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Swearing Is Good for You: The Amazing Science of Bad Language 1st Edition

by Emma Byrne (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 305 ratings
See all formats and editions
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An irreverent and impeccably researched defense of our dirtiest words.

We’re often told that swearing is outrageous or even offensive, that it’s a sign of a stunted vocabulary or a limited intellect. Dictionaries have traditionally omitted it and parents forbid it. But the latest research by neuroscientists, psychologists, sociologists, and others has revealed that swear words, curses, and oaths―when used judiciously―can have surprising benefits.

In this sparkling debut work of popular science, Emma Byrne examines the latest research to show how swearing can be good for you. With humor and colorful language, she explores every angle of swearing―why we do it, how we do it, and what it tells us about ourselves. Not only has some form of swearing existed since the earliest humans began to communicate, but it has been shown to reduce physical pain, to lower anxiety, to prevent physical violence, to help trauma victims recover language, and to promote human cooperation. Taking readers on a whirlwind tour through scientific experiments, historical case studies, and cutting-edge research on language in both humans and other primates, Byrne defends cursing and demonstrates how much it can reveal about different cultures, their taboos and their values.

Packed with the results of unlikely and often hilarious scientific studies―from the “ice-bucket test” for coping with pain, to the connection between Tourette’s and swearing, to a chimpanzee that curses at her handler in sign language―Swearing Is Good for You presents a lighthearted but convincing case for the foulmouthed.

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  1. ISBN-10
    1324000287
  2. ISBN-13
    978-1324000280
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    W. W. Norton & Company
  5. Publication date
    January 23, 2018
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    5.9 x 0.9 x 8.6 inches
  8. Print length
    240 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"An entertaining and often enlightening book. . . Byrne’s readers are sure to come away with a fresh appreciation of language at its most foul."
― Economist

"A poppy, comprehensive look at an often taboo topic."
― New York Post

"Shit, this book is fascinating."
― Refinery29

"In Swearing Is Good for You, Emma Byrne unearths an unorthodox body of research to reveal how swearing helps reduce pain and anxiety and can even bring people together. This fascinating debut is perfect for fans of Mary Roach."
― Real Simple

"Engaging and conversational. . . . Byrne provides a refreshing, entertaining, instructive examination of a ‘surprisingly flexible part of a linguistic repertoire.’"
― Kirkus Reviews

"Engaging and often irreverent. . . . Byrne’s style is conversational [and] entertaining."
― Library Journal

"Byrne crafts an enthusiastic case for bad language. . . . [Her] immensely readable first outing will be a real fucking treat."
― Booklist

"A good book about bad language by a trash-talking woman? Sign me up! Swearing Is Good for You makes science feel downright celebratory."
― Mary Norris, best-selling author of Between You & Me

About the Author

Emma Byrne has written on science, language, and society for the BBC, Science, the BMJ, the Financial Times, and Forbes. She lives in London.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; 1st edition (January 23, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1324000287
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1324000280
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.9 x 0.9 x 8.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 305 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Emma Byrne

Emma Byrne

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Emma is an honest-to-goodness robot scientist who, when she’s not developing intelligent systems, writes for Forbes, the FT and Global Business Magazine. She is co-host and exec-producer of NonFicPod and frequently appears on Sky News and the BBC talking about the future of artificial intelligence and robotics.

Her interest in neuroscience led to her first popular science book: Swearing is Good for You: The Amazing Science of Bad Language (Profile (UK), W. W. Norton (USA), Anansi (Canada) November 2017).

Her most recent book, How to Build a Human is a smart, funny, humane look at what science knows about childhood. It will reassure and inspire parents, would-be-parents, and even once-were-parents about the messy and beautiful process of parenting like a scientist. The Times called it “very welcome indeed…such a good book.”

Her pub, conference and convention talks lead to packed houses and requests for more. Emma is available for commissions, training, personal appearances, television, internet, and radio work. She is a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of British Science Writers.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
305 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jon Hunt
5.0 out of 5 stars Packs punches
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
The text of Emma Byrne's book, "Swearing Is Good For You", may be a scant two hundred pages but but holy s***, she covers this topic with knowledge and aplomb. The author includes chapters about swearing in the workplace, Tourette's and swearing, swearing in different languages, and my favorite....gender and swearing. As I read the book I became more engrossed in what she delivers, how she delivers it, (with a fair amount of humour) and the book just gets and better and better. Mind you, Ms. Byrne is British, so sometimes her narrative lost me a little. But this is a must read and I highly recommend it.
6 people found this helpful
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Michelle Boytim
4.0 out of 5 stars Swearing and its role in society
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2021
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This book presents the science behind swearing and discusses the prevalence throughout cultures, including sign language, even in non-human primates. The author discusses the taboos around swearing, but also some of the positive benefits, including defusing violence, bonding between teammates/co-workers, and mitigating pain responses. She also discusses multilingual persons and the importance of the primary language in swearing. Overall, a short, but interesting book on how swearing fits into society.
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Book
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2022
Verified Purchase
Exactly what I wanted
One person found this helpful
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LBell
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but slow reading.
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
I was interested in the research and the title was of interest. The book is slow and hard to get through but interesting. Not a book for people not used to non-fiction.
4 people found this helpful
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PAMELA BULLOCK
4.0 out of 5 stars I knew it!
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
Years ago an immigrant friend of mine confided that her favorite thing about English was its swear words. No one in polite society in Eastern Europe would swear. There, swearing was limited to animal body parts and your mother. It was foul. But in the United States, cuss words were flexible and disposable, if not exactly non-sensical. Tossed about as punctuation and imminently useful, they expand our ability to express ourselves. And not in a bad way.
In the 21st century English has replaced French (which replaced Latin which replaced Greek) as the universal language. The subtext of this book could be that using English swear words also opens up universal emoting, perhaps another reason for the cultural backlash against the Americanization of the world.
16 people found this helpful
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DEN77
5.0 out of 5 stars Explains just about everything about bad language, including its origins and its benefits (as ...
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2018
Verified Purchase
Very interesting and very readable. Explains just about everything about bad language, including its origins and its benefits (as the title says). Some British terms may need a search for meaning on this side of the Atlantic, but otherwise a great book.
5 people found this helpful
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Kmac1
5.0 out of 5 stars Great vacation read
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
Bought this book as a gift for a friend. She took it on vacation & loved it. Fun read with a sniff of science :)
3 people found this helpful
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William B. Radl
4.0 out of 5 stars Adequately Interesting...
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2020
Verified Purchase
...I don’t finish books that aren’t at least this, but it lacks something I can’t quite put my finger on.
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Top reviews from other countries

lori roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars Swearing has gone on for ever!
Reviewed in Canada on December 8, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great 50th birthday gift for a very intelligent male friend who swears. Now he has research behind him!
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Sveta
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read and quite funny
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2019
Verified Purchase
Been carrying it around at work and talking to anyone who asked about it. Great read, funny and interesting examples. I also saw the author at a public lecture at LSE - bought the book after attending that. Not that I cared much about what other thought of my swearing but great to be able to refer to the book if it comes up.
3 people found this helpful
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James Cartwright
4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful and fun
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
Reads like a series of linked articles but none the worse for it. The general ideas that swearing expresses taboos and emotion are really helpful, also that a lot of swearing might be quite good in the right environment (such as a close knit office). I enjoyed it.
2 people found this helpful
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Gary J. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars an English major got a good out of this book
Reviewed in Canada on February 27, 2018
Verified Purchase
My son ; an English major got a good out of this book....
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Kendall K Taylor
2.0 out of 5 stars Not as funny as expected
Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
Academic. Not as funny as expected.
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