Re: Vulgarity

When I spoke of vulgarity, I specifically referred to "the voicing of the
taboo".

For example, in most English-speaking cultures, sex and excrement are
taboo acts.  They might be necessary, but are seen (at least presented as)
"necessary evils" by a large portion of the cultural edifice.  Therefore,
if one does not refer to them euphemistically or clinically, one is
committing vulgarity.  What is interesting is that the clinical terms are
seen, at least in "polite society" as being closer to vulgarity than are
the euphemisms.  I am choosing English examples because vulgarity often
elicits a visceral response.  Therefore, I was asking about terms that
would elicit a similar response in a conlang.

Of course for this to be valid, that would presume that a culture went
along with the conlang.  If there is no implicit culture, vulgarity might
very well be a meaningless concept.


E.g.:

("bad word")    ("polite")        ("technical")
Vulgarity       Euphemism          Clinical
fuck            make love          copulate
shit (v.)       use the bathroom   defecate
                number two
                etc.
shit (n.)       droppings          feces
                poop (slightly vulg)
                etc.
cunt            --                 vagina
cock            willie             penis
                tallywhacker
                etc.


The list could go on.

What is interesting, at least in English, is that vulgarities tend to be
very short words.  Likewise, none of the above vulgarities have *always*
been vulgar.  At one time, they were all quite acceptable in polite
English discourse--even in English medical writings.