Why do we have cuss words?

[The MoUsY spell-checker]

abarrach

For people who are more religious, saying Jesus out of context is also cussing.

This reminds me of a news article (I searched for it, and it turns out that it was from 2003. I thought it was more recent than that.) where someone commented that students don't know enough about the bible and cited an example where students only recognise the word "Jesus" as a swear word.

abarrach

As for nudity, I think it comes in large part from the literal interpretation of the Bible's account of the fall from Eden.

For Judeo-Christian cultures this is probably true, but nudity is a taboo in many other cultures too.

DarlingCrescent

I have wondered about that, myself. If you think about it, most curse words' origins are not very offensive at all. Whenever I have asked someone this question, the response I usually get is something along the lines of, "It's the meaning behind the word that makes it bad."

So, you might as well say that "butt" is a curse word. Or "fornicate." Because both words have the same meaning behind them as "a**" and "********" in those particular contexts. So, what is it that makes these words so obscene?

The meaning of the words are often a reason why they're bad (usually words about sex or excrement, or blasphemy), but in English, the words that came from Anglo-Saxon (also called Old English) are often ruder than the words with the same meaning but originating from Latin (often via Norman French) because it was the language of the ruling class.  

[merry go-round sex]

I never really understood the point of cuss words, if we 'aren't allowed' to say them.

Most 'cuss words' don't even mean anything.

f*****t - Bundle of sticks
f** - Cigarette
b***h - Female ******** - To treat unfairly or harshly

With that out of the way, why are these words really that 'horrible?'

I know, I know, modern society has made the words bad with their slang instead of actual meaning.

Isn't that just another part of the conspiracy?  

[-l- Eli -l-]

To original poster: The reaosn you haven't got an answer yet is because you asked an unanswerable question. Cuss words are bad because society says they are; because they've been afforded a certain "shock" value. There is nothing special about any cuss word other than that fact. So asking why cuss words are considered bad is like asking why blue is considered a color. That's just what its definition is.

abarrach

If everyone was naked all, or at least most of the time, the nudity itself would become less sexual. What I mean is that it would be so common place that nudity would turn people on just as much as, say potatoes do now (no offense to potato fetishists). However, I don't believe it would devalue the act of having sex.

I'm not quite sure that's true. Males in particular are very visually focused, and even if they were raised around naked women their whole lives, I don't think they'd stop liking to look at breasts and rear ends. It wouldn't be -quite- so entertaining for them as it is now, but the instinct would remain.

The need for clothing for protection ended up covering up the human body, which then created the taboo of seeing it nude, making it even more "intriguing." But all along a sexual association was also there.  

[Wolfie Kid]

I try to substitute cuss words.
For example, if I hurt myself, I'll say,

"Oh rolox!! That fudging hurt!"

You see? You just need to take the time to think of substitutes, and then they'll come naturally, instead of cuss words.  

[Imaginary Tears]

I don't see why some parents want to shelter their children so much. I mean, not like letting them go wild or anything by allowing them to watch porn movies when they're 5 or anything... but really. People cuss. I mean, my parents sheltered me, and when I got into sixth grade I was really confused and sort of freaked out because kids were using the f word. It made shivers run down my back. But now, I've just gotten used to it. I think parents should let their child get used to it before they turn 9 or so. Then parents say, "Then they'll want to have sex at an earlier age." or "Then they'll start cussing." But, really, I think, if they are exposed to that, then they'll be less tempted, and it's not something 'new' to them, and they know all about it, so they'll less likely do that. I dunno though, just my opinion. >>;;  

[TheMoonDragon]

merry go-round sex

I never really understood the point of cuss words, if we 'aren't allowed' to say them.

Most 'cuss words' don't even mean anything.

f*****t - Bundle of sticks
f** - Cigarette
b***h - Female ******** - To treat unfairly or harshly

With that out of the way, why are these words really that 'horrible?'

I know, I know, modern society has made the words bad with their slang instead of actual meaning.

Isn't that just another part of the conspiracy?

You are right about must so called curse words having a real and harmless meaning. The one that gets me most is the word ********. Let me expline just what they word orginally meant.

In the days of feudalism common couples were not alowlled to have sex without the permission of the king. That was what common marriage really was it was a piece of paper that was put on thier door or the like that stated they were "Fornicating Under Consent of the King". That gave the king or nobel a can to get to the good first and father b*****d childern by taking 'first rights' with the woman that had applied for thier '********' papers.

I love researching words sometimes. ^_^  

[Chase Keyhole]

Some people find words offensive, if they have a certain meaning and what not. Like "b*****d" is an illegitimate child, but when we use that word we normally don't think of what it actually means.  

[Shade Skypage]

This quote here is great, and shows what some cuss words are used as, which is for the most part filler:

"Oops, I thought. Oops is an all-purpose word standing for every bit of profanity, blasphemy, and pornographic and scatological execration I could think of."
-Orson Scott Card  

[The_0ther_Account]

Maybe some people feel the need to express themselves with a short, harsh sounding word...other than that, I have no idea.