[hifromwork]

Fully agree. As a non-native English speaker, I always thought English doesn't have "real" curse words, and the only actual (taboo) curse words I know are so-called "n-word" and similar.

It's hard for me to explain the difference, but (as an educated and relatively eloquent person) I would really hesitate (as in, physically struggle with my throat) to curse in my language aloud in a public place. Saying them among my friends or family would be seen as between mildly offensive and absolutely unacceptable. When hearing someone curse in public, I instinctively assume they're uneducated or intoxicated.

Meanwhile, i can freely swear in English among the same people (and online, and in most situations abroad). My mother, who I have never heard curse in my language, says "shit" like it was "oh darn". I see English swear words everywhere online. They really don't feel like a taboo to me.

[4star3star]

I would say it's totally normal for a 2nd language's swear words to have much less impact on one's psyche than one's maternal language.

[eigenspace]

That's definitely true, but I think you're also likely also just not understanding that in some cultures, there really are taboo words that are not considered okay to say under really any context.

Again, think of how radioactive "the N-word" is in all but the most radical of english speaking circles nowadays. Other languages have things like this with different histories and reasons.

[pessimizer]

It's an extremely common pitfall for second language learners to swear too casually. You've been yelled at for swearing (or screwing up honorifics) in your own language, but that still hasn't happened to you enough in your second language. It will.

I've tutear'd people in what would be casual settings for Americans and really felt the chill instantly.

[082349872349872]

> I see English swear words everywhere online

With regard to online (and music, and movies): have you paid attention to the social register in which you're seeing them used?