The video is a deep dive into the history, usage, and societal implications of swear words, as analyzed by the Marchex Institute and discussed by Michael from Vsauce.
The video starts by noting the common practice of businesses recording customer service calls, and the use of curse words in these conversations. The speaker then cites data from the Marchex Institute, which analyzed over 600,000 recorded phone conversations. The speaker mentions that people from Ohio were most likely to use curse words, while residents of Washington state were least likely.
The speaker then delves into the etymology of the word 'bad', noting that it originated in Old English as a derogatory term for an effeminate man. The speaker also discusses the commonality of certain swear words over time, noting that one third of all counts included the 'F' word and the 'S' word.
The speaker then introduces the concept of grawlixes, symbols and squiggles used to represent bad words. The speaker notes that these symbols were named by Mort Walker in his comic "The Lexicon of Comicana".
The video then discusses the reasons why words are considered bad, drawing from Steven Pinker's lecture. Pinker identifies five types of swearing, including abusive swearing, emphatic swearing, and dysphemistic swearing. The speaker then discusses how swear words often originated from things we were afraid of or perceived as dangerous, and how their taboo-ness becomes practical in certain situations.
The speaker also talks about the historical origins of swear words, noting that many of the bad words we use today are the result of class differences. The speaker concludes by discussing the future of swearing, suggesting that while some words may become more taboo, others may become more common.
The video ends by discussing the power of swear words, noting that they can be a tool for change. The speaker then concludes by stating that bad words are a reflection of societal evolution.
1. The speaker is discussing customer service calls and how they might be monitored or recorded due to the message "to ensure quality service".
2. The Marchex Institute analyzed over 600,000 recorded phone conversations Americans made to businesses in the United States.
3. Ohio residents were most likely to use curse words, including the 'A' word, the 'F' word, and the 'S' word.
4. Washington state residents were least likely to use curse words.
5. The speaker mentions that even the word 'bad' can be considered a bad word, as it began in old English as a derogatory term for an effeminate man.
6. 80% of swear words overheard in public in 1986, 1997, and 2006 were essentially the same.
7. One third of all counts included the top two - the 'F' word and the 'S' word.
8. Slate's Lexicon Valley podcast suggested that these 10 words make up about 0.7% of the average English speakers daily vocabulary.
9. First person plural pronouns account for about 1% of the words we say every day.
10. When a bad word is bleeped, it is covered with a 1 kilohertz sine wave.
11. The symbols and squiggles used to represent a bad word have a name - they're called grawlixes.
12. Steven Pinker in his lecture on the topic delineated five types of swearing.
13. Some words are bad on purpose, created and/or used with the intent to hurt others, referred to as "abusive swearing".
14. Using words to insult, humiliate, objectify, or marginalize disfavored people is another type of swearing.
15. If the disfavored person is God, this is referred to as supernatural swearing, which was particularly taboo in Victorian times.
16. Historically, swear words often came from things we were afraid of, things we perceived as dangerous, stronger than us, and mercurial, such as death, disease, infirmity, sex and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as body fluids.
17. Words for these things became gross and bad in and of themselves, uncouth to speak.
18. Not all words for gross things are socially unacceptable, which brings us to Pinker's second type of swearing - emphatic swearing.
19. Emphatic swearing is where the taboo-ness of bad words becomes quite practical. You wouldn't usually use those words but when you really want to convey that your current emotions matter more to you than proper social conduct, you can use them.
20. Dysphemism is a kind, acceptable word that allows you to talk about something unpleasant while simultaneously letting everyone know you totally get that it's unpleasant and want to respect that.
21. Historically, many of the bad words we use today are the result of class differences. In medieval England, the lower-class Saxons spoke a Germanic tongue while the upper-class Normans spoke a language related to French and Latin. English, as we know it today, contains many consequences of their differences.
22. Defecation stems from fancy pants Latin, whereas the less classy s*** is Germanic.
23. Bad words can be used, we're all close here. It's okay to swear, we're all cool.
24. Cathartic swearing is a bit different. It gives us "lalochezia," the medical term for the relief swearing provides when you're in pain.
25. Swearing may be centralized in the limbic system, along with the motions.
26. In humans, bad words are great for this purpose. Their taboo-ness makes them special. People wouldn't use them otherwise, so they are great alarms.
27. Swearing is changing. Some bad words are being used more and more frequently.
28. History has shown that as disease becomes less scary and sex and the supernatural become more personal, words related to them become less taboo and more common; whereas words that were common in the past are increasingly unpleasant.
29. People care about this stuff. Is it censorship to tell us what we can and cannot say or is it a safety seal, ensuring certain dysphemisms