Quote Originally Posted by psychocat
Some people really talk a load of bollocks.
Words are just words is far too simple.
Words are communication and are vital to any society.
Words on thier own are pretty limited, they have to have meaning otherwise they're useless.
There is also the context and of course the inflection, where , when and how words are used can completely change thier meaning.

Swearing all the time is boring , the over usage of the cuss word diminishes it's potency.
I see your point for sure. I love cursing because of the texturization I believe it brings to my speech, but I use it sparingly so the effect will never be lost. Context....hmmm. Yes, it's all about the perception and the stigma, I guess. For me, "cunt" is no more offensive than "vulva" (and is even a much more beautiful word due to its sheer vibrance and energy: wow, I'm high), but it's so hammered into all of us that certain words are too powerful to be used. That's what it's all about: the power of certain words is frightening. I think the concept of foul language is a fairly recent phenomenon..."cunt" appears in The Canterbury Tales, for example...it didn't become a big deal until later, until, in my theory, the sheer energy packed into that one syllable became unbearable. If the word "love" only referred to the heart-shattering feeling of fleeting oneness that grips us all from time to time, I'm sure it would be used with caution, too. Instead, because it has become so casual ("I love that salad"), it's frequently used. If it referred only to its highest form, it probably would have become associated with the carnal and forbidden too. Plus, I think the sound has to do with it, too..."love" is a soft and delicate word despite the V sound, conjuring up images of languishing on rose petals, whereas anyone who knows love knows that there is much more suffering involved. "Cunt" has a harsh sound that brilliantly displays its vibrance, and ironically it refers to one of the most beautiful things around. "Vagina" to me is an unpleasant word that seems to be a clinical shield against fulling expressing what the thing is, which the c word conveys with all the power it can muster. Humans are strange, and their languages are so fascinating.

To whoever talked about Fornication Under Consent of the King....I always heard For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge as signs above the publically shamed, but either way it's a myth. The word derives from the German, I believe.

If anyone thinks "love" being a dirty word if non-relegated seems a stretch...yes, because of the soft and delicate connotations of the word that glosses over the full reality of what we call love. If there were a word that could encompass the full range of genuine and perceived affection in all its forms...it wouldn't be considered polite.