Abstract
Lizzie is an Exercise and Health Science major from Blackstone, Massachusetts. Assigned by her Composition II instructor to research an aspect of language that interested her, Lizzie chose to research swearing, which was never allowed in her home. Lizzie’s research enabled her to “open [her] eyes and see much more than a lack of vocabulary” when she heard others using profanity. She explains, “I felt as if I was programmed to think that swearing was this terrible thing that no one should do, and, because of that, I never thought about the positive side of this language.” Lizzie’s essay explores why people use profanity and how others perceive those who swear; she analyzes the different perspectives of language through the lenses of age, relationships, and gender. Lizzie enjoys most physical activities, but especially running with her 11-year old pug Lucky (whom she will often push in a stroller while he naps).
Recommended Citation
Lefrancois, Elizabeth
(2026)
"Profanity and Perceptions,"
Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition: Vol. 1:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/undercurrents/vol1/iss1/4
Included in
Creative Writing Commons, English Language and Literature Commons, Rhetoric and Composition Commons