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.
Nine Nasty Words is a rollicking examination of profanity,.
Language evolves with time, and so does what we consider profane or unspeakable.
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.
Profanity has always been a deliciously vibrant part of our lexicon, an integral part of being human.
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.
In a particularly coarse moment, when the public discourse is shaped in part by once-shocking words, nothing could be timelier.
Nine Nasty Words is a rollicking examination of profanity, explored from every angle: historical, sociological, political, linguistic.
Language evolves with time, and so does what we consider profane or unspeakable.
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.
Profanity has always been a deliciously vibrant part of our lexicon, an integral part of being human.
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.
In a particularly coarse moment, when the public discourse is shaped in part by once-shocking words, nothing could be timelier.
Nine Nasty Words is a rollicking examination of profanity, explored from every angle: historical, sociological, political, linguistic.
Language evolves with time, and so does what we consider profane or unspeakable.
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.
Profanity has always been a deliciously vibrant part of our lexicon, an integral part of being human.
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
