named TJ and his substitute for swearing was the word “wamps”. There seemed to be nothing wrong with a nine year old boy shouting the word every episode until Mrs. Finster, the notoriously evil play ground monitor, got wind of what he was saying.
TJ was forced to sit in the principal’s office until he apologized for what he had said, to which TJ remained silent. And as the audience would expect he kept quiet due to his innocence.
The episode went on as the word was blown up and compared to the equally evil word “Dang!” (Oh I know, awful right?) It got to a point were TJ was held on trial for the heinous word and pleas for its abolishment were set in place. However once the judge learned of reason behind the trial he simply laughed and ended the whole thing.
Moral of that episode?
Well I took as it meaning only certain swear words (the ones we frown upon) as being the only “really bad ones”. However, today I hold a slightly different view.
If that was the case, the “really bad ones” the ones that’ll get you dirty looks in ASDA, if they were the only ones that were so heinously bad then there would be no problem substituting those words with our own, right?
Food is a popular substitution in my books, words like “sugar” and “fudge”- they seem to roll off the tongue and filter out the words others usually say. But like "wamps" is it really better saying these words when the meaning could be interpreted as being the same.
If yes, then why are ‘actual’ swear words still deemed as bad?
When it comes right down to it, all the words we use like this are cursing words, used to show emotion - disappointment, relief, anger, pain etc.. So why are swear words looked down upon so much?
Surely everyone is entitled to say what they want in a country of free speech?
It may not seem like it but whatever we say to vent our emotion out like that all holds the same meaning, the same motive of trying to release our emotion verbally.
So even if you do choose to swear - there really is nothing wrong with it, right?
I was once told that people who swear simply can’t think of other words to use so they resort to the ones on the top of their head: swear words.
I don’t think it’s intelligent to use them as every other word or as substitutes for insults. Using swear words that way actually proves the point that the user can’t think of any other words to say. But like I said before, using them as a form of venting pain or anger - it’s no different than using your own words, because they hold the same purpose.
I guess this is just my opinion, but then I guess I have to face the question: why don’t I swear? Considering what I have just said, that using swear words is the same as using substitutes.
For one, swear words have been around for an extremely long time in many different forms but they are forever recognisable by everyone. They are universal even if said in different languages and for that reason everyone will know what you say if you say it. It may depend on if you care what others think, but saying them can upset those around you just because of the way they sound - and what they mean.
Yes that’s frustrating and confusing, and I may be over complicating the whole thing but no matter what, there will always be people who don’t like swear words because of what they mean. Let’s take the F-word, can anyone really define it - give it a definition? The word is what it means, whatever you want it to mean - and no matter what you want it to mean, it’ll upset someone.
Eh, know what I mean?
Like I said before I don’t really like swearing, and even considering the point previously made about substitutes I still don’t feel comfortable using words that’ll get a film rated 15. If, however, the people I am around are comfortable with certain words, including my parents, than I see no problem using those words.
It seems that I have trained myself not to use many, if not all, swear words from a young age. Two years ago I trained myself not to blaspheme; it was just a life choice I felt more than comfortable with. No one told me to do it - I just decided to do it. The same applied with swearing, although I made this choice about two years ago as well (around about the time everyone was starting year seven and if you didn’t swear you were just uncool) I managed to keep to it.
Therefore swearing feels uncomfortable for me, it doesn’t roll of the tongue naturally. Of course being surrounded by a society that thrives on the need to swear and vent and just use these words for whatever purpose, I know eventually I’ll probably change. But for now I prefer to just speak the way I speak.
It has occurred to me most comedic sketches or shows involve swearing, and again I have no problem with it. I don’t have a problem with people who swear, I don’t care what others say but I do become agitated when others expect everyone around them to swear as well.
I don’t ban all swear words from my vocabulary - because some are just there for good, some are the only option for what they define. But where there’s a second option, there’s a way to get around swearing.
My rule would probably be if they say it in a 12A I have no issue saying it.
Yeah, the score changes as you get older but for now there’s a vocabulary that doesn’t need to be tampered with.
I may be behind the times and I’m sure as heck I’ll change my opinion in a few years, but for now here’s my very confusing, and unorthodox, explanation for why I don’t swear but for why I have no problem with swearing.
Ah, *beep* it.
5 Comments – Post a comment
ilovegingers
Commented 21 months ago - 3rd September 2010 - 15:31pm
i like this, it's so true, everyone swears in this day and age, it's awful.
i don't blaspheme either. i like the ending.
you have an amazing skill of writing,
and hitting people with slippers!
OOH BURN!
RoLouG
Commented 21 months ago - 3rd September 2010 - 20:56pm
this made me smile
also made me think that i probably swear/blaspheme far too much.
I've never really understood why not swearing means you're really uncool. It's probably the need to look "hard" and "tough" in front of your peers. People used to make fun of me a bit because i never used to swear, so i started swearing more often to stop that (it didn't really work though). i wish i could stop, it always makes me feel like someone i'm not. so thats what this piece has taught me . well done!
neilramsden
Commented 20 months ago - 5th September 2010 - 23:19pm
Interesting article! I never really thought about it, but my swearing is quite odd. It depends on who I'm with- when I am with my friend from London, who swears as part of the vocabulary she was brought up on, I swear loads. When I'm with my girlfriend I only swear when I'm really angry, and not in the slightest when with parents! I definitely swear the most when no-one else can hear though- playing sport, the things going through my head would offend a soldier. Similarly today I have been fighting with my laptop and mp3 player, which don't want to work, and they are probably offended at what I've been calling them.
I don't believe swearing shows a lack of intelligence though. I think we just use language which society has taught us is the strongest way of expressing emotions, mainly anger. I've really rambled. Anyway, good article!
Sambow
Commented 20 months ago - 6th September 2010 - 11:20am
Thanks guys! :D
cardiffgirl
Commented 20 months ago - 14th September 2010 - 15:41pm
Yeah, this is really good! And true!! Whenever Im around people I respect like adults and that.... I'm always saying suger and now, pook (I know rubbish right).
Keep it cool!
Cardiffgirl