Why We Curse: A neuro-psycho-social theory of speechPsychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists, linguists and speech pathologists currently have no coherent theory to explain why we curse and why we choose the words we do when we curse. The Neuro-Psycho-Social Theory of Speech draws together information about cursing from different disciplines and unites them to explain and describe the psychological, neurological, cultural and linguistic factors that underlie this startling phenomenon. Why We Curse is divided into five parts. Part 1 introduces the dimensions and scope of cursing and outlines the NPS Theory, while Part 2 covers neurological variables and offers evidence for right brain dominance during emotional speech events. Part 3 then focuses on psychological development including language acquisition, personality development, cognition and so forth, while Part 4 covers the wide variety of social and cultural forces that define curse words and restrict their usage. Finally, Part 5 concludes by examining the social and legal implications of cursing, treating misconceptions about cursing, and setting the agenda for future research. The work draws on new research by Dr. Jay and others and continues the research reported in his groundbreaking 1992 volume Cursing in America. A psycholinguistic study of dirty language in the courts, in the movies, in the schoolyards and on the streets. |
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acts of cursing American amygdala anger aphasia aspects asshole associated automatic basal ganglia behavior bitch brain censorship Chapter child classical conditioning clinical cognitive communication context coprolalia copropraxia cross-cultural cultural curse words cursing episodes dirty disgust disorders effects emotional expressions emotional speech ethnic euphemisms example expletives factors fighting words frequently frontal lobe fuck function gender-related insults human human sexuality humor identity inhibit jokes Journal Lancker lexicon limbic system linguistic listeners Maledicta memory name calling neurological noncurse words nonpropositional NPS Theory obscene offensive speech offensive words one’s parents patients penis perceptual defense personality Postulate produce profanity propositional psycholinguistic psychological references religion religious reported right hemisphere role scatology semantic sexual harassment sexual slang sexual terminology shit social sociocultural speaker subjects swearing taboo words talk about sex tics Tourette Syndrome utter vagina verbal abuse verbal aggression women word magic workplace York