Do You Have A Filthy Mouth? Good. Here Is How Swearing Makes You Smarter

Aug 31, 2018

A recent Language Science study found that curse words may not be quite as bad as many people believe. According to the study, the more you swear, the bigger your vocabulary, as well as your potential intellect.

The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Marist College had researchers ask volunteers to say as many words as they could as quickly as possible in several categories. These categories included words that started with a specific letter, animals, and swear words.

In both writing and speaking, volunteers who could say more curse words could also come up with more G-rated words. According to Timothy Jay, the study author, men and women who know a lot of swear words also know a lot of other words. 

One huge myth about swearing is that people who do so don’t know have a larger vocabulary. This puts that myth to rest for sure. 

In fact, according to researchers, knowing a lot of swear words may be a sign of intelligence, as knowing and using them in the correct form can show off your intellectual capabilities. 

There are even more benefits to swearing, as we are about to see in the following paragraphs. 

Everyone knows certain words are “worse” than others. We grew up hearing how bad they were. We knew that they packed a certain power when used correctly.

Richard Stephens is the author of the book Black Sheep: The Hidden Benefits of Being Bad. He was curious to see how the power of swear words really worked. 

Stephens gathered volunteers and asked them to put their hands into buckets of ice-cold water until they could no longer stand it. 

If the participant was permitted to say their favorite swear word, they were able to keep their hand in the ice-water longer than those who couldn’t. They also showed a steadier heart rate and reported less pain. 

Stephens said this is due to the fact that saying swear words provokes an emotional response that is similar to our fight-or-flight response. 

This type of swearing is known as “annoyance swearing” and is used to let off steam or express an emotion.

Swearing in certain workplace cultures can actually build up the bond between employees. 

For many, being comfortable enough to swear around other co-workers sends a signal that everyone is in it together. This type of feeling really pays off when you are forced to work together as a team. It also boosts morale and makes the office setting a little less uptight. 

For those who are new on the job, learn the corporate lingo before unleashing the swear words. You can then model your behavior according to what your superiors are doing. Remember, it isn’t about swearing at someone, it is about swearing about something, such as the weather. 

A properly placed swear word here and there can make a stronger point during an argument. 

According to a study done by the Northern Illinois University, psych students had to listen to three separate speeches advocating a lower tuition rate. Those who listened said the speeches that started or ended with an expletive were the most persuasive. 

However, you should only use profanity when you are with someone who has a similar point of view. 

Bad language will only reinforce their negative views if you are trying to argue with a person who very strongly disagrees with you. When your speech is particularly clean, a well-placed swear word will have more of an effect on those around you. 

What did you think of this article? Do you swear a lot or do you try to keep it clean? Let us know in the comments and pass this on to others!