What’s in a swear? The world’s filthiest words typically refer to something vulgar or taboo, for one. But there’s something else swears across the world’s languages have in common. They’re all missing ...

A new study shows that swear words across languages may have more in common than previously thought. Many of them tend to leave out the same sounds. There's a common trope in sci fi when characters ...

A swear word is like a linguistic punch in the nose. Virtually every language and culture has them—and virtually every language and culture formally disapproves of them. But that doesn’t stop them ...

Ryan McKay receives funding from the NOMIS Foundation. Shiri Lev-Ari does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, ...

These four sounds are missing from some of the seven words you can never say on television, and the pattern prevails in other languages too, researchers say. By Elizabeth Preston “Holy motherforking ...

George Carlin’s “Incomplete List of Impolite Words” is a lush repository of English’s filthiest terms and euphemisms. The late comedian rattled off profanity so fast one hardly had time to cringe ...