Abstraction

There’s a fine line with cursing.  Used skillfully, cursing is akin to a kind of salt in the sense that it can emphasize  meaning almost magically.  Jokes are funnier, anger better expressed, disappointment and dispair made richer.  In fact, the enhancing effect of this “salty language” (if you’ll forgive me) is so ingrained that many people tend to over-use it, with ruinous consequences.  Who isn’t familar with the person whose frequent curses are an uncomfortable non-sequitor?  
Anyway, three cheers for Steve Pinker, author of some of my favorite books, including the Blank Slate and The Language Instinct.  His new book includes a fantastic exploration of that most favored of hobbies, cursing:

The strange emotional power of swearing–as well as the presence of linguistic taboos in all cultures– suggests that taboo words tap into deep and ancient parts of the brain. In general, words have not just a denotation but a connotation: an emotional coloring distinct from what the word literally refers to, as in principled versus stubborn and slender versus scrawny. The difference between a taboo word and its genteel synonyms, such as shit and feces, cunt and vagina, or fucking and making love, is an extreme example of the distinction. Curses provoke a different response than their synonyms in part because connotations and denotations are stored in different parts of the brain.

I don’t know about you, but I find this stuff pretty fucking interesting. 
The subtle emotional coloring of words reminds me of a friend, fluent in Japanese, who described to me the subtle nuances of speaking Japanese in a business environment.  “English,” my friend told me, “simply doesn’t have the variety of ways to express heirarchy and respect that Japanese does.”  He explained that this difference makes it difficult for a non-native speaker, even if fluent, to successfully negotiate formal conversation in Japan without offending someone.
I took that at face value until I was waiting to board a plane to Tokyo.  In announcing that the plane was ready for boarding, the Japanese attendant flicked on the P.A. system and said “Thank you for waiting, UA803 is ready for boarding.  First class, YOU GET ON NOW!”
Now, I’m not sure there is a literal difference between saying “We invite our first class passengers to board at their convenience” and “YOU GET ON NOW,” and I’m sure the distinction was lost on the attendent (he certainly didn’t mean to sound rude). The point, though is that English has subtle emotional shadings as well.  It actually made me feel better to have the opportunity to be an offended English speaker.  Now, if ever I’m able to get into first class, I’m prepared.