From Aaron Karo’s Ruminations.com:
I accept the idea that my son will use curse words when he grows up. My goal is to make sure he does it well and in the proper context.
Reasonable idea. But define “grows up”: how’s he supposed to learn how to use them?
(And is this a language and gender thing, available only for boys?)
November 20, 2011 at 2:48 pm |
I assume that he would learn to curse like he learns most other adult behaviors that are not formally taught: through observing his older peers and observing adults. And I could see a parent (or some other adult–I don’t know whether a peer would do this) pointing out the power of curse words and even discussing their relative shock values. Or he could pick it up for himself by observation.
I don’t think that cursing is limited to boys these days, by any means, but there are probably subtle social reasons why wome
girls (or women) may prefer not to curse in some mixed-sex situations.