Fry's Planet Word - Taboo Language.

• Taboo language varies dependant on culture. 
•  Swear words are derived from the same pool of anxieties: religion,sex,death,illness,excretion and bodily fluids. 
• Cognitive professor of language Steven Pinker has a theory: "It's generally topics that are surrounded by negative emotion, seems to be the common denominator
• Excretion elicits the emotion of disgust.
• Religion elicits the emotion of dread / supernatural powers.
• Timothy Jay has a theory as to why swear words are linked to emotions: it comes from the emotion associated with the first time that you use the word. Emotion tag is associated with the word.
• Swearing is linked to pain, it's a form of relief.
• Involuntary absorption of taboo language.
• Emotional release when you swear.
• A swear word makes a dull sentence so much more emphatic - this is called a 'jab line'.
• Taboo language often victimises homosexuals.
• British people tend to enjoy the humour associated with taboo language.
• 'Round the horne' radio show - uses a lot of puns and innuendo.

Euphemisms. 

• More offensive and controversial than swearing.
• Often means something very offensive and the phrase softens the phrase.
• Linguistic ambiguity.
• Used to hide the harshness of a statement. e.g. 'Passed away'. 'Rainbow's end'.
  
  Politeness:
• Is another form of euphemisms, but used to avoid hurting someone's feelings.
  
  We modify our languages and change our words, we use euphemisms to protect delicate ears and spare our blushes. 
  
  Polari.
• A lot of taboo language originates from Polari, the language predominately used by gay men.
• Mixture of Italian, gypsy, backslang. 
• Trolling = cruising.
• Secret language strengthens the community.
  
  Teen speak:
• Kids have their own language - slang empowers them.
• You have to be part of an ingroup.
• American teenagers published a dictionary of slang terms but it's now outdated.
• New words tend to come in through music.
• Hip hop has brought in ghetto language into the mainstream.
• 'Yo homie, wu'sup?' 
• Language circulates when you speak it. >through the media / culture.
  
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                            Making something taboo just adds to its power.