A few times a year I see
a post about the right to use profanity, and every time I do, I wonder where
are the people writing the rebuttal. Then I realised no one is...
To be clear, I’m not
saying you don’t have the right to swear. What I’m debating is whether
there is usually any need to swear, and what it achieves if you do. A
right, after all, need not always be exercised. Even the right to vote in some
countries is not often exercised (and I would love to see posts passionately
exhorting people to vote the same way they exhort them to swear, because, you
know, voting is so much less important than foul language…).
Before we get started,
let’s be clear, profane words are not intrinsically bad. There is no
such thing as a bad word, although this has come to be the common
understanding. But like all words, profane words have meanings, and as is the
case with the English language, words often have shades of meaning. The
meaning of profane words goes past their strict literal definition and includes
an element of offensiveness.
I’ve seen people argue
that only the literal definition should matter, but the fact remains that these
words have historically been, and continue to be, used to insult and offend or
at least shock. We have created this definition, and it seems as ridiculous to
me to rail against this fact as to complain that ‘sheep’ means a woolly
herbivorous animal. Particularly if you yourself actually use these words in
this sense. Sure, definitions change, but this is a slow, organic process.
Exhorting people to stop treating profanity as offensive simply won’t work.
So, why don’t you need to
swear?
It’s Not Articulate
Really, you can’t think
of a better word to express how you feel? Maybe your vocabulary is limited
through no fault of your own, or perhaps you are communicating with such people, in which case profanity may be the most effective means of communication.
But if you do have a better vocabulary, what’s your excuse for not using it?
The only time I forget my vocabulary is when I’m so sleep-deprived my brain
stops functioning, or perhaps in extreme instances of pain.
#writetip – vary your
language. Use specific descriptors, and don’t fall into patterns of repetition.
Convey precisely the meaning you intend to convey.
It’s Not Effective Communication
I’m not saying that using
profanity negates what you are saying, or makes your points any less valid, but
it often means people stop paying attention.
When you start swearing
at people, they stop listening. It doesn’t matter how valid your point is, they
stop wanting to help you. Swearing at a customer service representative never
gets you what you want. Swearing in a complaint won’t be taken as seriously as
the person who can articulate their problem. It certainly won’t persuade a
judge to your point of view.
In the instance that
someone continues to pay attention after you start swearing, then to some
extent profanity does denote emotion and anger, which thus also often denotes
irrationality, and so your words are given less weight.
If, however, you can
precisely articulate your problem, your position, your argument, in a calm and
logical manner, you are more likely to persuade someone to your point of view.
As I said above, words
have shades of meaning. In fact, we can look at words like tools. Profanity is
like a hammer – it’s big, heavy, and packs a punch. But hey, that’s not always
appropriate!
I don’t swear when I get
angry, and my husband says that’s worse. You can’t always get your point across
using the same blunt tool.
He strains to hear a
whisper who refuses to hear a shout
– Robert Jordan, the Wheel of Time
Often It’s Meaningless
One of the #writetips I
tweet is ‘If a word can be removed from a sentence without changing its
meaning, then you probably should’.
Often profane words are
redundant. They don’t really add anything to the sentence. Consider the
way profanity is used in everyday language:
‘So he fucking told me
the fucking goods needed to be picked up and then he got in his fucking truck
and fucking drove away.’
Considering that such a
sentence may well be delivered by someone who is not angry, the word adds no
value to the sentence. There is even a teenage version, with which you may be
more familiar and it reads like this:
‘So he, like, told me that the goods, like, needed to be picked up, and then
he, like, got in his truck and, like, drove away.’
OK, so you probably
wouldn't hear a teenager say that exact sentence, but I wanted to make the
comparison of usage.
The second example would drive so many people
absolutely crazy. The first would be defended by some of the same people. To me they are the
same. Take the whole question of profanity out of it, if the word doesn’t
need to be there, it’s repetitive, and adds nothing to the sentence, don’t use
it! The first version annoys me just as much as the second. Don't tell me
verbal language is different to writing unless you are happy to listen to
someone say 'like' every fourth word.
When Is Profanity
Effective?
I’ve seen it suggested
that profanity is effective in communication to create a visceral, emotional
response, but I think this is limited to select communications, usually
written articles designed to provoke a response (and not one where the response
you want is someone to do something for you). It seems to be useful for
provoking discussion. I don’t think it’s useful in everyday communication which
is, let’s face it, the bulk of communication for most of us.
It’s certainly going to
be effective in fiction where you are showing something about a character by
its use. Obviously it's necessary in an article like this one discussing the subject.
You Can Swear If You Want
Sure, if you don’t care
about any of the above reasons, then you can use profanity for no better reason
than because you want to. I won’t like you any less for it.
But please - don’t tell
me you’re striking a blow for the freedom of communication, or furthering some
great literary purpose! I call a spade a spade, and a spade this is not.
