It is true, as Mark Twain said, that “under certain circumstances, profanity provides relief denied even to prayer.” We all have our favorite cuss words on hand for stubbed toes, moments of ...

Many years ago, a college English and linguistics professor taught my class a compelling lesson. She described the history behind a common phrase in today’s lexicon: “That sucks.” This professor ...

A swear word is like a linguistic punch in the nose. Virtually every language and culture has them—and virtually every language and culture formally disapproves of them. But that doesn’t stop them ...

(CNN) -- Polite society considers swearing to be a vulgar sign of low intelligence and education, for why would one rely on rude language when blessed with a rich vocabulary? That perception, as it ...

Tell the truth: How much do you swear? And how does that compare to how many times a day the average person uses swear words? Tell the truth: How much do you swear? And how does that compare to how ...

Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Design by Erin Shi. Buy this photo. “He hasn’t slept in probably uh seven days” was the only ...

Linguists have noticed that many swear words share the same sharp, punchy sounds—hard consonants like “k,” “t,” and “g” that burst out of the mouth rather than flow. When a study examined those sound ...