Christopher Lochhead's argument for appropriate use of swear words

¶ … Praise of Cussing: Argument Analysis

In Christopher Lochhead's article, In Praise of Cussing, he argues that the there is an appropriate time and place for the use of swear words. He views such language as a satisfying and powerful form of self-expression which can accurately portray intense feelings such as love, joy, hate, frustration and determinism. He also views the use of swear words as a rebellious act which, in the right situation, can appeal to all types of people. He then gives several examples of highly successful people, such as business men, politicians, and television personalities, who use swear words to get their points across, and do so successfully. That being said, he does caution that the over-use of such words can have a reverse effect and make the speaker come across as weak or appear as though he/she is "trying to compensate for some deficiency" (Lochhead, 2009, par 10). He ends his argument by stating that he is more worried about people who never swear. He sees these people as ticking time bombs, with all their repressed emotions waiting to explode.

2. Discussion

Lochhead's article was a quick and easy read. He used simple language and humour to argue his point while integrating factual statements and personal, popular, and hypothetical examples. Based on the way his argument is written, it would appear as though his intended audience is your everyday North American citizen. Lochhead himself is a strategy advisor and former technology executive who has worked in the business industry for many years. He used personal examples and those of powerful people he has encountered who swear quite frequently to defend his stance. Constraints to Lochhead's argument include popular opinion and values (that one should never swear) and the length of his article. He was probably restricted by his allowed word count and this did not give him enough space to discuss his supporting evidence in great length. Ultimately, he presents his argument to counter the popularly held belief that it is never appropriate to swear and that people who do are looked down upon or portray themselves in a negative light.

4. Evaluation

Lochhead's argument could have been more effective if his article were longer. Much of what he said was convincing; however, he did not present many examples to support his claims, and the examples he did give were brief. For example, he should have discussed in more detail the 2007 study which found that the use of swear words can strengthen teamwork. Nevertheless, his article was easy to read and gave support to his claims. Given his intended audience and the fact that he was probably restricted on his allowed word count, Lochhead presented a valid and convincing argument.

Work Cited

Lochhead, Christopher. "In Praise of Cussing." CBSNews.com 9 July, 2009