It’s not just you – there’s a reason swearing is so satisfying.
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Articles on Swear words
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Politicians dropping the f-bomb tend to be seen as acting out of emotion, but the way we use taboo language is often about what we can accomplish by violating rules.
Here’s when the law says it’s okay to let rude words fly.
The n-word is a means through which hip hop reminds white listeners of the chasm of culture and experience between them and black America.
But the British soon got the hang of profanity.
When translating The 120 Days of Sodom, we had a duty to be just as rude, crude, and revolting as Sade.
The film’s exchange of Titty for Tatty is very much in line with Victorian censorship of profanities for children.
When Australians went to the Western Front, language failed them. So they invented slanguage: a mix of slang, French words and creative swearing that, among other things, gave us the word “Aussie”.
Did your child just drop the F-bomb? What can you do?
Top contributors
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Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia
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Casual lecturer, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney
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Professor of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London
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Assistant Professor of Multicultural Education, Teacher Education, and Childhood Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Languages and Linguistics, The University of Melbourne
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Deputy Head Arts and Media, University of Central Lancashire
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Professor of French and Comparative Literature, Queen Mary University of London
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Doctoral Researcher in Late-Medieval Linguistics and Literature, University of Sheffield
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Lecturer in Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London
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Associate Professor of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Queen's University, Ontario
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Assistant Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Queen's University, Ontario
