Mind your p’s & q’s
Wednesday 30 May 2007
A recent TV documentary exposed the fact that young people are seeing swearing as part of everyday life, and that includes at school. So why do we swear and is swearing always wrong?
History of swearing
Attitudes to swearing have changed a lot in recent years with TV, radio and music full of words which until a few years ago were considered unmentionable in the media.
In 1936 a comedian was the first person to say ‘arse’ on the radio.
In the mid 1960’s someone first said the F word on TV. In that same decade there was huge uproar when an episode of a comedy show featured the word ‘bloody’ over 40 times.
Even as recently as 1983 TV personality Jools Holland was suspended for swearing. It wasn’t until 1999 that all known swear words were in use on TV.
Expression or aggression?
Nowadays swearing can be used as a form of expression of anger, pain and even for comic effect. But it’s often not the words themselves that are offensive but the way that they are used that has an impact.
There are also many swear words that are just plain insulting and used specifically to put people down.
Many anti swearing campaigners feel that swearing, when used aggressively against someone, can fuel cruel behaviour such as bullying. Many children also admit to actually feeling hurt and upset when they are sworn at aggressively by other children or adults.
Growing up
At home younger children are often discouraged from swearing by their parents and sometimes adults will purposely not swear in front of their children. However as children get older and turn teenagers this often changes and adults will often start swearing more in the home.
Some parents will also start turning a blind eye to swearing, and at school swearing also escalates as you get older. For children who are becoming teenagers therefore, swearing can seem an act that shows you are growing up.
Respect
Despite that there are still some words that are often avoided in front of certain people. There are probably words that, no matter how old you are, you would never say in front of your little brother or sister, parents or grandparents out of respect, although these can also be words that you have no problem in using in front of your mates.
Big or clever?
A constant stream of swear words is usually unnecessary. If you do have to swear, swearing in context and not after every word is far more effective. Don’t forget that there’s also the whole of the rest of the English language to use, most of which can often sound far cleverer.
We want to know your opinion about swearing in the debate section.
