Senior biology and science education major
You don’t need to be a linguistics expert to know that today’s youth are fascinated with profanity. As college students, we shout obscenities left and right with relative impunity. But the daily use of demerit-worthy words makes it necessary to decide how to let profane language impact our vocabulary.
The most obvious con of using foul language is that you are not always in the ideal setting for these words to come flying out of your mouth. You never know whether the obscenity you mutter at Thanksgiving dinner will send Aunt Mildred into a tizzy. And while it might be hilarious that the only syllable my baby cousin can say is a nickname for Richard, we can all agree it would probably be better if he could say “da-da” instead
Even if you are not concerned with the fragile, impressionable ears of children and the elderly, you have to concede that an inappropriately timed expletive can land you in real trouble. I’m sure none of us want to be the one who responds to a PowerPoint slide malfunction during a presentation with an F-bomb. The habit of using bad language puts you at much higher risk for making a detrimental verbal blunder.
As career-minded young adults, we have to start considering the differences between our personal and professional selves. While a slip of the tongue in class might result in a poor grade on an assignment, the use of expletives in the workplace has a definite impact on your bosses’ and coworkers’ perceptions of you.
Frequent swearing projects an image of immaturity. Even if you are mature, you appear to lack the communication skills to express yourself and your emotions in an intentional and thoughtful manner. Our behavior must change to suit workplace environments if we are to become the successful professionals we are studying to be.
The downside to harsh language isn’t only apparent in particular settings but in its daily overuse. We use these no-no words to describe nearly everything. With every harsh syllable uttered, the impact of those words decreases, leading us to a point at which they will be practically meaningless. Keeping cussing to a minimum will sustain the value of those words.
It’s not easy to rein in excessive expletive use, so kudos to you if you accept the challenge. Luckily, abandoning your questionable vocabulary is a great opportunity for creativity. Try replacing a profane term with another word that will get the job done without the dubious connotation. A few of my personal favorite appropriate words and phrases (that sound like they might not be) include “bicuspid,” “French toast” and “snapdragons.”
Imagine how quickly you will command a room when you shout, “Fracking!” after spilling coffee on your lecture notes. The chance of getting a few laughs is about 100 percent, but I’d say making someone smile and challenging your brain makes your quirky vocabulary modification a worthwhile endeavor.
Of course, none of this is to say that expletives don’t have their place. Anyone who has slammed a finger in a car door or woken up late for a final can tell you that. The key, as with most indulgences, is moderation.
Language is a power tool we have to wield responsibly. We must be mindful of the words we use to express ourselves and cognizant of how our vocabulary affects how others perceive us.
Danielle Wilkin is a senior biology and science education major. She can be reached at dwilkindbk@gmail.com.
