"When angry, count to a hundred; when very angry, swear."

Mark Twain

Discussion Work in pairs and compare your answers to the following questions:

1. H o w often d o y o u swear? 2. W h a t swear words d o y o u use most often? 3. Are there any swear words y o u wou ld never

use? Why? 4. In what situations w o u l d you t r y t o avoid

swearing? 5. Are you ever offended, upset o r annoyed when

other people swear?

Read the articles below. Tick (J) the true sentences.

1. Mar tha Johnson was sacked f rom her job.

2. Mr Slater feels that he has t o swear a t work .

3. John Ashford was arrested fo r swearing.

4. H e is going t o jai l fo r 90 days.

What would you say? Would you swear in the following situations? What would you say?

1. You take some milk o u t o f the fridge, but drop it o n the floor.

2. You are carrying t w o pints o f beer in a bar. ,, /' Someone bumps i n t o y o u and you spil l the beer d o w n your trousers.

3. You miss the bus t o w o r k b y a few seconds. 4. Somebody drives i n t o the back o f your brand

new car. 5. Your phone bill is double the normal amount.

PART OF HIS PERSONALITY something about the awful

A sales executive has taken her language. At least now I am in a ex-boss to an industrial court place where people show respect claiming that his swearing forced for each other." her to quit her job. For over six Mr Slater told the court that bad months Martha Johnson. 43. put language was part of his up with the foul language of Jack Slater, managing director of a personality and also common in transport company, and his the transport business. "I can't

deputy, D~~~~~ wiggins. ~ ~ t h stop swearing," he said. "I'm the men swear continually, the court fucking boss. MY workers would was told. all think I was fucking soft if I

Yesterday Ms Johnson of swearing." Worthing, Sussex, who has During the hearing the judge had recently taken up a new job, said: to warn Mr Slater several times "I had a really wonderful job with about his language. t he case the company but I just had to do continues tomorrow.

A BIG SPLASH

The bad language used by John Ashford as he fell out of his sailing boat into a river in Michigan has landed him in big trouble. He appeared in court . . for breaking a 100-year-old state law which forbids swearing in front of women and children. Families were picnicking nearby when the accident happened.

His defence team argued that standards over the years have changed and that it i s now perfectly acceptable to swear in extreme circumstances, such as falling into a river.

Mr Ashford, who faces up to 90 days in jail and a $100 fine, was caught by two sheriff's deputies. They were fishing from the side of the river when he fell in.

Discussion Work in pairs or small groups. Discuss these questions about the texts above.

D o y o u think M a r t h a Johnson was over-reacting? I f so, wha t d o y o u think she should have done? D o y o u think Mr Ashford should be in court? I f not, wha t d o you think should have happened?

8 Swearing Taboos and Issues

Language Look at the sentence below from the second text:

It is now perfectly acceptable to swear in extreme circumstances.

In these sentences one of the words in italics is wrong. Cross it out.

1. Swearing in certain situations is completely unacceptablelrudelinappropriate.

2. I found his language deeply upsetting/ offensivelo bscenelshocking.

3. Using that kind of language is perfectly acceptablelOKlgood in some situations.

4. Some words that people use are actually very funnylrudelterrible.

Now make true sentences using some of the expressions from examples 1 - 4.

1. Most people I know find swearing . . . . 2. My mother / father thinks swearing is . . . . 3. There are one or two words which I find . . . . 4. Swearing at someone in a public place is . . . . 5. I think it is . . . . to swear when you are really

annoyed about something.

6. If the Prime Minister swore on TV, I would

find it . . . . Work in pairs and compare your answers.

Discussion Discuss the statements below. Do you agree or not? Why?

1. Swearing can be creative and expressive.

2. It's useful to be able to swear in English.

3. It's difficult to know how to use English swear words.

4. You can sound silly if you swear in English.

5. People who swear a lot are just uneducated.

6. Children should be taught that swearing is wrong.

7. You can upset people by saying 'Jesus Christ'.

8. People shouldn't use swear words in the street. "Er . . . mind i f we swear?"

Language Discussion The list below shows that swear words vary in strength. Different people of different ages find some words more offensive than others. Here is a rough guide to some of the most common English swear words and expressions:

Weaker Stronger

Damn! He's a real shit. Blast! Shit! Hell! Piss off! Bloody hell! Bastard! It was bloody awful! Bitch! Crap! Bollocks! It was really crap! He's a total wanker! Bullshit! He's a stupid prick. He's a real dickhead. He's an arsehole!

Taboo-strength: Fuck off!

Religious swear words can offend much more than words connected with sex, body parts or bodily functions. Using God, Jesus Christ or Christ Almighty will greatly offend some people.

Which of the words and expressions opposite have'you used or would you use?

Are you offended when people use religious words as swear words?

Do you know of anybody who has got into trouble by swearing?

Most English swear words are connected with sex or the body. Is this the same in your language?

Avoiding swear words Native speakers often avoid swearing by using other similar-sounding words. What do you think the following examples avoid?

1. He told me to F off! 2. It's flipping cold, isn't it? 3. Not bleeding likely! 4. Oh, sugar! 5. P off! 6. He's a real B!

Taboos and Issues Swearing 8

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