Instructor: Laura McGarrity at the UW
terms and themes
- Taboo word taxonomy
- Types of swearing - informative, sociative, and emotive
- Aspects of linguistic meaning
- Grammar in linguistics
- Iconicity and sound symbolism
- Rules of expletive infixation
- X-phemisms
- Formal innovations for euphemisms
- Evolution of swearing
- Frigatives
- Etymology of the word fuck
- Fuck has two main uses with two different semantic and syntactic properties
- Swearing across cultures
- Swearing acquisition in L1
- Punishment is ineffective for curbing swearing in children
- Psychology of swearing
- Structure of the brain
- Evidence for brain lateralization
- The limbic system is responsible for the four Fs
- Coprolalia refers to uncontrollable, compulsive swearing or socially inappropriate remarks
- Tourette Syndrome
- Lalochezia refers to the emotional or physical relief from stress or pain gained by swearing
- Swearing is closely tied to power
- Free speech
- Defaming and libelous speech, words which pose an imminent danger, fighting words, and obscenity are unprotected by the First Amendment
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- U. Penn’s 1993 “Water Buffalo” Incident
- Free speech is chilled when it is suppressed out of fear of punishment - chilling effect