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Brian Gross
Adam Haley
Rhetoric and Civic Life
06 December 2013
Swearing in American Society
Stop whatever the fuck youre doing and pay attention.
In Marvels The Avengers, Loki, the main villain, calls Black Widow, a female Avenger,
a mewling quim. To the average viewer, this insult probably doesnt hold much value, and
rightfully so. Unless youre up to date on your Elizabethan slang, that phrase means virtually
nothing. In modern terms, it translates roughly to whimpering vagina.
In the 1800s, this insult would be considered a swear. Swearing is a type of slang. Slang,
however, is a broad term which is hard to define. Cambridges History of the English Language
defines slang as an informal, nonstandard, nontechnical vocabulary composed chiefly of novel-
sounding synonyms for standard words and phrases. It goes on to specify that slang is often
associated with youthful, raffish, or undignified persons and groups and that it conveys often
striking connotations of impertinence or irreverence, especially for established attitudes and
values within the prevailing culture. (Lighter 220). This definition is particularly handy for
addressing swearing.
As Ive already pointed out, swear words have changed drastically. They are not set in
stone and often reflect sentiments of the times. Even today, swear words continue to change. In
the past, shrew and witch were swear words reserved for the most intense uses. Today, they
are relatively meaningless insults. Occupy, a word commonly used in modern times, formerly
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was only used when referring to sex. Damn and bastard were extreme curses. The slang of
the past has become virtually irrelevant in the present.
Recent swearing has been marked by two clear trends. Swear words up to and through
the 1800s typically involved an insult to God in some way. Damn, bastard, and witch
were all considered swear words until the 19
th
century, but they have since become less
polarized. They were succeeded by a wave of swears involving the human body and sex, with
words such as fuck and shit. These words continue to be considered swears today, but they
have lost a significant amount of severity. Swearing in recent years has become less of a
frowned upon practice reserved for moments of anger or rage and more of a commonplace. This
has not happened by accident. Societys increased use of the internet, along with an increased
exposure to swearing in the media, has caused swearing to become a normal practice.
In recent years, societys exposure to swearing has increased dramatically. Pop culture
has played a large role in this. From TV to music, swearing is becoming more and more
widespread. A recent study showed a 69% increase in the use of swear words in primetime
television between 2005 and 2010. More shockingly, this study found a 2,409% increase in the
use of fuck, a word considered by many to be the most severe of curse words (Powers and
Szalai). Even though censorship laws dictate these words be censored, it is usually easy to
decipher which swear was bleeped out during a TV show. Music has also affected societys
opinion of cursing. Rap music, which emerged in the late 1980s and has gained popularity with
a young audience ever since, often features profound use of swearing. Pop culture swearing sets
a standard for the average viewer or listener. With role models swearing, and swearing often, it
sends the message that swearing is not the rage-induced, insulting practice it once was. Instead,
it is a practice used by the Hollywood stars, who are seen as the pinnacle of high society. People
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want to be superstars, so when superstars curse, and curse a lot, the average person thinks it is
acceptable to curse too.
Arguably the most influential outlet on swearing is the internet. The internet is easily
accessed by anyone with a computer, smartphone, or other electronic device. What makes it so
powerful is the fact that it is uncensored. It contains millions of outlets which are not dictated by
government censorship laws. These websites have the freedom to use whatever language they
desire. While many websites do not tolerate profane language, a substantial number of them
allow it. Furthermore, there is often no requirement to access these websites other than an email
address. Kids and teens are able to go on these sites with ease, where they are exposed to the
uncensored language of other users.
The internet would not be such an influence without a large audience, and it certainly has
that. YouTube, the largest video-hosting website on the Internet, has attracted tens of billions of
views since its inception in 2005. Nielsen, the company responsible for TV ratings, has reported
that YouTube has attracted more viewers in the 18-34 age block than any cable television
network (Statistics). 6 billion hours of video are watched on YouTube each month, averaging
out to about 1 hour per person in the world. With such a broad audience, and a viewership
comparable to that of a television network, YouTube has established itself as a pop culture
landmark as prominent as anything on TV. However, it is uncensored and often contains profane
language. The casual context of YouTube increases the use of swearing, as video makers do not
feel the formality of face-to-face conversation or of a nationally-televised program. YouTube
directors have a greater freedom and a wider audience than the censored shows of national
television, making them more likely to swear in their productions.
