Research Proposal

Proposed Research Title: The Sociological Attributes of Profanity as a

Medium of Expression Among Junior High School Students of Saint Edward School
– Imus Campus

Proposed Research Topic: Profanity

Group 1
Leader: Ian Felizardo
Members:
Yekaterina Lindsay Amposta
Kristel Jade Ballaran
JhanDexter Monzon
Jerriel Salinas
Princess Natasha Sy

INTRODUCTION

Language and communication had given humanity a scope of

expressing and interfering one's self; giving each person a liberty to explore on
how to expound their feelings or emotions on given certainties. Despite the
fact of capacitating a medium to fully express oneself, language can either
leave a positive or a negative impact among the society. In this case, the
outgrowth of profanity or cussing may have been uncontrollable to others
which sometimes results in making foul language as a part of everyday
communication to some individuals.

Furthermore, profanity is the language of cussing or swearing. This argot is

more on inhibiting obscene or foul words which tends to be expressed in a
sudden heavy breakthrough of emotions. In a statement by Cognitive Scientist
Benjamin Bergen in his profanity-related researches, profanity is a powerful
medium. Since cussing still got its influence to different individuals up to the
present, it is becoming a part of their language habit. Profanity has been
highlighted as a bad expression due to its offensive approach. Yet, this can
also express positive attitudes for it is said to describe the state of a person —
may it be euphoria or annoyance (Steinmetz). In brief, profanity helps people
express the outburst of their emotion.

In identifying the sociological corollary of profanity among the students of

St. Edward School, the researchers can assess the massive influence and
different interpretations of the respondents regarding profanity itself and how
the aforementioned language mainly affect the sociological relationship
between the students.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Courts presume harm from speech in cases involving discrimination or

sexual harassment. The original justification for our obscenity laws was
predicated on an unfounded assumption that speech can deprave or corrupt
children, but there is little (if any) social-science data demonstrating that a
word in and of itself causes harm. Swearing can occur with any emotion and
yield positive or negative outcomes. Our work so far suggests that most uses of
swear words are not problematic. We know this because we have recorded
over 10,000 episodes of public swearing by children and adults, and rarely
have we witnessed negative consequences.

1. What are the reasons of such words?

2. What are the certain psychological advantages and
disadvantages of using profane language?
3. Why people learn these terms?
4. How does using profanities affect our everyday
vocabulary?
5. What are the common misconceptions of using profane
language?
OBJECTIVES

The research aims to identify how swearing, cussing or cursing can

make an impact on one's life. Using profanity can change people's lives
depending on their society because "human behavior is shaped by the
groups to which people belong to and how they interact." The purpose of the
study is to determine how society has influenced or is influencing people that
the use profanity has become a medium of expression and also a norm. Here
are the sub-objectives that will be achieved throughout the study.
1. Know the different opinions of people from various cultures and
environment regarding people that uses profanity.
2. Understand how using profanity gives its benefits or disadvantages to
people
3. Conduct a survey with questions that can support the study.
4. To answer and clarify the common misconception concerning
profane language.

PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW

 The earliest use of profanity could be dated back as far as the
Biblical Times.
As said in Exodus 20:7 (NIV), “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord
your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”.
The act of using God’s name in vain was an act of swearing, and was
considered as a huge offense to many Christians. By using God, people either
cursed another person of misfortune, or committed a large oath to convince
others. To avoid this, people started to replace profane words with
euphemisms that concealed their true meaning. Such euphemisms were
“gosh”, “darn”, and “heck”, that replaced “God”, “damn”, and “hell”,
respectively.

By the start of the 19th century, most profane words have started
to become
less offensive as they are overshadowed by obscenities. Obscenities are
words that are considered offensive, and usually pertained to sexual acts. But
the obscenities didn’t last long, it wasn’t until the Victorian Period that
euphemisms were once again used to hide their meanings. The Victorians
were people who tried to be as prim and proper, and frowned upon the use
of such obscenities.

Until now, both profane and obscene words are still beings used, but
unlike
before, they don’t bring as much concern to people. Profanity and
obscenity are still considered bad, but not as worse as racial and sexual slurs.
Slurs such as the n-word, or the other f-word, and the r-word, are now
considered more offensive in modern times.

According to research, cursing gives a few benefits in and of itself to the

user. This however is contradicted by itself due to it being inappropriate and
unacceptable in most cases. People at this era use bad words more often
because they're more "okay" now compared to the years before. Bad words
originated out of things or facts that scare us, more commonly death, disease
and sex. Today, people aren't scared that much of death due to dark jokes
and depression, people aren't scared of diseases because there are now
cures and people treat sex as a casual activity because of birth control. That
part of the reason why bad words got more common.

The thing about bad words as mentioned by Steve Pinker is that they're
both taboo and good at the same time based on the context when they're
used. Abusive Cursing is the use curse words in an insultive way. As example,
to call tell someone that their mother sells their body. Euphemism is used to
cover up the vulgar words of a curse word, as used from the previous
sentence. Emphatic Cursing is to use bad words as a way to release emotions
for an instance you're hurt badly. Idiomatic Cursing is to use curse words as a
casual thing to use arounf friends. This is also where the fact about it being
commonly used comes in. Cathatic Cursing is to use bad words for relief. To
casually use them to get a feeling out of your system, but it is different from
Emphatic Cursing.

METHODOLOGY
For this research, this study wants to target the Junior High School
students of St Edward Schools - Imus Campus ranging grades 7 to 9. The study
will generate a series of questions answered by the students. Conducting this
survey may help the researchers to have a further understanding of this
research, which can lead to further table discussions that may clarify any
misconceptions concerning profanities.

Since the researchers are also curious about how each person varies in
reacting towards a certain situation and how they will express themselves.
They, the researchers, will conduct a social experiment showcasing a certain
situation in which we will step on his or her foot. Due to the researchers are
curious students, not only does this social experiment aim to differentiate
people's reactions but also it aims to help people understand how using
profanity may give off its benefits and disadvantages. With this, the
researchers can make a deeper study of the topic.
REFERENCES
 Bloom, R., Teich, M. (2013, July 16). A Brief History of Swearing.
Retrieved from https://www.wuwm.com/post/brief-history-
swearing#stream/0

 Mohr, M. (2013, May 11). The Modern History of Swearing: Where

All the Dirtiest Words Came from. Retrieved from
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/21106/obscenity-vs-
profanity-vs-vulgarity-whats-difference

 Soniak, M. (2009, March 11). Obscenity vs. Profanity vs. Vulgarity:

What’s the Difference? Retrieved from
https://www.salon.com/2013/05/11/the_modern_history_of_swear
ing_where_all_the_dirtiest_words_come_from/

 Mohr, M. (2016, June 08). Retrieved from

 https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/feck-a-history-of-
swearing-from-the-very-first-f-to-the-21st-c-1.2676617

 Nunberg, G. (2012, July 11). Swearing: A Long and #%&$ History.

Retrieved from
https://www.npr.org/2012/07/24/156623763/swearing-a-long-and-
history

 Spurr, J. (2018, June 29). “Damn Your Blood”: Swearing in Early

Modern English. Retrieved from
https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/damn-your-
blood-swearing-in-early-modern-english/

 Jay, T., Janschewitz, K. (2012, April 25). The Science of Swearing.

Retrieved from
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/the-science-of-
swearing

 Robertson, I. (1981). The Sociological Perspective. Retrieved from

https://www.geneseo.edu/sociology/about

 Steinmetz, K. (2016, September 15). Why We Swear: Profanity is

Powerful. Retrieved from https://time.com/4602680/profanity-
research-why-we-swear/