Who decided that certain words were swear words?
471933
They were originally words that evoked the presence of God in vain;eg. Goddammit!; but newer words are often slurs that are considered extremely offensive, just as how words like Darn and Blasted were once scandalous in Victorian times.
766772
A little boy was caught swearing by his teacher.\n“Tyson,” she said, “you shouldn’t use that kind of language. Where\ndid you hear it?”\n“My daddy said it,” he responded.\n“Well, that doesn’t matter,” she explained, “I don’t want to hear\nthat language in here again.”\nAfter a moment, she thought she whispered aloud, “At least he\ndoesn’t know what it means.”\n“I do, too,” Tyson corrected. “It means the car won’t start.”
414674
Curse words date back to the early 17th century. It was said that Witches invented them. It was believed that when a witch put a spell (or a curse) on something, they would yell certain words. These words were thus believed to hold bad things and were not accepted. The history passed on for years and years, however, in the 1900's people started using the words as a means of pillory. The meaning of the words continued to evolve and are what we hear today.\n\n\n\nBy the way - that is a bunch of BS, but it is believeable!
277816
I would just like to point out to you that cussing is not against any of the 10 commandments. Swearing is.\nCussing may be distasteful and inappropriate at times, but certainly no sin against God.\nMore often than not, it's a case of people not knowing how to express themselves with other words. Although, occasionally, a good expletive is exactly what's needed to emphasize a point.
547132
When society decides it is.\n\nUsually takes from a century to a half a century.\n\nThere was once a time when the word "bastard" was heinous!  Now, it's mildly a swear word.
124947
Because bad language is not considered proper.  Would you swear when talking to your parents, teachers, or at work to you boss or customers?
566349
The phrase, "so help you God," has been removed from most US courts a long time ago.  Also, you don't have to "swear" either, you can "affirm."\n\nLawrence\nhttp://www.truebiblesermons.com
516208
My husband likes to curse.  I tell him it makes him look immature and undignified.  I personally think that's why he does it, because it irritates me.  I only get really mad when he says something and my 2-year old repeats it!
62744
I think that continuous usage or even any vulgar usage of curse words shows a lack of intelligence. If someone is upset shouldnt they be able to explain it using non profane words? Anytime I hear anyone, man or woman, using foul language not only does that person appear much less attractive, but it offends me. I have small children as well. They dont need to hear it, frankly no one needs to hear it. The way in which someone speaks reveals not only their competence of the language they are using but their intelligence alltogether.\n\nI completely agree with you.
829851
Robert said it the most accurately, to my knowledge:\n"It used to be but it has become more accepted in the last few years. Some older people I class myself in this group) still find it dis-tasteful."\nI do say bloody and bloody hell for emphasis, though admittedly it has no bite, though a woman of about 60 that I know has flat told me not to curse when I say it.\nIt goes back, I think, past the old childhood game, "Bloody Mary."\nBut with my age group, all sorts of swears have not real bite like they did at one time. I can tell someone my age (a mate) to F--off and it is taken as a joke.  So now we are working on variations as are others\nFark off--Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's guide\nFeck off-- who knows but sounds better in  mixed company.\nAnd to think, bugger off was at one time a horrible thing to say!\nSo my take, use Bloody Hell with some discrimination to preserve the unique qualities of British Curseword English...\nAnd if you don't agree with me, you can floggle off, Bloody, Blasted W@nker!\n[Being creative can be soo draining].
702973
They seem to be swear words. Here is a link.\nJust type in the words at the top
79652
Well, the word used to be good and people didn't want to say a bad word, so they used a good word. That "good word" morphed into a cuss word. H*** is mentioned in the Bible, A** is another word for donkey, and so on and so forth.
116162
I know the orgin of one cuss word, in the old days when they would catch couples outside they would get tickets for-fornicating unlawful carnel knowledge. It eventualy got shortened.
321259
The phrase in this form started out in the 1950s as an offshoot of "excuse my French."  This is a result of racial stereotyping - Anglo-Saxons of the late 19th century blamed the French for anything remotely dirty.  The belief started in the mid 19th century and held that was France sex-obsessed and pornographic.
1161678
It's a euphemism for "damn hell" originating in the late 19th or early 20th centuries, when many such euphemisms became popular, such as\n\nGee whiz\nGosh darn\nCrimeny\nJeez\nDash it all\nHoly cow\nHoly moley\nCripes\n...and many, many, many more.
554440
profanity is really in the eye of the beholder. Like, I say the word "crap" and I think it's okay, but my sister rags on me for it. And I say "Oh my God" but other people think it's disrespectful.\nBut there are other words I find offensive. I never say "BS" because that's too close to the real word. And I don't say "PO'd" for the same reason.\nI think it's a personal conviction each person has to pray about.
395917
The selection of words would have to do with proper speech and improper or slang. The "cuss" words refers to curse or the words used to wish some harm or bad thing to another person. The Bible makes the difference in the heart. We are to use our speech for others well being and encouragement. I can say that some foods make me sick and nothing is offensive about that. But if I say to another person "you make me sick" I have used my speech to hurt another and this is wrong.