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YouTube is merely one outlet online for networking and sharing video. It is one of
thousands of websites that give users freedom to speak their minds. The medium of the internet
itself allows for an interesting variation in discourse. Because individuals on the internet are so
distanced from the individuals they are interacting with, web users do not feel the societal
pressure to censor themselves. There are no repercussions for swearing on the internet. In
person, there are informal repercussions for using vulgar language. When used in formal
conversation, people will frown upon you and reprimand you, whereas on the internet, the far
proximity to an audience prevents social punishment. Without fear of being chastised,
individuals on the internet are free to interact how they want. Typically, this is casual, and, as is
common in casual conversation, swearing is more prevalent.
Casual, everyday phrases are more readily inclusive of swearing as well. Holy shit is a
common exclamation nowadays. Son of a bitch is frequently used in conversation and in
angry outbursts. If youre in a desperate situation, you might plan what to do when shit hits the
fan. These phrases are used every day. Exposure to swearing in everyday phrases has made
people comfortable hearing these once-despised words. We have become desensitized to fuck
and shit and other words considered vulgar and inappropriate.
While desensitization has played a significant role in the reception of swear words, the
change has come about largely because of the increased acceptance of the human body in
American society. This subject is rather difficult to quantify directly, but the trend can be seen
with the increased tolerance of public sexuality in American society. Throughout most of the
1900s, it was extremely frowned upon. Beginning in the late 1900s and stemming into the
2000s, Americans increased their tolerance of public sexuality. This can be readily seen in the
adoption of gay rights legislation. Same-sex marriage has been legalized in 14 states, a statistic
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which would never have been in consideration just 20 years ago. Approximately 54% of
Americans polled in 2012 believed homosexuality to be morally acceptable, up from 38% in
2002 and even lower rates in the 20
th
century (Saad). Accordingly, sexual and bodily swear
words such as fuck have seen an increased tolerance (Malady). Fuck has many different
forms nowadays. It can be used as a noun, adjective, adverb, and interjection in addition to its
original use as a verb. It is used in everyday speech without second thought, a notion which
would seem pretty fucking crazy to anyone a short while ago.
Why is this important? In recent years, there has been a distinct shift in the acceptance
of slang and swearing in American society due to cultural changes and desensitization.
However, one domain has not experienced this shift: academia. A social stigma against
swearing has kept it out of academic literature and intellectual writing. But why is this? When
used effectively, it adds a sense of emotion to a work that cannot be fulfilled by other words.
Swearing is powerful. It carries with it striking connotations of impertinence and an
undignified or indecorous tone in order to accomplish its chief function, which is to lower and
disavow the dignity of discourse. (Lighter 220-221). Other, less controversial words simply do
not pack the punch of swears. They lack the strong emotion that comes with swearing. In the
context of formal writing, by definition, swearing decreases the perceived intellectual gap
between author and reader. Academic writing is done by experts in their respective fields, who
can often alienate their less-expert readers with field-specific jargon (Lighter 238). One way to
address this is with the use of slang, of which swearing is a prominent component. While it is
not appropriate in many situations, where applicable, swearing can help connect author and
audience, thereby making more effective writing.
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The swears of the past and the swears of the present, despite their shared name, are two
entirely different rhetorical classifications. In addition to the words themselves changing, swears
have become accepted components of the English language, a far cry from their previous
standing of being socially rejected. American societys exposure to these words has increased
dramatically with time, and swears are used more and more in casual interactions, but the stigma
surrounding them has locked away a valuable rhetorical asset for formal discourse. As views
continue to change, so will slang, and with it the swears of the times. However, if the social
stigma prevails, the striking effects of swearing will only continue to be stricken down. And
that would be a damn shame.

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Works Cited
Lighter, Jonathan E. "Slang." The Cambridge History of the English Language. By John Algeo.
Vol. VI. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2008. 219-52. 2008. Web. 01 Nov. 2013.
Malady, Matthew J.X. "No Offense." Slate Magazine. N.p., 01 July 2013. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.
Powers, Lindsay, and Georg Szalai. "Parents Television Council: TV Profanity Has Increased
69% in Five Years." The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 9 Nov. 2010. Web. 01 Nov. 2013.
Saad, Lydia. "U.S. Acceptance of Gay/Lesbian Relations Is the New Normal." Gallup Politics.
N.p., 14 May 2012. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
"Statistics." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013.