For years, Donald Trump’s rhetoric has relied on insult, ridicule, threat and contempt. But the scale of violence in his words during the first week of April 2026 was new – and had a purpose.
Articles on Profanity
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Obscene language tics, called coprolalia, don’t reveal what people with Tourette’s think and feel. In fact, tics often compel people to say or do precisely what they most wish to avoid.
It’s not just you – there’s a reason swearing is so satisfying.
You can only properly translate French scatological swear words if you consider who is using them. In this case, the most powerful person in France.
With hundreds of book covers displaying previously taboo swear words, are publishers losing the ability to shock readers?
A cognitive scientist observes that the words that bother college-age Americans today can cause harm.
What research tells us about the ripest Anglo Saxon. Parental Advisory: explicit content.
Top contributors
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Lecturer in Psychology, University of Glasgow
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Reader in Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London
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Professeur, Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3
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Associate Professor, English and Creative Writing, Edith Cowan University
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Professor of Cognitive Science; Director of the Language and Cognition Lab, University of California, San Diego
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Professor of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London
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Associate Professor of Sociology, Elon University
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Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin is a Friend of The Conversation.
Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State University