cuss words

the origins of the phrase 'cuss words' or of all the individual naughty words out there?

well i guess how words become cuss words...

Re: cuss words

what it takes to make a word a cus word

Seed, that'd be a thesis for someone getting a doctorate in linguistics.

Want to pare it down to one or two cuss words?

well i was having this convertation tonight and trying to figure out just what made a cuss word a cuss word and we couldnt come up with an answer...

I like cuss words sometimes. It's good for the soul :-D

I always use the "cuss light" version

How about Jackass. Is that a cuss word? It's just a donkey, right? But it's right on the line, isn't it?

but it still hasnt answered my question... i mean just like kicky said its ont he line... justl ike b*tch is a female dog...

bastard used to be called a child of an unwed mother.

It's a matter of concensus. If enough people (the majority) consider a particular word or phrase offensive, it is considered a cuss word. Generally speaking there are three categories: 1)those that are obviously intentionally insulting; 2) those that are descriptive bodily functions, including sexual and anatomical terms; and 3) those considered blasphemous by the majority (although this latter category is fast becoming accptable in many quarters).

As for (1), bitch is just a female dog, true, but to call a woman a bitch is obviously meant to be insluting. A bastard is a person born out of wedlock (original legal meaning), but to accuse one of being such is, again, meant to be insulting. In the second category, many people feel uncomfortable hearing explicit descriptions of a sexual or scatalogical nature. Thus, euphemisms are devised and the plain old Anglo-Saxon words become socially taboo, i.e. cusswords. Thirdly, it's a cultural thing. There's a Biblical injunction against taking "the Lord's name in vain." Thus religious folk find it offensive to hear exclamations e.g. 'Goddamn!' or 'Jesus Christ!'

You can go to sleep now, Seed.

Cussing or cursing, using "forbidden" words is an attempt to take the power of taboo language and use it to enhance your message or your emotions.

That makes me wonder if Freud wasn't right after all. :wink:

Yep. It took me quite a while to notice that typo, FY, and, without your post, I prob'ly never would have noticed it.

You say that like it's a bad thing. :wink:

Hell, no. It's a good thing. I mean, your pointing it out is a good thing.

There's also the form of the word itself, aside from meaning -- cuss words tend to have the sharp, explosive sounds.

Try this link

http://www.satanosphere.com/story/2003/4/26/144947/440