“As
English speakers, it’s worth thinking about the ways we use bad words and how
to make our own use more vital and effective,” writes Katherine Dunn in On
Cussing.
Too
often we substitute words for the genuine thing. We say darn for damn or gosh for God. Then
again, all too often, we don’t hold back and toss around shit, fuck, and bitch
like we’re handing out bottles of water to marathoners.
“As
writers,” she writes, “we now face a loss of power in the classic obscenities -
the draining of shock value, the depletion of such terms’ ability to
offend. Our challenge is to revive the
language with vivid reinvention.”
Interestingly,
her book includes a chart showing the usage of common expletives over
time. Since the 1960’s, once forbidden
words have exploded. Shit, by far, tops
them all. Fuck ranks highly too. Cunt and motherfucker are used far less
often, but growing in frequency.
The
United States, up until the 1930s, dictated that a single dirty word could
cause a book to be banned. hen came the obscenity trials in 1959. Several books were challenged, but in 1964 a
ground-breaking Supreme Court decision established a standard in use today, that
obscenities in print are acceptable if the work "has redeeming social or
literary value.”
In
1973 another Supreme Court case, Miller v. California, helped establish a
three-tiered test to decide what was obscene and unprotected vs. what was
erotic and therefore covered by the First Amendment.
So
why do we use naughty words?
·
Because
we can.
·
To
shock and grab attention.
·
Provide
a sense of identity and character.
·
Give
a feeling of urgency or severity.
·
To
display anger, ecstasy, and emotions.
But
Dunn says that: “Overuse of any word decimates its power,” and this can be true
with cuss words, too.
Dunn’s
book made me realize just how often we curse:
Emotional: “So scared, he shit himself.”
Complain:
“This is a shitty sandwich.”
Threaten: “I'll kick your ass so hard.”
Humor: “Who do you have to fuck to get a valet
sticker validated by Christmas?”
A Curse: “I hope your ears turn into
assholes and shit all over your shoulders.”
Display Ignorance: “He had no fucking clue.”
Insult: “You fucking moron!”
Politics:
“Trump’s a stupid bitch.”
Anger: “Screw you, asshole!”
Sex: “Her pussy begged for more.”
The
list could go on. Language – our
vocabulary and sentence structure is a crucial part of our writings and our
identities. Cursing keeps things
real. Today’s world curses – often – and
our writings, if they are to stay true to reality, will need to insert some
cussing. Then again, plenty of people
don’t cuss publicly. Not religious clergy,
not Jerry Seinfeld, and not some people that we hold in high esteem. So maybe we can co-exist without resorting to
using x-rated language.
Nothing’s
worse than lazy cursing, where people overly depend on such words to make a
point when such usage reflects poorly on the user. To give cuss words power, use them wisely and
rarely. Do not go to the well too often
when you want to drink words that offend, incite, and suggest some harsh
judgments. Save and savor the words that
Mom and Dad don’t want you to utter as they speak them.
Comedians
make use of cuss words. So does every
show on HBO, Showtime, and Netflix. It’s
how pop culture operates. Along with
gratuitous violence, displays of nudity, and references to drugs, our
entertainment also feels the need to curse. Social media, comedy clubs, and R-rated
films push our language towards a heavy reliance of cuss words.
I
grew up understanding cursing is part of our culture, heritage, and
language. It’s what gets people excited
and moves them to act violently, be mean, have sex, make others laugh, and
inspire any number of feats. Not all
cursing is bad, negative, or dangerous.
In fact, most cursing provides context and impact to a situation, and it
certainly helps people express the raw energy they feel inside themselves.
There
certainly is a role for cursing in our daily interactions and our
writings. One must balance their
delivery and setting for the use of such colorful language. If said in the proper time and place, curse
words can be romantic, erotic, and loving.
They can inspire people to survive, thrive, or be on the offensive – as
well as be used to rally others to commit unspeakable acts upon others.
Dunn’s
book explores the physical impact on the reader or listener of curse words,
making the argument for how and when to cuss with maximum effect. Though she died three years ago, the author
made her mark in literary circles. Her
book, Greek Love, was a finalist for the National Book Award.
I
leave you with her book’s closing words:
“I trust you will give serious consideration to our cussing, both live and
written bring zest and sting to the language.
Avoid cliché and tedium.”
“What is written without effort is in general read without
pleasure.”
--Samuel Johnson
“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank
page.”
--Jodi Picoult
“If a word in the dictionary were misspelled. How would
we know?”
--Steve Wright
“The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next
book.”
--Mickey Spillane
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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and
interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of
his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter
@theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more
important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in
Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and
IBPA’s Independent. This was named one of the best book
marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the
top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best
resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.
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