Swearing does not mean the talker is lazy or uneducated, study found; Those who are more confident using taboo words are more articulate ...

Although I have a pretty good vocabulary which shifts color over cigars and cognac on the porch, I tend not to waste them during the day, especially on REMFs who wouldn't have a clue anyways. Waste of a good sequence.

"People who are experts at swearing have BIGGER vocabularies than others". This may be true, but it hinges on the word "Expert" and how many bloggers are really experts. In my experience a large percentage of today's twitter generation, lack the vocabulary necessary to express complex and nuanced emotions in writing. The result is commentary where people struggle to out-emote an opponent with limited resources for expressing their point, which rapidly devolves into cursing and name calling.

SFC Stephen King

Do you think some men may use a barrage of curse words during their briefings, as a test to see the reaction of others (maybe specifically females) as in, "How thick is your skin"?

I can swear when I want, SFC Stephen King, and I do it often !! But I do consider my audience, and my perspective audience, and keep it to a minimum. Too many people get offended and call the PC police otherwise...... :-))

The study really shows that people with large vocabularies also know the most swear words.

Three kids have caused me to refine my expressions of disgust or emphasis, but I have found that a well-placed curse adds just the right sense of purpose when motivating Soldiers.

Damn It I feel better now! F**king Aye.

I try to limit it so I have somewhere to go with it, so it still has some impact. I've heard the F-bomb for a dropped cookie. A cookie. I'm a tanker pilot, so sometimes we think about fire. Where would they go with language if they were actually on fire? I mean their whole body is on fire! F-bombs are not gonna cut it, if the standard is F-bomb for a dropped cookie. What do you have left? Outa Schlitz I say. So I save it for when I'm on fire...then people'll know I'm on fire.

SFC Stephen King I do not swear often,but using the expletive(f***) in certain instances seems to work wonders.The term,a**hole,is the absolute best description of certain individuals.

I have no issues with swearing. I use it commonly when I need or want to command the conversation or to sway a person. If you are going to use swear words there are some rules to it.

Know your audience, if you are in a position above a group of people it can be beneficial to swear.(An example. I work with a group that unload my trucks, commonly called 'Lumpers'. The are a rough bunch. It is sometimes well over a 100 degrees in those trucks. Most of them are not highly educated, some are felons, and they swear.) I will visit with them and I will "mother fucker" the Steelers right along with them. It has helped us to bond. They know I am one of the guys and if I need something I just have ask.

Same goes the other way. If there are people above you and you swear all the time, they may think you are a knuckle dragger. Good luck getting that corner office.

Use it sparingly, if you cuss all the time when you need use it to get someones attention or emphasis something it just gets lost. You can lean over and whisper to someone you need something fucking now. They understand that it is important because you don't usually cuss. Now if everyday you fucking need this and fucking need that nobody cares that you said fuck.

There is a time and place for everything. School children, a group of nuns, or board meeting is probably not a place to dish out your potty words. Don't get caught up habitually swearing to the point you say things that might just get you in trouble because they just slip out. In basic training, I swore continuously. It was my way of copping with all the stress. I was on the drill team for graduations. My very first time I did a graduation I messed up. I did not even realize that I had said anything. Turns out I said, "Fuck" right in front of the grandstand, in particular right in front of the Rear Admiral of NTC Great Lakes and the CNO. I spent days getting smoked and was returned to finish out my time in boot camp with a regular company. Not my greatest moment in my military career. Thanks to one little word at the wrong time.

Swearing is a great tool to get things done, emphasis importance, and lower barriers with others. Just don't become a HR nightmare.

Wow..that means my last CSM was the most articulate person on earth!

Damn right.

Walt

ROFL! Can I give you a list of names and emails to send this to? Thanks I needed this one.

Hooah SFC Stephen King and Climb to Glory! I was told, as a new LT, by another LT, I sounded uneducated... because I talked like a sailor... My response was "F&^* and the horse you rode in on...."

So my Marine Corps Drill Instructors were right all along? Oooh F*#'in Rah!

SFC Stephen King
I remember watching a Youtube video a while back about Navy Boot Camp. It's obviously changed since I went through 23 years ago. Our Company Commanders were technically not allowed to curse at us but did anyway (I suspect the other branches were much the same way).

Anyway, the Chief Petty Officer Company Commander was addressing his "ship" after a typical screw-up. His words were something like "Every mother sucker in here..." I wonder how much the Chief had to train himself to not curse for something like that to flow out naturally, when you could tell that he really wanted to curse.

A very articulate and poignant NCO once told me, "I don't know how many times people need to hear the word FUCK before they stop being surprised by it."

Bigger swear word vocabularies I can personally attest. More articulate? Hardly. As a cop every other word out of my mouth was the F-bomb in all it's various forms, English and Spanish. I was verbally lazy and relying on shock value to make my points to equally illiterate 'clientele'. Sad...

I swear, probably to often, it is something that I am working on. It normally comes out at the most inopportune moments. I also enjoy using 'big words' on occasion...mostly because I like the sound of it, like plethora.
What does it take to become "an expert" in swearing anyway?