Psychology of Cursing

[Jaguar]

^ What a bunch of bullshit...

It's not just bullshit, it's fucking bullshit.

 

[matmos]

I find swearing in Scottish very therapeutic, whether alone or in company.

There's a surprising amount of profanity in the Scots' vernacular.

All that aggression and frustration seems to evaporate...

Git tae fuck noo ya wee biskit-ersed baw bags!

 

[01011010]

I'll curse if I'm laughing, surprised, energetic, calm, etc. It's not limited to negativity.

It's really just a modifier of quantitative statements, ie:

"Dude, I'm really fuckin' happy today!"

"Dude, I just bought a shit-ton of cool shit from the store!"

"These Blazin Buffalo Doritos are damn good!"

...Alright, now I'm just having fun. See what I mean? Totally positive.

lol Exactly.

I tend not to curse when I'm annoyed, angry, or I stubbed my toe.

 

[Halla74]

I've heard that when people curse genuinely (like dropping a bowling ball on their toes) they always go back to their native language/dialect. Is this true?

Does cursing serve a specific psychological purpose? Does it do any good to suppress cursing? Does cursing too much defeat this purpose?

Discuss.

I've never used a single fucking curse word in my entire fucking life. People who curse are shitheads. What a bunch of assholes!

 

[Biaxident]

I've never used a single fucking curse word in my entire fucking life. People who curse are shitheads. What a bunch of assholes!

:horor:

 

[Jaguar]

I've never used a single fucking curse word in my entire fucking life. People who curse are shitheads. What a bunch of assholes!

There's nothing wrong with cursing, dolphin dick.

 

[Halla74]

There's nothing wrong with cursing, dolphin dick.

It's not cursing that's the problem, gorilla cunt. Motherfuckers who throw that shit around lightly have no goddamn manners whatsoever, that's all.

 

[Jaguar]

It's not cursing that's the problem, gorilla cunt. Motherfuckers who throw that shit around lightly have no goddamn manners whatsoever, that's all.

 

[Halla74]

Obviously my Catholic upbringing and years of private schooling were of limited impact on my vocabulary. :newink:

 

[Alwar]

I think Steven Pinker wrote extensively about cursing in his latest book on language, but I haven't read it yet.

 

[Halla74]

I think Steven Pinker wrote extensively about cursing in his latest book on language, but I haven't read it yet.

Really? I will check that out.
Thanks for the heads up on the barbaric literature.

 

[Jaguar]

I think Steven Pinker wrote extensively about cursing in his latest book on language, but I haven't read it yet.

Wasn't he a Columbian drug dealer?

 

[ntvinh986]

I've heard that when people curse genuinely (like dropping a bowling ball on their toes) they always go back to their native language/dialect. Is this true?

Does cursing serve a specific psychological purpose? Does it do any good to suppress cursing? Does cursing too much defeat this purpose?

Discuss.

Wonderful! thanks for the info that you guys have been discussing. Awesome!!!!

 

[Pristinegirl]

I've heard that when people curse genuinely (like dropping a bowling ball on their toes) they always go back to their native language/dialect. Is this true?

Does cursing serve a specific psychological purpose? Does it do any good to suppress cursing? Does cursing too much defeat this purpose?

Discuss.

I think that it may be true for those who have a clear native language. I'm curious how it works for bilingual speakers? Because I was raised bilingually, speaking Swenglish litterally, yet I still curse in English.

To me, surpressing cursing feels like surpressing anger - it just blows out of proportion later instead. Therefore I find it better to curse, if not to whome I'm mad at, at least out in the open to get it out of me

 

[Hexis]

Cursing is a verbal form of aggression. When we're stressed we can relieve some of that stress by cursing. It's probably more constructive to curse than to hit something.

And doing both is even more satisfying!

 

[MiasmaResonance]

Fuck, I hate cursing.

 

[scapquiwil]

In some books, the characterization of the main characters is deep enough to give the reader a glimpse of what it is like to be that type.

 

[Lacey]

On topic: If I'm in the company of friends that I know don't take offense to cursing, I'll curse if I'm laughing, surprised, energetic, calm, etc. It's not limited to negativity.

It's really just a modifier of quantitative statements, ie:

"Dude, I'm really fuckin' happy today!"

"Dude, I just bought a shit-ton of cool shit from the store!"

"These Blazin Buffalo Doritos are damn good!"

...Alright, now I'm just having fun. See what I mean? Totally positive.

Yep, me too.

Actually, for me, cursing can be a sign of closeness. I hardly ever, if at all, swear around people I don't know well. Only around family and close friends. You'll know you're "in" with me when I start dropping f-bombs. I just feel like I have to be nice and polite around everyone else.

 

[bighairything]

Swearing still feels fucking good whatever the fucking language.

 

[Giggly]

Does cursing serve a specific psychological purpose? Does it do any good to suppress cursing? Does cursing too much defeat this purpose?

Yes, to all three questions. Cursing is supposed to be used to convey a unique meaning in an exaggerated way. Basically, the person who is swearing demands to be heard and taken seriously, even if joking. There are other ways to do this but cursing is just one easy way. When a person curses too much people become desensitized to that. If we all cursed a lot and became desensitized, we'd just keep creating new curse words in order to get the same desired effect.