A Cursory History of Swearing

A compact historical survey traces the evolution of oaths and coarse language from antiquity through the medieval and modern eras, examining origins, religious and military oaths, theatrical and literary uses, and national varieties of imprecation. It samples classical and medieval examples, explores euphemisms and animal-based oaths, and considers changing social attitudes, legislation, and prosecutions. The author analyses philosophical and utilitarian defenses of swearing, its expressive and social functions, and the ways writers and editors have softened or censured it, closing with illustrative documents and an appendix.