Re: OT: Slang, curses and vulgarities

Chris Bates <chris.maths_student@...> wrote:
> The thing is, offending people with words isn't the same as swearing,
> really. I could say "you're a fat pig" and you might be insulted, but
> "pig" is not a swearword in English since it has nonoffensive meanings
> as well.
A lot of the English swearwords also have non-offensive meanings;
there are even pairs of swear/nonswear synonyms like "shit"/"feces" (etc.)

It just seems to be a cultural thing that some words are regarded
as inherently offensive, while others only acquire offensiveness
through offensive use.  [Now, to cook up a conlang with swear- and
non-swear words for *everything*.  Oh wait, that's Esperanto's -acxo
isn't it?]

	*Muke!
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