1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict
  4. Volume 6, Issue 1
  5. Article
Volume 6, Issue 1
  • ISSN 2213-1272
  • E-ISSN: 2213-1280
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

This paper addresses problems with swearing on the internet. The opening section of the paper defines swearing (uttering offensive emotional speech) as a ubiquitous form of impolite human behavior. Swearing can occur wherever humans communicate with each other and that it appears in computer-mediated communication (CMC) is not surprising. The second section documents how swearwords appear in email, blogs, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube and in other practices and sites (trolling, 4chan). Swearword use is situated in the context of emerging research on impoliteness and moral order (politeness norms and standards that govern internet behavior). Online swearword use is a function of moral order, as well as users’ interpersonal characteristics such as age (younger more likely than older users), gender (men more likely than women), the time of day (later in the day and evening), and a website’s social composition (adversarial and male dominated more than homogeneous friendly sites). The paper concludes with suggestions for dealing with internet swearword use where regulation is desirable and feasible. Websites and communities should develop moral order norms that at a minimum restrict illegal forms of speech (e.g., credible threats of violence, workplace sexual harassment).

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/jlac.00005.jay
2018-07-02
2024-12-12

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/jlac.00005.jay
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Adams, Michael
    2016 In Praise of Profanity. New York: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Archer, Dawn
    2014 “Historical Pragmatics: Evidence from the Old Bailey.” Transactions of the Philological Society112: 259–277. doi: 10.1111/1467‑968X.12011
     https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-968X.12011 [Google Scholar]
  3. Arndt, Horst, and Richard Janney
    1985 “Politeness Revisited: Cross-modal Supportive Strategies.” International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching23: 281–300.10.1515/iral.1985.23.1‑4.281
     https://doi.org/10.1515/iral.1985.23.1-4.281 [Google Scholar]
  4. Beebe, Leslie
    1995 “Polite Fictions: Instrumental Rudeness as Pragmatic Competence.” InLinguistics and the Education of Language Teachers: Ethnolinguistic, Psycholinguistic, and Sociolinguistic aspects. Georgetown University Round Table on Languages and Linguistics, edited byJames Alatis, Carolyn Straehle, Maggie Ronkin and Brent Gallenberger, 154–168. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Bergen, Benjamin
    2016 What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, Ourselves. New York: Basic Books.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Bou-Franch, Patricia, and Pilar Garces-Conejos Blitvich
    2014 “Gender Ideology and Social Identity Processes in Online Language Aggression against Women.” Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict2(2): 226–248.10.1075/jlac.2.2.03bou
     https://doi.org/10.1075/jlac.2.2.03bou [Google Scholar]
  7. Bousfield, Derek
    2007 “Beginnings, Middles, and Ends: A Biopsy of the Dynamics of Impolite Exchanges.” Journal of Pragmatics39 (12): 2185–2216.10.1016/j.pragma.2006.11.005
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2006.11.005 [Google Scholar]
  8. Chretien, Katherine, S. Ryan Greysen, Jean-Paul Chretien, and Terry Kind
    2009 “Online Posting of Unprofessional Content by Medical Students.” JAMA302: 1309–1315.10.1001/jama.2009.1387
     https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.1387 [Google Scholar]
  9. Clark, Herbert H.
    1996 Using Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.10.1017/CBO9780511620539
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511620539 [Google Scholar]
  10. Culpeper, Jonathan
    1996 “Towards an Anatomy of Impoliteness.” Journal of Pragmatics23 (3): 349–367.10.1016/0378‑2166(95)00014‑3
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(95)00014-3 [Google Scholar]
  11. Culpeper, Jonathan, Derek Bousfield, and Anne Wichmann
    2003 “Impoliteness Revisited: With Special Reference to Dynamic and Prosodic Aspects.” Journal of Pragmatics35: 1545–1579.10.1016/S0378‑2166(02)00118‑2
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-2166(02)00118-2 [Google Scholar]
  12. Duehren, Andrew, C. Ramsey Fahs, and Daphne Thompson
    2016 “Harvard Cancels Men’s Soccer Season after Finding Sexually Explicit “Reports” Continued Through 2016.” The Crimson, November4. Retrieved from: www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/11/4/soccer-suspended-scouting-report-harvard/
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Dwyer, Dialynn
    2016 “Amherst College Suspends Men’s Cross Country Team Activities Over ‘Racist, Misogynist’ Emails.” Boston.Com, December12. Retrieved from: https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2016/12/12/amherst-college-suspends-mens-cross-country-team-over-racist-misogynist-emails.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Finn, Jerry, and Mary Banach
    2000 “Victimization Online: The Downside of Seeking Human Services for Women on the Internet.” CyberPsychology and Behavior3: 785–796.10.1089/10949310050191764
     https://doi.org/10.1089/10949310050191764 [Google Scholar]
  15. French, David
    2016 “The Price I’ve Paid for Opposing Donald Trump.” National Review, October21. Retrieved from: www.nationalreview.com/article/441319/donald-trump-alt-right-internet-abuse-never-trump-movement.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Fullwood, Chris, Karen Melrose, Neil Morris, and Sarah Floyd
    2012 “Sex, Blogs, and Baring Your Soul: Factors Influencing UK Blogging Strategies.” Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology64: 345–355.10.1002/asi.22736
