It was about the 7th grade when my male friends and I discovered and began to use swear words. It didn’t take us long to get pretty proficient and inventive in their use in our everyday conversions.

I’m not sure we even knew what some of these words actually meant or referred to. Somehow, however, although we filled our personal conversations with foul language, we never used it in front of our parents or other adults. I don’t know how we made this separation unconsciously.

Over the years my use of foul language has diminished, but on occasion, in mostly select male company, or when I make a mistake or do something stupid, I find myself uttering some choice words.

It got me to thinking about swear words in general. Some are what some would call blasphemy, others cast aspersions on one’s mother. Some question one’s sexuality, or compare someone to a part of the male or female genetalia. Some are even used to describe a person’s mental capacity.

Out of curiosity I googled slang words for male genetalia and was surprised to find out that there have been over 2,500 slang words used to describe male genetalia over the last several thousand years. I guess my vocabulary has been very lacking.

I did not check for slang words for female genetalia, but I would guess the number is about the same.

For certain this type of language is, and has been, universal. I remember watching one of basketball great Bill Russell’s short-lived talk shows, where he said he was 13 years old before he realized he could use the word mother by itself.

Keeping all that in mind I guess I had better watch what comes out of my mouth.

Ken Kaiyala
1-23-18