[Bups-dis] The Paradox of Swearing

[josh seigal]

George Orwell, in ‘Down and Out in Paris and London’, drew my attention to a curious paradox that seems to be at the heart of using swear words. I would be most grateful to hear any views that anyone may have on this subject.
 
The paradox (if indeed that is the correct term for it) seems to be this: a word becomes an oath because it means a certain thing, but once it has become an oath it seems to lose the very meaning that made it into an oath in the first place. 
 
Let me elucidate: the word ‘fuck’ was originally considered rude and shocking because it pertained to something which (at the time) was thought should be kept secret (namely, the sexual functions). However, once the word became an oath it in effect ceased to mean this at all; it became simply that – an oath. As Orwell says (p157): “The Londoners do not now use, or very seldom use, this word in its original meaning; it is on their lips from morning till night, but it is merely an expletive and means nothing.”
 
Similarly with insults. A word becomes an insult because it means something bad, but once it has become well established as an insult it loses this meaning and becomes insulting simply by dint of being intended as an insult. Take the word ‘bastard’: originally this was thought of as a heinous insult because of the religious sin associated with having a child out of wedlock. However, nowadays it is arguable that most people do not consider this a ‘sin’, and yet the word ‘bastard’ retains its insult-value. Thus, the word became an insult because of what it means, but nowadays, having been firmly established as an insult, the word has in effect lost its meaning. It is now simply that – an insult.
 
Other insults are insulting seemingly in spite of what they mean. Thus, calling a woman a ‘cow’ is offensive in spite of the fact that, as Orwell says (p158), “cows are amongst the most likeable of animals.” The word is an insult simply because it is intended as an insult, not because of what the word means.
 What do people think of these things? I am interested to hear your views.
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