     https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.22736 [Google Scholar]
  17. Gauthier, Michael, Adrien Guille, Fabien Rico, and Anthony Deseille
    2015, 2016 “Text Mining and Twitter to Analyze British Swearing Habits.” InTwitter for Research Handbook, edited byClement Levallois, Morgane Marchand, Tiago Mata and Aandre Panisson, 27–43. Paris: Emlyon Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Gelfand, Michele, et al
    2011 “Differences between Tight and Loose Cultures: A 33-Nation Study.” Science332: 1100–1104.10.1126/science.1197754
     https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1197754 [Google Scholar]
  19. Graham, Jesse, and Jonathan Haidt
    2010 “Beyond Beliefs: Religions Bind Individuals into Moral Communities.” Personal and Social Psychology Bulletin14(1): 140–150.10.1177/1088868309353415
     https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868309353415 [Google Scholar]
  20. Haidt, Jonathan
    2012 The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. New York: Pantheon.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Hardaker, Claire
    2010 “Trolling in Asynchronous Computer-Mediated Communication: From User Discussions to Academic Definitions.” Journal of Politeness Research6(2): 215–242.10.1515/jplr.2010.011
     https://doi.org/10.1515/jplr.2010.011 [Google Scholar]
  22. 2013 “Uh….not to be nitpicky,,,,,but…the past tense of drag is dragged, not drug.” Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict1(1): 58–86.10.1075/jlac.1.1.04har
     https://doi.org/10.1075/jlac.1.1.04har [Google Scholar]
  23. Heins, Marjorie
    2007 Not in Front of the Children: Indecency, Censorship, and the Innocence of Youth. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Herring, Susan
    1994 “Gender Differences in Computer-Mediated Communication: Bringing Familiar Baggage to the New Frontier.” Keynote Talk atthe American Library Association Annual Convention, Miami, Florida.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Herring, Susan, and Sanja Kapidzic
    2015 “Teens, Gender, and Self-Presentation in Social Media.” InInternational Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition, edited byJames Wright, 146–152. Oxford: Elsevier.10.1016/B978‑0‑08‑097086‑8.64108‑9
     https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.64108-9 [Google Scholar]
  26. Jane, Emma
    2014 “‘Back to the Kitchen, Cunt’: Speaking the Unspeakable about Online Misogyny.” Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies28: 558–570.10.1080/10304312.2014.924479
     https://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2014.924479 [Google Scholar]
  27. Jay, Kristin, and Timothy B. Jay
    2013 “A Child’s Garden of Curses: A Gender, Historical, and Age-Related Evaluation of the Taboo Lexicon.” American Journal of Psychology126: 459–475.10.5406/amerjpsyc.126.4.0459
     https://doi.org/10.5406/amerjpsyc.126.4.0459 [Google Scholar]
  28. 2015 “Taboo Word Fluency and Knowledge of Slurs and General Pejoratives: Deconstructing the Poverty-of-Vocabulary Myth.” Language Sciences52: 251–259.10.1016/j.langsci.2014.12.003
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2014.12.003 [Google Scholar]
  29. Jay, Timothy B.
    1992 Cursing in America. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. 1997 “Improving School Conduct Codes: Clarity about Unacceptable Speech.” ERIC Document Reproduction ServiceEA 026 417.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. 2000 Why We Curse: A Neuro-Psycho-Social Theory of Speech. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. 2003 The Psychology of Language. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. 2009a “The Utility and Ubiquity of Taboo Words.” Perspectives in Psychological Science4: 153–161.10.1111/j.1745‑6924.2009.01115.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01115.x [Google Scholar]
  34. 2009b “Do Offensive Words Harm People?” Psychology, Public Policy, and Law15: 81–101.10.1037/a0015646
     https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015646 [Google Scholar]
  35. 2017 We Did What!? The History of Offensive and Inappropriate Behavior in American History. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Jay, Timothy B., Catherine Caldwell-Harris, and Krista King
    2005 “Recalling Taboo and Nontaboo words.” American Journal of Psychology121: 83–103.10.2307/20445445
     https://doi.org/10.2307/20445445 [Google Scholar]
  37. Jay, Timothy B., and Kristin Janschewitz
    2007 “Filling the Emotion Gap in Linguistic Theory: Commentary on Potts’ Expressive Dimension.” Theoretical Linguistics33: 215–221.10.1515/TL.2007.014
     https://doi.org/10.1515/TL.2007.014 [Google Scholar]
  38. 2008 “The Pragmatics of Swearing.” Journal of Politeness Research4(2): 267–288.10.1515/JPLR.2008.013
     https://doi.org/10.1515/JPLR.2008.013 [Google Scholar]
  39. Jay, Timothy B., Krista King, and Timothy Duncan
    2006 “Memories of Punishment for Cursing.” Sex Roles32: 123–133.10.1007/s11199‑006‑9064‑5
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-006-9064-5 [Google Scholar]
  40. Kádár, Dániel
    2017 Politeness, Impoliteness and Ritual: Maintaining the Moral Order in Interpersonal Interaction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Kádár, Dániel, and Rosina Márquez-Reiter
    2015 “Impoliteness and (Im)morality: Insights from Intervention. Journal of Politeness Research11(2): 239–262.10.1515/pr‑2015‑0010
     https://doi.org/10.1515/pr-2015-0010 [Google Scholar]
  42. Kasper, Gabriele
    1990 “Linguistic Politeness: Current Research Issues.” Journal of Pragmatics14: 193–218.10.1016/0378‑2166(90)90080‑W
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(90)90080-W [Google Scholar]
  43. Lakoff, Robin
    1989 “The Limits of Politeness: Therapeutic and Courtroom Discourse.” Multilingua8: 101–129.10.1515/mult.1989.8.2‑3.101
     https://doi.org/10.1515/mult.1989.8.2-3.101 [Google Scholar]
