Language Does More: Swearing
What Linguists Know About Swearing
Swearing is a well-researched topic in linguistics. In fact, linguists love swearing. Swearing is an interesting and unique linguistic phenomenon because:
Swearing can be either controlled (governed by the left hemisphere of the brain, and part of the speaker’s consciousness) or reflexive (governed by the right hemisphere, and largely unconscious).
Swearing occurs across languages and cultures, sharing certain universal characteristics.
Swearing is intrinsically connected to another sociolinguistic phenomenon, “taboo language”
Taboo language is a category comprised of words and phrases that are considered inappropriate in certain context. Since taboo language evokes emotional responses, taboo words are natural candidates for swearwords. Linguist Steven Pinker identifies the following language themes which reoccur in swearing:
Deities and supernatural entities — Jesus!; hell!; Holy Mary!
Orifices and excrements — ass; shit; piss; arsehole 3. Illnesses and pestilence A plague on both your houses!; A pox on you!
Disfavoured ethnic and social groups — nigger; queer; Jew
Copulation and genitals — fuck; cunt; prick; pussy
Categories 1, 2, 3 and 5 roughly comply with the set of universal human taboos, outlined by linguists Keith Allan and Kate Burridge.
Swearing is OLD. As far back as linguists have evidence of langauge, they also have evidence of swearing. This may point to why - despite being a subset of taboo language - swearing actually delivers many positive effects, like increased tolerance for unpleasant feelings, and higher emotional and linguistic intelligence.
What about in the workplace?
Because the workplace is a specific, professional context, most people find swearing to be absolutely out-of-bounds (extra-taboo, if you will). Our cultural understanding of what a workplace should be tells us that every employee should feel welcome to share their ideas and take up space. If swearing is common in a company, it has the possibility of making some people uncomfortable and discouraging them from being involved.
There are also certain societal connotations connected to the types of people who use swear words. According to the National Library of Medicine, men tend to use swear words more frequently than women, likely because it is more socially acceptable for men to show anger. When women show anger, especially if coupled with the use of expletives, a woman may be perceived as “bitchy”, crazy, or dramatic.
So is it ever okay to swear?
While there is no law against swearing in the workplace, it is completely context dependent. Many businesses have rules against using foul language, and most executive-level leaders frown upon swearing in the workplace, deeming it crass and unprofessional. Just a quick google search for information about swearing in the workplace produces website after website with explanations of why employees should avoid swearing and how negatively their co-workers or employers could perceive it.
However, depending on the company culture, swearing does not always have to be a bad thing. Outside of work, many people swear around friends or loved ones, so swearing from time to time at work around co-workers could create more friend-like dynamic in the workplace.
Additionally, dropping a swear word here and there can add emphasis, as was found in a study from 2012, and makes a conversation seem less formal. As long as employees aren’t swearing at each other, an occasional f-bomb could even be beneficial. A prominent reason that people swear in the first place is to alleviate both physical and emotional pain in stressful situations, so it only makes sense that occasions could arise in the workplace when it could feel good to swear. Following this same logic, Gong Labs found that swearing can actually increase sales up to 20% - some of the reasons for the increase being the alleviation of discomfort, humor, and interpersonal connection that swearing brings to a conversation.
All that being said, the “how to” of navigating swearing in the workplace appears to be opaque. While it is less stigmatized over time with younger generations joining the corporate scene, not all companies have the same policies regarding foul language. So linguistic context becomes extremely important, here: swear when it will be good for you career-wise, and don’t swear when it won’t. That may seem like hard advice to follow, but actually humans a really good at assessing social context and deciding when it’s a good idea to swear and when it isn’t. Just ask your 12 year old son, who swears like a sailor with his friends at the skate park but would *never* talk to you that way.
