time for a bedtime lesson from uncle llamavore.
originally 'curses' were actual curses, like actual blessings. they were potent because people typically believed that what they spoke would happen and thus used them carefully and sparingly; not without faith or 'in vain'
so because these 'holy' or 'profane' words were used so sparingly, they became especially meaningful because they were set aside. and eventually this kind of word retained its potency simply because it was set aside, regardless of the original meaning. the words became expressions and exclamations by force of habit and the constantly evolving nature of all language. it was no longer necessary that they be literally relevant for them to be useful as referring to a frame of mind or a special emotional state.
this is how curse or swear words are used today... not as actual curses or oaths, etc., but simply as tools for emphasis, references to extreme feeling, and often they're associated -metaphorically- such as if something 'really sucks' then it humiliates itself and renders itself subservient (yes i know that's not the only way to think of oral, but for the sake of the emotional imagery, there you go) the same goes with 'bitch' i.e. female dog, another symbolic and artistic way of representing a supposed quality not unlike that of an 'creature of inferior gender and species.' and yes you guessed it, a lot of these expressions have sexism in them but that is the function of the culture, not of *this kind of figure of speech*
on an aside... i believe in god... it's not necessarily a 'fairy tale' and i think some religions are partially correct. so spare me your ignorant 'god is dead' rhetoric. on the one hand you have a lot of people who inherited their religious thinking and dont think critically about much of it. on the other hand you have a bunch of people who think critically enough to recognize that the first group is wrong on a lot of counts, but they aren't doing much original thinking either. they use the wrongness of those who believe as an excuse not to address spiritual mysteries in an honest way. now i'm not directly accusing anyone of being in either camp, but i'm certainly encouraging you to avoid both, if not for your own sake, then for the sake of my patience.
lesson concluded. commence sex
Topic: What is your motivation for swearing? (Read 5758 times)
Recent Posts