In Praise of Profanity

Michael Adams

A provocative, unapologetic defense of profanity in modern society
Weaves together linguistic and psychological analyses of why we swear - for emotional release, as a way to promote group solidarity, or to create intimate relationships - with colorful examples of profanity in literature, TV, film, and music
Will challenge readers to re-consider the way they think about swearing

In Praise of Profanity

Michael Adams

Description

When President Obama signed the affordable health care act in 2009, the Vice President was overheard to utter an enthusiastic "This is a big f*** deal!" In 2003, Bono dropped the F-bomb while accepting a Golden Globe, prompting nation-wide debate. A town in Massachusetts leavens $20 fines on swearing in public. Nothing is as paradoxical as our attitude toward swearing and "bad language": how can we judge profanity so harshly in principle, yet use it so frequently in practice? Though profanity is more acceptable today than ever, it is still labeled as rude or at best tolerable only under specific circumstances. Cursing, many argue, signals an absence of character, or poor parenting, and is something to avoid at all costs. Yet plenty of us are unconcerned about the dangers of profanity; bad words are plainly recorded in dictionaries, and are commonly used in mainstream music, Academy Award-winning films, books, and newspapers. And of course, regular people use it in conversation every day.

Clearly "dirty words" serve an important purpose. In In Praise of Profanity, Michael Adams offers a provocative, unapologetic defense of profanity, arguing that we've oversimplified profanity by labeling it as taboo, and we consistently fail to appreciate it as a legitimate means of expressing ourselves, either within our social relationships or in popular culture. Adams skillfully weaves together linguistic and psychological analyses of why we swear - for emotional release, as a way to promote group solidarity, or to create intimate relationships - with colorful examples of profanity in literature, TV, film, and music, such as The Sopranos, James Kelman's How Late It Was, How Late, or the songs of Nellie McKay. An entertaining look at the undeniable role of profanity in modern society, this book will challenge readers to re-consider the way they think about swearing.

In Praise of Profanity

Michael Adams

In Praise of Profanity

Michael Adams

Author Information

Michael Adams, Indiana University, Bloomington

Michael Adams is Associate Professor of English Language and Literature at Indiana University, editor of the quarterly journal American Speech, and President-Elect of the Dictionary Society of America. Adams is author of From Elvish to Klingon (OUP 2011), Slang: The People's Poetry (OUP 2009), and Slayer Slang (OUP 2003).

In Praise of Profanity

Michael Adams

Reviews and Awards

"Anyone who loves the English language — and who isn't afraid of its sharper edges — will find In Praise of Profanity a welcome addition to their personal library." - Copyediting.com

"an amusing look at language usage" - Times Higher Education

"Adams is well placed to explore the various debates over profanity ... ample food for thought and entertainment for anyone interested in the act, regardless of how much they swear ... a fine corrective." - Stan Carey, Strong Language

"In Praise of Profanity succeeds in conferring profundity on an underdog vocabulary." - The Rumpus

"Adams's work takes readers on a rich ride through history and culture on the value of swearing." - Library Journal

In Praise of Profanity

Michael Adams

From Our Blog

Power and politeness: key drivers behind profanity and self-censorship [excerpt]

Social conventions determine why we use profane language. The deliberate use (or avoidance) of profanity is often a socially conscious decision: self-censorship may be driven by politeness, while profane language may be used to establish a sense of power. The following shortened excerpt from In Praise of Profanity by Michael Adams takes a look at the connotations behind of profanity and analyzes the social drivers behind its usage.

Posted on September 30, 2017

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Protecting our children from profanity

We adults are careful about swearing around our kids. We don't want bad language to confuse or corrupt or otherwise harm them. As Steven Pinker says in passing while talking about profanity in The Stuff of Thought (2007), 'if some people would rather not explain to their young children what a blow job is, there should be television channels that don't force them to,' and there are. We have every right to be protective of our children even if we don't have a reason.

Posted on August 25, 2016

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A collection of Victorian profanities [infographic]

Euphemisms, per their definition, are used to soften offensive language. Topics such as death, sex, and bodily functions are often discussed delicately, giving way to statements like, "he passed away," "we're hooking up," or "it's that time of the month."

Posted on August 12, 2016

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