Why are bad words bad?
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If bad words are taboo, why do they make up such a significant part of our daily conversations? And where do they come from, anyway? Vsauce explains what makes bad words so ... bad.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Here are some of the sources referenced in this Vsauce video:
Marchex Institute study
Canada's most vulgar city
"Bad" etymology
"Grawlixes"
Mort Walker - The Lexicon of Comicana
First use of grawlixes
Slate's Lexicon Valley: "A Brief History of Swearing"1 Kilohertz censor beep
Steven Pinker lectureSwearing history
remembering taboo wordsSwearing in the brain
no words should be banned?Mythbusters' Swearing Test For more resources visit the Vsauce Youtube page.
Marchex Institute study
Canada's most vulgar city
"Bad" etymology
"Grawlixes"
Mort Walker - The Lexicon of Comicana
First use of grawlixes
Slate's Lexicon Valley: "A Brief History of Swearing"1 Kilohertz censor beep
Steven Pinker lectureSwearing history
remembering taboo wordsSwearing in the brain
no words should be banned?Mythbusters' Swearing Test For more resources visit the Vsauce Youtube page.
About TED-Ed Best of Web
TED-Ed Best of Web are exceptional, user-created lessons that are carefully selected by volunteer teachers and TED-Ed staff.
Meet The Creators
- Video created by Vsauce
- Lesson Plan created by Alexandra Panzer
