vulgarities

Vulgarities, or vulgar language, are words and expressions that a given speech community regards as crude, offensive, or taboo. They typically include profanity or swearing, sexual and bodily terms, scatological language, religious profanities, and insulting or demeaning slurs. What counts as vulgar varies by culture, context, and era; words that are mild in one setting can be highly offensive in another.

Linguists study vulgarities as part of language use in social interaction, looking at how they express emotion, emphasis, humor, or identity. They function to express strong emotion, signal solidarity within a group, or mark disrespect toward a target, but can also offend or alienate listeners. The acceptability of vulgar language is negotiated through situational cues—formality of the setting, relationships between speakers, and norms of a community.

Vulgarities are regulated in many societies through social sanctions, media guidelines, and law. Public broadcasters may ban or bleep certain terms; online platforms apply moderation policies. Individual behavior often reflects politeness strategies and risk assessment about consequences. Historically, shifts in what is considered vulgar reflect changes in morality, religion, and power, as terms move along a spectrum from taboo to colloquial.

Debates surround freedom of expression versus harm caused by offensive language, especially when insults or hate terms target protected groups. Understanding vulgarities involves looking at pragmatics, sociolinguistics, and the social contexts in which language is produced and received.