Almost everyone swears, or worries about not swearing, from the two
year-old who has just discovered the power of potty mouth to the grandma
who wonders why every other word she hears is obscene. Whether they
express anger or exhilaration, are meant to insult or to commend, swear
words perform a crucial role in language. But swearing is also a
uniquely well-suited lens through which to look at history, offering a
fascinating record of what people care about on the deepest levels of a
culture--what's divine, what's terrifying, and what's taboo.
Holy Sh*t tells the story of two kinds of swearing--obscenities and
oaths--from ancient Rome and the Bible to today. With humor and insight,
Melissa Mohr takes readers on a journey to discover how "swearing" has
come to include both testifying with your hand on the Bible and calling
someone a *#$&!* when they cut you off on the highway. She explores
obscenities in ancient Rome--which were remarkably similar to our
own--and unearths the history of religious oaths in the Middle Ages,
when swearing (or not swearing) an oath was often a matter of life and
death. Holy Sh*t also explains the advancement of civility and
corresponding censorship of language in the 18th century, considers the
rise of racial slurs after World War II, examines the physiological
effects of swearing (increased heart rate and greater pain tolerance),
and answers a question that preoccupies the FCC, the US Senate, and
anyone who has recently overheard little kids at a playground: are we
swearing more now than people
did in the past?
A gem of lexicography and cultural history, Holy Sh*t is a serious
exploration of obscenity--and it also just might expand your repertoire
of words to choose from the next time you shut your finger in the car
door.
