Why do swear words in many languages have sexual connotations?
In: 3
Swearing being denounced as bad language is likely a result of the Church enforcing Blasphemy as a sin.
Using the Lords name in vain (God damn it!) is a sin, and by extension sexual or sinful language became an extension of that philosophy.
But bad language isn’t strictly a European thing. Languages all around the world have what we would consider swear words with varieties and colorful versions of ‘shit’ being by far the most common to the point where you might consider it a universal swear word.
Calling someone an idiot is a close second
most profanity is about disrespecting boundaries. sexual topics and bathroom stuff aren’t supposed to be discussed in polite company, so it’s natural that people wanting to get a point across, shock or insult people, etc. are going to forcefully break that taboo as a way of doing so.
likewise sacred topics aren’t supposed to be discussed lightly, “taking the lord’s name in vain” basically means talking about the sacred without the proper reverence. “profanity” basically means violating the sacred.
most languages have a mix of sexual, bathroom, and sacred swear words, along with slurs and such. some focus on some more than others. english has a mix, continental french tends to be more sexual/scatological (e.g. “merde” which is equivalent to “shit”), whereas canadian french profanity is very sacred-themed (“tabarnak,” means “tabernacle,” etc.)
it’s all about talking about things that society doesn’t think people should talk about
Sex, excrement, religion, disease, and family.
**Sex:** fucking, cocky dicks, cunty pussies, ass-assing ass-assers, cocksuckers, etc.
**Excrement:** shit, crap, diarrhea, “better to be pissed off than pissed on”, etc.
**Religion:** damn, hell, devil, goddamn, *Jesus H. Godforsaken Mother-Ass-Fucking Christ!*
**Disease:** poxy whores, cancerous forums, toxic antivaxers, scabrous putrid leprous filth, etc.
**Family:** bastards and motherfuckers, the lot of ’em!
Because even without official censorship by the state and religion, sexual acts between humans have always been considered to be rather private, not something to be discussed in public. Swearing is intended to be shocking, so sexual connotation is a natural source of those words.
Latest Answers