According to the research, a lack of verbal fluency has nothing to do with how often people use profanity.
This is the sort of thing I would flippantly claim in the heat of an argument with some dumb-as-a-pineapple wingnut, but, sho nuff, this study supports the notion that we who frequently use harsh, foul language might have a bit more on the ball than others.
Taboo words, like the F-word, elicit emotional and connotative uses in many different ways. Swear words are grouped not only based on their meaning, but also based on their negative connotative valence — basically they're intense emotional expressions that aren't always well-received. A separate study Jay cited found college students frequently use taboo words; an interesting finding considering the verbal acumen of college students is reportedly higher than average.
In Jay’s study, however, being fluent in taboo words was positively correlated with other measures of verbal fluency, undermining this common myth about taboo words. Speakers who use taboo words understand their expressive nature and nuanced distinctions, implying the presence of more apt linguistic skill. Not to mention other studies have found swear words can double as a pain reliever.
“The research has gotten a lot of attention because it confronts the prejudice against offensive language that’s been around for 300 years. Kids swear, it’s normal for people to know how to swear,” Jay concluded.
Unsure about others, but this made me really fucking happy.
Oh, and the bit about ‘curse words’ being a pain reliever has to be true. All the cursing I would do near the end of some brutal hike clearly helped me get through it.