Where Did Curse Words Come From?

Where did curse words come from? To answer this question, let’s look at curses, profanity, and why people curse.

The definition of curse includes: an appeal that something bad would happen to someone or something; what happens after that appeal; and a profane word. There are other definitions, but these are the ones related to curse words. First, we’ll look at curses.

Curses or magic spells have been around forever and curses are considered “black magic.” Curses can be chanted or thrown for a number of reasons; revenge and protection of sites or people are two main ones. They can be effective immediately or lie dormant for some time. They have been practiced in many cultures for many years.

Most curses are performed with an image of the person, or effigies, thinking that if the image is harmed, the person will also be harmed. The more closely the figure resembled the person, the stronger the spell. Waxed figures were used in many cultures, including Egypt, India, Persia, Africa, and Europe and are still used today. Sometimes hearts, animal corpses, and things which decompose rapidly, like eggs, are used and buried in the ground.    

Throughout history, sorcerers have performed curses and blessings as a service to people, usually for a fee. Plato wrote in the Republic, “If anyone wishes to injure an enemy; for a small fee they (sorcerers) will bring harm on good or bad alike, binding the gods to serve their purposes by spells and curses." So the answer to the question, “Where did curse words come from?” would be from the ancient practice of cursing.

There have been instances of famous curses throughout the years. Curses in Egyptian tombs have been the subject of many movies. Although there is no evidence of this, there was supposedly a curse on King Tutankhamen’s tomb, “Death will slay with its wings whoever disturbs the peace of the pharaoh.” Many think this was a hoax, even though six out of the seven principle excavation team members had strange and sudden deaths.

Gems and crystals have long been thought to hold magical power. The Hope Diamond is said to be cursed because people who have owned it have suffered from misfortune. One of the worst curses were the ones laid on royal families to keep them from having children or having the heirs die, thus stopping their blood line.

Profanity

Since you know the answer to answer to the question, “Where did curse words come from?” is from the historical use of curses, let’s look at the use of profanity today. Other words for profanity and cursing are swearing, bad words, dirty words, expletives, obscenities, cussing, blasphemy, or foul language. Many curse words refer to God or the crucifixion, and these are considered irreverent, at best.

The expression “God damn” is like a curse, where you are asking God to damn something or someone. According to the Bible, this can be taking God’s name in vain, and is not supposed to be done.  

Another expression is “Gadzooks” which literally means “God’s hooks” which refers to the crucifixion. The Cockney phrase “Gorblimey”, which is used to swear you are telling the truth, translates as “God blind me.” Also, any expressions starting with a “bl” can be considered bad because of the reference to the blood of Christ, like “blimey” and “bloody.”     

Why Do People Say Curse Words?

Sometimes people curse because of pain, anger, or frustration. It may just feel better to say a curse word than simply say, “Ouch”. Other times curse words express joy or surprise. Most people alter their choice of curse words according to the company they are in.  

In movies, just the right curse word can add a lot to the dialogue, unless used too often. Comedy acts are often funnier when a curse word is used for emphasis.  However, if used too often, they may be a cover for lack of material of lack of humor.

Cursing can actually serve a purpose as an emotional release. It can also be an alternative to physical violence, so cursing is definitely the better choice. In other words, cursing can help us deal with strong emotions, so it’s not altogether a bad thing.