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Most of us are sworn to silence



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Published Date: 12 October 2008
THERE are two reasons why swearing is bad (Insight, October 5). 1) It is boring. Your article is evidence of this – the same word is used 16 times. 2) It is unpleasant. If people cannot talk and discuss without using the couple of words that constitute most swearing then I would rather not hear them.
Whether swearing leads to more violence I do not know. The growth described in the article has certainly been a factor in the decline of manners and attitudes which can be observed. Which is the chicken and which the egg is hardly subject to proof.

Much is made of the fact few people complain about the ludicrous amount of swearing on TV. The reason is quite simple – Nothing happens and life is too short to be bothered to complain. Most of the many people I know do not like it, never swear themselves, but see no point in complaining.

Ronald J Wylie, by e-mail





The full article contains 167 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 11 October 2008 8:41 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
 
1

Upbeat,

12/10/2008 10:22:49
It seems to be true that in the modern world any split second when noise is not emerging from a person, is judged as the moment when they have finished what they had to say. This split second is when another person will interrupt.

The need to say 'um' and 'er', the use of cliches such as 'you know', 'I mean' , 'like', 'and stuff' etc. are all methods of keeping other people from interrupting while the brian catches up with the verbage. ! The greater apparent tolerance of swear words today simply shows an inablity by more people to think and express themselves clearly.

Is it fair to assess the habitual swearer as the owner of a slow mind - a brain that is unable to work at voice speed ?
2

GMCD,

dndy 12/10/2008 11:09:48
Swearing is useful in certain circumstances...I agree that those who swear continually are usually the least bright....
3

Dr. James Wilkie,

Vienna 12/10/2008 13:15:16
Swearing does nothing to enhance precise use of the language. Certain expressions are rather just a means of adding emphasis where the user would feel unvarnished expression to be too weak. There is also such a thing as force of habit, once a certain behavioural pattern has been learned. In terms of speech psychology all language - whether consisting of waves in the air or squiggles on a piece of paper that have become associated with certain ideas, concepts and feelings - is a process of transmitting these associations from one set of brain cells to one or more others. Since swearing simply introduces alien wave patterns or letter combinations that are outwith the context of the message that is being transmitted, I do not regard it as immoral, but simply as superfluous and inefficient use of the language. It is crude and inelegant in most cases, but if it serves to relieve tension or emphasise a point it may have its uses. When it becomes the norm, when one becomes incapable of using the language without extraneous curses, then it is time to call a halt and return to a more puritanical and exact form of expression.


 

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