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Originally Posted by SithCeNtZ
So why is "screwed" not a cuss word? Why is "crap" not a cuss word? They both refer to the bodily functions of the f-bomb and s*** in your example. So why are those words not censored and the other words are censored, even on Chiefsplanet?
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Some would say they are, just to a lesser degree, especially crap. Don't know too many parents of 3-year-olds that like seeing their kids run around yelling "crap." As to censorship, obviously society is far more liberal in this sense today. A long way from Lucy and Desi sleeping in different beds.
Why we have these distinctions? Tangential connotations that are accrued over a long period of time, and this speaks to our own insecurities as humans. But even historically speaking, curse words have been associated with bodily functions. When Chaucer writes about Damian "thronging" in the tree, that ain't clean fun. Linguistically speaking, then, there hasn't been much change with certain words. Of course, we've added to the inventory over time.
My comment that curse words are associated with the human body is a statement of fact, therefore.