“Swearing, they say, is a human universal. Every language, dialect
or patois ever studied, living or dead, spoken by millions or by a small tribe
has a certain group of words that are considered swearing.”
Swearing is like all language – fluid. It is never static or
stagnant. Language has a wonderful quality of movement that changes and adapts
to the world as the world itself changes.
Swearing is by no means a recent thing, some researchers have
suggested that humans could swear before they could walk upright as anyone
that’s tried to wake up someone with a hangover can attest. Modern day swearing
evolved from cursing and profanity and while those are still synonyms for
swearing, they once had a different meaning.
Profanity came about by taking holy things and using them in
unholy circumstances. God damn it, hells bells… that kind of thing. Things that
most of us don’t bat an eyelid over now or even really consider swearing.
Cursing was literally putting a curse on someone. My family is
Irish and the Irish have some top notch curses. They are the sinister, ominous
counterpoints to the blessings that we hear in every wedding toast. They are
sometimes comical, sometimes profane but always clear in intent. “May the cat
eat you and the Devil eat the cat.”
Swear words however are words that have become detached from their exact meaning and just sort of float about to add intensity to other more innocent words. What we consider swear words now, in the past weren’t. They were just the literal description of things. Cocksucker, arsehole… etcetera ad nauseam. The Bible uses words that we now consider swearing. Men who “eat their own dung, and drink their own piss” 2 Kings 18:27. For the secular enthusiast Shakespeare is awash with swearing, though most of it is not recognised as such anymore. The oldest traces of human writing include swear words. But, as I said, swearing has grown and changed. It wasn’t really until the turn of the 20th century that one of the most common phrases in the swearers arsenal (fuck you) was recorded and it took about 20 years for “go fuck yourself” to show up. Using “fucking” to emphasise a point was around from the 1890’s and hasn’t really gone out of fashion since. Around the same time the word “motherfucker” was thought up.
Swear words however are words that have become detached from their exact meaning and just sort of float about to add intensity to other more innocent words. What we consider swear words now, in the past weren’t. They were just the literal description of things. Cocksucker, arsehole… etcetera ad nauseam. The Bible uses words that we now consider swearing. Men who “eat their own dung, and drink their own piss” 2 Kings 18:27. For the secular enthusiast Shakespeare is awash with swearing, though most of it is not recognised as such anymore. The oldest traces of human writing include swear words. But, as I said, swearing has grown and changed. It wasn’t really until the turn of the 20th century that one of the most common phrases in the swearers arsenal (fuck you) was recorded and it took about 20 years for “go fuck yourself” to show up. Using “fucking” to emphasise a point was around from the 1890’s and hasn’t really gone out of fashion since. Around the same time the word “motherfucker” was thought up.
So, why this foray into etymology on a chilly afternoon? It’s
simple really… I like to swear. I don’t see swearing as inherently bad. I don’t
think it’s bad language.
My Mum doesn’t swear. She was into her 40s before she said the
word “fart.” She considers it bad language. Sometimes if she’s really quite
angry, she’ll say “bugger.” I used to get into trouble for saying “bum.” As
I’ve grown up and my vocabulary has increased beyond that of a toddler, I will
sometimes swear just for fun. Sometimes it’s to articulate a point, or to
emphasise a particular fact but a lot of the time, it’s just because it makes
me happy. I swear for the sheer joy of swearing. I attack it with reckless
abandon. Swearing is to language what vintage cheddar is to cheese. Stinky and
uncompromising, strong and evocative and unapologetic. It’s powerful to be able
to stand up and say “Actually, fuck you.” Swearing is an outlet for my
creativity. I like radio stations that leave swearing in their songs, I like TV
channels that leave swearing in their shows. The conversations in my workplace
would be reduced by half if all the swearing was taken out. Swearing is often
the only thing that can drag me out of a bad mood. It’s a bonding tool in my
world. The more I swear at you, the more I like you. And so, with the best of
intentions… Fuck off and leave me alone.
