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Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever (Unabridged)
A New York Times bestseller One of the preeminent linguists of our time examines the realms of language that are considered shocking and taboo in order to understand what imbues curse words with such power--and why we love them so much.
About Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever (Unabridged)
A New York Times bestseller One of the preeminent linguists of our time examines the realms of language that are considered shocking and taboo in order to understand what imbues curse words with such power--and why we love them so much. Profanity has always been a deliciously vibrant part of our lexicon, an integral part of being human. In fact, our ability to curse comes from a different part of the brain than other parts of speech--the urgency with which we say "f&*k!" is instead related to the instinct that tells us to flee from danger. Language evolves with time, and so does what we consider profane or unspeakable. Nine Nasty Words is a rollicking examination of profanity, explored from every angle: historical, sociological, political, linguistic. In a particularly coarse moment, when the public discourse is shaped in part by once-shocking words, nothing could be timelier.
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More by John McWhorter
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The Story of Human Language
Words on the Move: Why English Won't—and Can't—Sit Still (Like, Literally)
The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language
Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever (Unabridged) — frequently asked
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