Using Swearwords

Theodore is easily shocked, poor thing. 

Every language has its collection of swearwords, grown from colloquial, and often harmless, usages to modern day punch-packing little bombs. And they can be quite useful in both speech and writing, especially when applied judiciously.

When confronted with an erratic driver in France it helps to make you feel like you’re blending in by shouting the right swearwords out the open window, like you see the other drivers doing.

In The Netherlands it helps if you know the level of swearword hurled at you so you can determine if a response is warranted ... or safe. The Dutch seem to have more words and greater nuances than other languages I’ve found so far in my, far from empirical, observations of swearing.

In American English I’ve discovered there are only a few words that get to do all the work and it required some initial observation, all those years back, to understand the context in which they are used.

For some users the F-word is every other word in every sentence they speak, which reduces the value or weight of that word. On the other hand, if I were to employ it - so counter to my soft-spoken manner - you’d know I was truly ticked off.

I think the same applies in writing; judicious use of swearwords can have a significant impact within the story without detracting from the actual thread of the story.