Taboo Words (Spam on topic)

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:27 pm

Something of a thinking thread.

Has anyone ever thought about the Taboo (Swear words) words and how they got their "curse"?

Without going around the filter, (Not going to try) imagine this..

Tree You! This word, Tree got off without being "cursed". Someone back in history saved this word from the fate of being a 'dark dirty word' (at least according to the majority of expression) and got the dream of being a tall plant most love. Why did the "swear words" get the curse? Who decided these words should suffer, while the word > tree < got to shine? Why couldn't tree be the 'dark dirty word' and allow the "swear words" to shine?

No I'm not drinking or on drugs.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:34 pm

If I follow you (and it will be a safe distance, believe me), you're asking why certain words were chosen to express reproduction, excretion, etc, acquiring their status as curse words.

One theory that has been around for decades presupposes that some words were chosen because there letters are "soundalikes" to the meaning, itself. Some fricatives, for instance, such as "f," do sound like objects rubbing against one another--which (according to this theory) explains its use in the old Anglo-Saxon term for the reproductive act. I'd have to do some research if you want the name and creator of this theory, but that's the jist of it.

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:47 pm

Jason came this way once...once

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:47 am

Have no idea.

The rest of the cursing phrases doesn't make sense at all, imho.