  44. Lenhart, Amanda
    2015 Teens, Social Media and Technology Overview 2015. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.
     [Google Scholar]
  45. Levmore, Saul, and Martha Nussbaum
    2010 The Offensive Internet: Speech, Privacy, and Reputation. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  46. Locher, Miriam
    2010 “Introduction: Politeness and Impoliteness in Computer-Mediated Communication.” Journal of Politeness Research6: 1–5.10.1515/jplr.2010.001
     https://doi.org/10.1515/jplr.2010.001 [Google Scholar]
  47. Locher, Miriam, and Richard Watts
    2005 “Politeness Theory and Relational Work.” Journal of Politeness Research1: 9–33.10.1515/jplr.2005.1.1.9
     https://doi.org/10.1515/jplr.2005.1.1.9 [Google Scholar]
  48. Maia, Rousiley, and Thaiane Rezende
    2016 “Respect and Disrespect in Deliberation across the Networked Media Environment: Examining Multiple Paths to Political Talk.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication21: 121–139.
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Massingdale, Lee
    2009 Human Rights in China. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Pub.
     [Google Scholar]
  50. Mele, Christopher
    2016 “Princeton is the Latest Ivy League School to Suspend Team over Vulgar Materials.” New York Times, December15. Retrieved from: www.nytimes.com/2016/12/15/sports/princeton-mens-swimming-suspended.html?_r=0
     [Google Scholar]
  51. Patchin, Justin, and Sameer Hinduja
    2010 “Trends in Online Social Networking: Adolescent Use of MySpace over Time.” New Media and Society12: 197–216.10.1177/1461444809341857
     https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444809341857 [Google Scholar]
  52. Rideout, Victoria, Ulla Foehr, and Donald Roberts
    2010 Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8- to-18-Year-Olds. Henry J. KaiserFamily Foundation. Retrieved from: www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED527859.pdf
     [Google Scholar]
  53. Schwartz, Shalom
    1994 “Are There Universal Aspects in the Structure and Contents of Human Values?” Journal of Social Issues50(4): 19–45.10.1111/j.1540‑4560.1994.tb01196.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1994.tb01196.x [Google Scholar]
  54. Spencer-Oatey, Helen, and Dániel Kádár
    2016 “The Bases of Impoliteness Evaluations: Culture, the Moral Order and the East-West Debate.” East Asian Pragmatics1(1): 73–106
     [Google Scholar]
  55. Spertus, Ellen
    1997 Smokey: Automatic Recognition of Hostile Messages. Paper Presented atInnovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence (IAAI). American Association for Artificial Intelligence, July.
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Stryker, Cole
    2011 Epic Win for Anonymous: How 4chan’s Army Conquered the Web. New York: The Overlook Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  57. Subrahmanyam, Kaveri, David Smahel, and Patricia Greenfield
    2006 “Connecting Developmental Constructions to the Internet: Identity Presentation and Sexual Exploration in Online Teen Chat Rooms.” Developmental Psychology43: 395–406.10.1037/0012‑1649.42.3.395
     https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.42.3.395 [Google Scholar]
  58. Thelwall, Mike
    2008 “Fk Yea I Swear: Cursing and Gender in a Corpus of MySpace Pages.” Corpora3(1): 83–107.10.3366/E1749503208000087
     https://doi.org/10.3366/E1749503208000087 [Google Scholar]
  59. Thomas, Jenny
    1983 “Cross-cultural Pragmatic Failure.” Applied Linguistics4: 91–112.10.1093/applin/4.2.91
     https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/4.2.91 [Google Scholar]
  60. Turnage, Anna
    2008 “Email Flaming Behaviors and Organizational Conflict.” Journal of Computer-mediated Communication13: 43–59.10.1111/j.1083‑6101.2007.00385.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00385.x [Google Scholar]
  61. White, Rob
    2002 “Indigenous Young Australians, Criminal Justice and Offensive Language.” Journal of Youth Studies5: 21–34.10.1080/13676260120111742
     https://doi.org/10.1080/13676260120111742 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/jlac.00005.jay
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): e-bile; impoliteness; moral order; morality; pragmatics; swearing; trolling

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error