Oh f*ckin' hell no.

Swearing shows proof of the lack of an intelligent response. I would say that swearing is an indicator of an individual's lack of self control.

Absolutely. It also shows a lack of respect and self control.

I hope not. I swear all the time. : /

Yes, it makes even the brightest of individuals seem less intelligent because it doesn't take any brain at all to spew a slew of profanity, but it does take time and effort to compile a thought and express it clearly. There are much better ways to express yourself than resorting to simple curse words. "I really like that because it is both functional and visually appealing" OR "**** yeah, that's the ****" Which seemed more intelligent to you?

I think it depends on the swearing. Some can be quite well-crafted. ;) But if you're talking about some idiotic miscreant that drops the F bomb like its a common article, then yes, it does make a person seem like a dope.

I would be a hypocrite if i said yes.

Yes. people swear for various reasons. some for attention, some just grew up that way, and some just show their ignorance.

It makes me think that they have to resort to primative, and also childish forms of communication. But, i can't point fingers, cuz i do it sometimes too...

Not necessarily. I think using the f-word liberally and unnecessarily,in place of punctuation makes someone sound less intelligent (it's also quite annoying), but there are times when only four letters will do. Good example is Bob Geldof at Live Aid yelling "GIVE US YOUR F**KING MONEY!" - as an attention grabber, which was exactly what he needed, it was a stroke of genius. I'm also fully in favour of widespread use of the widely disapproved-of term for female genitalia - there's nothing more annoying than terms like "peepee" and "honeypot" .

Swearing is an automatic response, it does not indicate lack of intellect but merely that that person is flawed enough to use a word that is deemed by their peers as unacceptable. The true question is what is a swear word? In China for example there are no swear words because no word is considerred taboo. Have you noticed that our swear words frequently revolved around sex? Why is that? Could it be perhaps Christianity through it's PR campaign agaisnt the pagans by demonising sex as it was what the pagans held sacred? Trying not to blow my own trumpet here but I have been described as an intellegent person, yet I still use swear words. They can convey a very strong message in very few words with greater effect than civil words. When I injured myself at football over the past weekend my friend decided to handle my hurting foot, adolescent males doing what we do best-causing harm to one another, ad with great emotion I shouted "F**K OFF!" Fewer syllables than "please do not touch it?" don't you think? It's not an indication of lack of intellect but an indication that our emotions can get the better of us sometimes. Maybe when a person uses it in between every syllable or in every sentence then perhaps that is a sign of lack of intellegent word usage?

I was raised to think that those that used swear words do so because they are not intelligent enough to think of more appropriate words to use instead. I find, myself, that I feel that those that liberally salt their conversation with swear words are more disrespectful, and perhaps lazy. I do occasionally use swear words, but usually only when really stressed. (And lately, that has been much more than usual)

Now, I do cuss at times, as is shown in a question I just answered. I usually do that in private or a hypothetical situation such as answering a question like that one. I do my best work when I am not using the vernacular. That is why I try to restrict my cussing, in general, and very, very rarely use a cussword in a sentence. I prefer to use a more descriptive insult if one is needed and, if it is a debate, no insults at all... that detracts from the debate. The one who cusses or resorts to insults loses. The difference between the one who cusses and insults is readily apparent. Also, ears turn off when cusses and insults fly.

I don't think so. I think that when someone swears that they are only expressing deep and extreme emotions whether it be sadness or anger. Swearing when used for fun does show less manners and such, but does not show less intelligence. I know very intelligent people that swear. Swearing does not show that a person is not intelligent.

In English, yes, probably so - partly because our bad-word vocabulary is so limited. In Arabic, cursing can be an art form - full of imaginative and ornamental phrasings.

Excessive swearing makes a person sound uneducated, as well as bad grammar. Some of what we now consider swearwords were once perfectly acceptable. Some words that were taboo are now acceptable. The original meaning of "dumb" survives as dumbwaiter, dumbbell, meaning silent, mute, or incapable of speech. "Idiot", "moron", and "imbecile" were perfectly acceptable words from the 1880's to the early 1900s. Later, they became insults with similar meanings. Most of our swearwords are Saxon in origin and perfectly acceptable. The upper classes favored Norman French and Latin. Although fewer in number, the upper classes had clout to the extent that their vocabulary sets the standard for which words to avoid and which words are OK. There are several types of swearwords: Religious swearwords, words pertaining to sex and excretion, racial slurs, and insults pertaining to disabilities.

Yes if your intelegent u could use other words. But then again i swear sometimes, but not when im being serious

i say it depends on how much they swear, the context, and whether or not they just got hit by something hard. 1. swearing too much just makes you sound like you grew up in a bad environment 2. just randomly using words, swear words or normal ones, outside of context sounds less intelligent 3. i'll let it slide if you just got hit by something and have an immediate reaction of swearing out loud to express your pain.

''YES'' If you want to show you intelligence you would find a better words to impact the statement you were making.Swearing just makes you sound ignorant and cheap, crass.

It depends on how articulate the swearing. I've known many who were positively orphic. My father was such. A Yale-grad and brilliant engineer-turned-business executive who was president of a Fortune500 corporation before he was 40 ... and he could peel the paint of walls with his language. Like "the old man" from "A Christmas Story" it could be just as well said of him, "The old man worked in profanity like an artist might oil or clay -- it was his medium!" Never met a CEO, Judge, or Senator who wasn't reasonably gifted in the area. But the only one to come close to my dad was my thesis adviser: Harold O.J. Brown, PhD, a world renouned theologian and historian, and also Evangelicalism's leading Ethicist. Also, where I came from, one's social class, education, and intelligence did not determine IF, but rather HOW one swears. The lower class might positively gush with coarse references to sexual acts, sex organs, and bodily functions, but the utterance of damn, goddam, bastard, and sonofabitch would horrify them; meanwhile among the elite (at least in mixed company) it was exactly the other way around.

When you dont swear but you express yourself in a different more intelligent way i think you seem smart witty and smooth :P

a well positioned swear word can have the right effect in humor. So maybe there's intelligence in timing.

No. Less professional but definitely not less intelligent.

Yes and here is why, People who swear are generally less educated and cover up their lack of education by swearing. It attracts attention to them and they enjoy it.

I think it depends on the group your with. I have heard a lot of upper class really brilliant people cut loose with trashy talk that would make a sailor blush . I also Think it depends on what part of the country your from .Some states except it more than others. But less Intelligent? Not at all.

Absolutely. And not just less intelligent, but self-conscious of the fact that no one is paying attention to them. But these people are generally less intelligent by virtue of the fact that they don't seem to have much of a vocabulary. They'll use profanity to substitute for a number of words they've never learned to use.

Swearing is usually linked to emotive response. If you are using it in an argument it is unintelligent because arguments requiring a solution need to be kept rational and that requires for keeping emotions aside. Those that insist on swearing in an argument/discussion are not keeping the conversation intelligent so in that respect, yes it can. However, I do not agree that just because somebody swears it means that they are seen as less intelligent in general. It needs to be viewed in context. An emotional response can be more intelligent than a more eloquent response in that swearing may be the most effective way of expressing your emotion at that particular time. Effective communication is one measure of intelligence. So in that respect no, not necessarily. My conclusion is, as always....it depends on the circumstances.

..i curse..when i need to..and i like that my anger is shown in those words..i do not find myself to be less intelligent than the next person