The benefits of swearing

If you Google search the definition of swearing, you’ll find words like “coarse, blasphemous, unacceptable”. AKA, fear based.

But the definition of swearing in the literature means “a linguistic tool used to express intense emotions”. AKA, acceptance based.

There are two types of swearing. Propositional - which includes 5 different methods of swearing which may be considered offensive…

• Dysphemistic: swearing in place of a neutral term

• Euphemistic: ie fuck vs sex

• Abusive: intended to intimidate

• Idiomatic: fluent part of one’s core language

• Emphatic: used to intensity (fucking amazing!)

And Non Propositional - which is cathartic in nature, and therefore should not be considered offensive. Cathartic swearing is used to:

• Relieve tension

• Increase pain threshold

• Increase physical strength

• Speak with greater honesty

• Startle or intimidate attacker

Our parents, carers and educators were brought up under behavioural paradigms, they punished behaviours such as swearing. But now that neuroscience informs our knowledge and we understand the regulatory benefits of swearing, it is okay for us to tap into non propositional swearing as the linguistic tool it is known to be.

Swearing is accessed via activation of the limbic system, as opposed to cognitively accessed.

Emotions move more efficiently when our brain is experiencing emotion rather than cognition. Cognitive based speech tens to want to make sense of everything first. Emotive speech (like swearing) will lead to language based release before sense can be made, allowing release to often be more immediate.

Sweary melodic mantras are a great way of intensifying our melodic mantra work. Keeping in mind that cathartic swearing means not hurting anyone else, not using slurs or derogatory terms that offend or oppress any groups of people, and centring this as a personal tool, not means for projection onto others.