Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Honey]

When I was at school, I heard a little child (7 years old on average) saying hard naughty words. I was amazed! And disappointed.


A very classic discussion on naughty words:

They're carefully defined in the dictionary. They're popular among most of people, but they keep on being annoying for me. Even among friends they address themselves in that way...

What do you think about them?
Are they suitable for any special being?
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Sweet like Honey
http://honey.fun2learnmore.de

[Bob S.]

Naughty words come in different forms: religious based blasphemies, curses, and cultural/linguistic based vulgarities. Officially, they are not good for anyone to use, but of course people still use them (though not all people as some people try to control their tongue). And which ones we use reflect who we are, our up-bringing, and even education level.
For example, in the history of the English language, you can see the evolution of words from common to vulgarity. In Old English, there were certain simple words of Saxon origin for particular bodily functions and body parts. The aristocratic Normans spoke French, and the educated classes of clergy spoke Latin and some Greek, and they imported other words such as excrement, defecate, urinate, fornicate, derriere, and vagina for these same parts and functions. The terms of Saxon origin became considered the language of the lower classes and uneducated peasants. That idea became ingrained into the culture and carried through even today.
As a consequence, if a person today uses such traditional vulgarities or even modern slang words in lieu of "polite" alternatives, they might be regarded as low class and uneducated by whoever they are talking to, not a good idea if you are interviewing for a job or speaking to a supervisor who has the power to promote you.
So, if you are a teacher, it is a good idea to discourage this kind of language and prevent the children from developing such a habit as long as possible. Not only does it help their vocabulary to know and be in the habit of seeking alternative words to the common slang they might habitually use, it could help them go further in life to know how to talk-the-talk of polite society (where the money's at!).
ESL speakers who learn English for business reasons should particularly avoid it for the same reason (it can make you seem low class), plus, if you don't use it in the right situation or pronounce it right, it just sounds strange coming out of your mouth. And in business, you want to put your best foot forward.

[AZKaban]

I think dirty words is a good way to releave stress.. It's also civilized alternative for driving brick thru opponent's head.
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Harry Potter

[emirates soul]

i think bad words are diseases???
but what can we do>>>they are extend among the society....