Profanity
[21][18] In modern European languages, swearing developed from early Christianity, primarily through restrictions on taking God's name in vain in the Old Testament.
[2] Sigmund Freud influenced study of the topic by positing that swearing reflects the subconscious, including feelings of aggression, antisocial inclinations, and the broaching of taboos.
[25] Significant activity began in the 1960s with writings on the subject by Ashley Montagu and Edward Sagarin, followed by increased study the following decade.
[49] The Book of Leviticus indicates that blasphemous language warrants death, while the Gospel of Matthew implies condemnation of all swearing, though only the Quakers have imposed such a ban.
[58] Verbs describing sexual activity are frequently profane, like fuck in English, foutre in French, fottere in Italian, jodido in Spanish, and ебать (yebatˈ) in Russian.
Many profane words exist to refer to a prostitute, such as whore in English, putain in French, puttana in Italian, kurwa in Polish, блять (blyat') in Russian, and puta in Spanish.
Vulvar interjections are often used in Dutch (kut), Hungarian (pisca), Russian (пизда, pizda), Spanish (coño), and Swedish (fitta).
[59] Words for the buttocks are used as a term of disapproval in many languages, including English (ass or arse), French (cul), Polish (dupa), Russian (жопа, zhopa), and Spanish (culo).
Similar words for the anus appear in languages like Danish (røvhul), English (asshole or arsehole), German (Arschloch), Icelandic (rassgat), Norwegian (rasshøl), and Polish (dupek).
These phrases often include terms of abuse that implicate the subject's mother, such as son of a bitch in English or wáng bā dàn (transl.
[73] In a case of using the name of one group to demean another, Hun came to be associated with a brutish caricature of Germans, first during the Renaissance and again during World War I.
[90] These commonly take the form of interjections to express strong emotion, such as the English examples bloody hell and for fuck's sake.
[96] The way speakers use profanity in social settings allows them to project their identity and personality through communication style,[97] and in some circumstances it can be used as a method used to impress one's peers.
[105] These are often invoked as conditional statements based on whether something is true—I'll be damned if...[106] Profanity directed at an individual can take the form of an unfriendly suggestion.
[84] Milder words can become more impactful in different circumstances; cheat may be more provocative in schools or gambling clubs, and informer replaces crook as a term of abuse for a dishonest person in a criminal setting.
[117] In some cases, slurs can be reclaimed by the targeted group when they are used ironically or in a positive context, such as queer to refer to the LGBTQ community.
[132] Substitution is another form of euphemism, with English examples including the replacement of fuck with the f-word or effing and the use of "four-letter words" to refer to profanity in general.
[139] Exposure to profanity leads to higher levels of arousal,[119] and it can cause increases in heart rate and electrodermal activity as part of a fight-or-flight response.
[149] Sections 294A and 294B of Indian penal code have legal provisions for punishing individuals who use inappropriate or obscene words (either spoken or written) in public that are maliciously deliberate to outrage religious feelings or beliefs.
[153] Using creative ads, it called upon people to use swatch (clean) language on the lines of Swachh Bharat Mission for nationwide cleanliness.
[154] In an increasing market for OTT content, several Indian web series have been using profanity and expletives to gain attention of the audiences.
[162] In Scotland, a similar common law offence of breach of the peace covers issues causing public alarm and distress.
[164] Within the UK, the appropriateness of swearing can vary largely by a person's industry of employment, though it is still not typically used in situations where employees of a higher position than oneself are present.
"[165] In the United States, courts have generally ruled that the government does not have the right to prosecute someone solely for the use of an expletive, which would be a violation of their right to free speech enshrined in the First Amendment.
[166] In 2011, a North Carolina statute that made it illegal to use "indecent or profane language" in a "loud and boisterous manner" within earshot of two or more people on any public road or highway was struck down as unconstitutional.
[167] In 2015, the city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina passed an ordinance that makes profane language punishable with fines up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail.
[169] Rabbi Yisroel Cotlar wrote in Chabad.org that Judaism forbids the use of profanity as contradicting the Torah's command to "Be holy", which revolves around the concept of separating oneself from worldly practices (including the use of vulgar language).
[170] The Talmud teaches that the words that leave the mouth make an impact on the heart and mind; he stated that the use of profanity thus causes the regression of the soul.
[182][183] Paul the Apostle defines the ridding of filthy language from one's lips as being evidence of living in a relationship with Jesus (cf.
[177] Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, a bishop of Eastern Orthodox Church, lambasted profanity and blasphemy, teaching that it is "extremely unbefitting [for] Christians" and that believers should guard themselves from ever using it.
