Discussion one: Culture and Language discussion

In this discussion, write about an intercultural difference in language use that you or someone you know has experienced. Try to say something about how this difference in language use relates to larger intercultural differences. This could be an intercultural difference you've experienced in travel abroad or just among friends or family of different backgrounds. To get you thinking, here's a wonderful graphic that Cara found for us.

Discussion two: Obscene language discussion

Cussing is bad, n'kay? But did you know that there has been taboo (or forbidden) language in every known human society? That a couple of hundred years ago, the worst swear words included "darn," "drat," gosh," "shucks," "heck," "gee whillikins," and "jiminy cricket"? That great works of literature by Shakespeare and Chaucer include ample helpings of obscenity? That words like "bloody" and "shag," innocuous to us, remain among the worst swear words in England?

Swearing is all relative. In the old days, the most unmentionable terms referred to religion: "gosh" was code for "God," "heck" for "hell," "jiminy cricket" and "gee whillikens" for Jesus. In our more secular society today, most obscenities refer either to sex or bodily functions.

Look at

And answer the questions:

1. Why do you feel there is a need to cover up bad words with Grawlixes when we all know what is being said?
2. There are five types of swearing mentioned in the video – please list the five types.
3. Choose one of the five types of swearing and discuss how these types of swear words impact our culture?
4. Overall, do you feel that swearing has any potential value to society?

Please submit the document for each of discussion. And for the discussion two, please copy the questions and answer below.