You might expect a book on the science of swearing to take a lot of the fun out of the subject. Talking about taboo language is sort of like explaining a joke; subjecting the f-bomb to critical analysis defuses its impact. A “complex social signal that is laden with emotional and cultural significance,” swearing has meaning and utility in many surprising ways that go beyond the merely communicative. And in the workplace, swearing can become something like a tribal language, leading to increased social bonding. In informal (and yes, off-colour) prose, Byrne looks at the science of swearing from the different angles research has taken.

Source: thestar November 24, 2017 11:37 UTC