First, let’s make sure we are on the same wavelength. By ‘profanity’, I mean offensive language. While ‘offensive’ is [of course] subjective and potentially debatable, I think most of us can agree to the following definition of ‘offensive words’: ‘Offensive Words’ are words we are very troubled to hear from the mouths of our 2- and 3-year old children and grandchildren. In fact, it was a discussion of a 3-year-old’s repetition of a ‘swear word’ that led to the writing of this Thought Post.
It seems to me we observe profanity in 5 forms:
- Expletives: the things people say when they are angry, frustrated, or in pain
- Humour: often tied to body parts and body functions
- Racism/Bigotry: malicious references to people who are different, including attempts at humour
- Religious references: these can overlap expletives [such as taking the Lord’s name in vain] and bigotry laced with intolerance for people of other religions
- Habit-speak: as examples - gang talk and passed on habits of family members
Now, I’ve explained what I mean by profanity…What do you think about it?
Specifically, how do you want people to speak at your workplace and what words, if any, should never be used in your workplace? What “Master Rule” applies at your workplace?
How do you or will you address violations of your rules that limit offensive language?
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Some related thoughts and questions…
Other ways to describe profanity and expletives: blasphemy, curse, cuss, cussword, dirty word, swearword, four-letter word, obscenity, profanity, swear, vulgarism
How do you feel about consistency, do you ‘practice what you preach’? Do you choose to use words at work but choose not to use them in front of your 3-year-old relatives?
When you wallop your thumb with a hammer, what words spring from your lips? If you are not pleased with those 'automatic' words, how could you possibly break that deep-rooted habit?
When you are angry, do you climb up the ladder of increasingly-offensive language?
Do the people in your gang think it is cool to repeat, repeat, and repeat profanity?
In your workplace, is it OK to emphasize an important point by using a strategically-placed piece of profanity?
I have read that native North Americans knew no profanity until the Europeans arrived…I wonder if that is true.
Why has profanity gained so much ground in our mass-marketed entertainment...i.e., why is there so much profanity in our literature, our songs, and our movies?
Is swearing inversely proportional to intelligence? [i.e., The more the profanity the less the IQ & EQ?]
Why have so many 'bad words' been created for body parts and bodily functions? And, why are they considered ‘bad words’ while other descriptors are considered acceptable? So many acceptable descriptors are Latin-based it causes me to wonder how often the Latins used swear words. A quick on-line search suggests there were Latin profanities in the Roman heyday...isn't that disappointing!
What role has religion played in all of this? The 3rd of the Judeo-Christian 'Ten Commandments' says "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain". Clearly, profanity in some forms has existed for several millennia. People must have been using religious profanity in Moses' time. Were they also using other forms of profanity at that time?