Base your list on taboo words that registered most deeply with you–they’ll be the ones for which you have the most conviction. Chances are you’ve heard plenty of curse words in your lifetime. About 0. 7% of the words used daily by a person are swears. [4] X Research source
Suggestions for your A-List are the curse words you’ll seldom use. They’re more taboo than the others. They have the potential to be more offensive, also. So be careful how you use them. Middle-of-the-road curse words are suitable for your B List. They’re less abrasive and harsh than the “top-of-the-line” curses. Use “gentler” curses for your C List. Include in this group words like “hell,” “damn,” and “crap. " A word like damn is fun to say and not overly offensive. It’s almost, but not quite, a non-swear. “Damn! It’s raining again. " Practice saying the words on your list so that they won’t sound awkward or forced when the time comes.
Swear words tend to sound quick and harsh. The sound departs from the sound of most words in our daily language and so it enters the realm of taboo because it’s heard as offensive or abrasive. [5] X Research source Damn is a soft word and it hardly raises a feather. Other curse words are abrupt, harsh and guttural. They work better in a heated moment. Think of them as two steps more potent than damn.
Women tend to choose more benign forms of swearing (for the most part). [7] X Research source Perhaps this is due to a double-standard for swearers. When women swear it can be seen as uncouth. More so than for men. [8] X Research source
Use your A List for pain swears. “Ouch” is nice. But something a bit stronger, harsher has a better chance releasing emotion and easing the pain.
Use your A or B List for control swears. You’re fighting back when you swear. This can help confidence and self-esteem. [11] X Research source Cursing can jump-start you to take further action. Cursing is the beginning of action and can spur you to continue along the action path. [12] X Research source “I’ll fix this #*@&! thing if it’s the last thing I do. "
Use your A List for this situation. Channel your anger into using sharp/insulting words by swearing. [14] X Research source Swearing also serves as a warning, like an animal’s growl. [15] X Research source Swearing is sort of the halfway step between doing nothing and throwing a punch. “Only an #*@&! would do that. "
Use A, B or C Lists for this one. Combine curses. The odder the combination, the funnier. “My #@&! head feels like a #@&! #*@&! cantaloupe. "
Use your A, B or C List for this. “Holy #*@&!. We almost hit that car. "
Experiments rating the believability of court testimonies, found that believability was improved when swears were used. Empathy for political speeches was improved when the speakers used mild swears. [18] X Research source Use your B or C List for this. “Sometimes I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. But I try my damnedest, don’t I?”
Use your B or C Lists for this. “I’ve got to get my head out of my #*@&! and start getting my serves in. "
Cursing also has psychological benefits. It helps to establish an overall sense of calm and well-being, as long as you’re not angry or out of control. [20] X Research source A, B or C Lists for this one. “#@&!. I’m not going to die from this. Calm the #@&! down!”
Witty uses of coarse and casual swears boosts morale and lowers stress among low-level workers, according to research. [21] X Research source Research shows that the liberal use of four-letter words allowed factory workers to bond over shared frustrations and to build solidarity. [22] X Research source B and C Lists for this. Less often, use the A List. And be careful to choose the right situation and the right audience! “Let’s get this damn thing finished and go home. "
Use your vocabulary. Swearing at someone who offends you might offer relief, but it won’t explain why you were offended as effectively as telling them why. Try to be kind and gentle in this. [23] X Research source
If it’s clear that you’re aware of the individual’s sensitivity and use the curse word anyway, it could be interpreted as targeting that person. And if it is, you could be the subject of litigation.
The “N-word” is too taboo to use. Even if it’s clear to you that you’re not intending to be racist, the word is offensive to African Americans and has racist connotations. The upside to using the word is not close to the downside. Many cultural groups have offensive slang terms that are used to degrade the group. [24] X Research source You might think that your intentions are to be creatively taboo. But you can’t account for how the word sounds to the person you’re targeting. They might have a whole history of dealing with racism and are constantly on guard for it.
