There are two types of cursing in this world that I know of.
1: To bring bad luck or bad fourtune to. As in the Curse of Colonel Sanders.
2: To shout obsenities. As in Fuck You, Go to hell you Shithead, or You Son of a Bitch.
Number 1. Most curses are normally put on people because they were not hospitible to strangers, or because they violated a holy or sacred item. Beauty and the Beast is a classic example of you everyday evil prince not being hospitible to your everyday hag that's not really an everyday hag but an everyday beautiful fairy in disquise.
Many of the ancient pyramids also placed curses on people who would enter and disturb the pharaoh's tomb.
Most curses of this variety are normally placed because the curser was royally screwed over, or just minorly annoyed by the cursee, and decides to go on a freaking power trip (with power they don't really have). Most people do not believe in these types of curses, and consider them to be superstition. (See also: jinx) Curses of these types are not normally seen in most industrialized nations anymore.
Number 2. Usually, you don't see curses of type two that are thought out. They are normally exclaimed in surprise, anger, or pain. (To see correct and thought out usages of curse words, see fuck or shit.) Most people find these words to be offensive and rude. However, they are still in widespread use.
Cursing in a well thought out and planned manner normally happens as a way to get a rise out of someone, or to add more expression to a phrase. (See Chris Rock or, if he's not your style, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut).
More often cursing is used without thought, and this is the type of cursing that normally gets one into trouble. This is the kind you mistakenly use in front of your mother or when the kids are around. Many people would like to stop this type of cursing, but find it hard to do. The reason is because most curse words are very simple. Many are one syllable, as in Fuck, Whore, or Bitch. Some are two syllables, as in Asshole, Fucker, or CockTease. Being very simple, it is a trivial matter for brains to learn and incorporate this type of language. Many of you have walked on your feet for many years and find you can walk without consious thought. Similarly, most of you have also spoken language for many years and can speak without consious thought. However, this means that speaking without thinking becomes an everyday reality. If one had to think before speaking, I'm sure that people would experience curse type #2 much less, however, communication in general would also probably suffer. |
