Swearing in bilingual speakers

What is it about?

This study examines the swearing behavior in bilingual speakers of English. The study shows that in highly affective emotional situations, such as anger or fear, second language speakers of English do not show a significant difference in the frequency of swearing in the first and the second language and engage equally frequently in swearing in both their first and second language to express emotions. However, in scenarios with low emotional resonance, such as mild dissatisfaction, bilingual speakers swear more frequently in the second language. In the first language, swearing is largely replaced by the use of interjections to express emotions.

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Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study provides evidence for the fact that different information processing modes affect the choice of language in bilingual speakers. That is, when the emotional context is in such a way that information processing is quick and automatic, the expression of emotions emerges through swearing in both the first and the second language; whereas, in emotional situations with low resonance, the nature of deliberate and analytic information processing results in a preference for swearing in the second language, which is supposedly perceived as less offensive and threatening by second language speakers.