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April 18, 2008

Strange But True!

Q. Are there truly people who never swear?

A. D**n unlikely! All the world swears; it's just that people swear in highly different ways, says David Crystal in “Words, Words, Words.” As a natural response to an emotional state, “swearing is not so much a ‘use' of language as an outburst, an explosion, which gives relief to a surge of energy.” As such it can be a substitute for an aggressive bodily response and thus ironically may help avert a fight. It is wrong to look for much meaning in swear words, which can be as simple as “gosh” or “golly.” If we are politely brought up, we will moderate our choice of words, perhaps using “Oh, shucks” or “Oh, sugar” instead of “Oh, God” or something stronger.


 
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