Is Swearing Associated With a Higher or Lower IQ? #shorts #intelligence

[TayTayGrace]

I talk a mile a minute, and sometimes swearing helps fit my words together more cohesively. I also think if you can say something intelligent in a more stereotypically "unintelligent" way, i.e "dumb it down", you can appeal to and communicate with a wider variety of people. It also adds weight/punch to your words, and people are more likely to listen I suppose

[ceilinh]

I don't swear. Never have.
Linguistic precision has always been very important to me. When I was little, I was hesitant to use a word if I couldn't be certain of the meaning. Swear words are extremely versatile, but if you don't already understand the meaning of a particular swear word, context alone isn't always enough to clarify that meaning. Anyway, since I didn't know what they meant for a long time, I never got into the habit of using them. My schoolmates eventually noticed that I didn't, and they tried to encourage me to swear. They even started offering money to get me to do it. I'm a very stubborn person, so once they started exerting pressure, I dug in, and just wouldn't do it.
I think that swearing is like any other habit- If you develop the habit, it's difficult to break, but if you don't, it's simply not something you think about. I have an extensive vocabulary, and do not have any difficulty expressing myself without the use of profanity, so I don't feel the lack.
People assume that since I, myself, do not swear, I will be offended by those who do, but that is simply not the case. I can appreciate the artistic use of profanity as well as the next person.

Thank you for attending my Ted Talk. (I didn't mean for this to be so long.)

[jamie]

There's two sides to this. There's the point made here, where swearing is used to appeal to a a wider audience, as more intelligent people often alter their speech when talking to the general public so they can understand each other and get their point across better. It can also be used to add weight where words with naturally emphasized meanings would be pretentious to use (ie. using vocabulary like "smells like ass" is more accessible to most than "absolutely fetid").
Then there's the side where the person has a very small vocabulary and they use swear words to fill in the gaps because they don't have anything else. This doesn't always mean the person is unintelligent, as they may be mentally capable of expanding their vocabulary, but it is a sign that they haven't been educated enough to do so (yet).
Of course there are exceptions, like those who don't swear for religion or because they have kids, or when highly intelligent people who haven't been around average people and try to do what I described in the first point, but end up sounding confused and inexperienced because they don't know how to change their speech properly.
In the end, it's not how much someone swears, it's how and why.

[redchic]

I swear only occasionally. But when I do, I do it because I want to get across that no other fluffier words could do justice to the situation.

[faithhopelove]

Swearing is a sign of honesty because you don't stop and edit everything you say although it is a good thing to think before you speak in most cases.

[TheRubyFeline]

If swearing was associated with intelligence we'd be surrounded by the intelligentsia. Alas, that's not at all the case.

[probablyajaegerist]

I swear for a few reasons. 1. I grew up around it. 2. Its a habit 3. the music i listen to and the people around me swear. 4. it helps me get my anger/opinion out without yelling or getting physical ( i have mental issues so sometimes its an uncontrollable, unreasonable anger over nothing ). 5. I feel like it helps my point get across to more people

[notthesquish]

My grandfather had an iQ close to 145, he swore all the time! My great grandmother on the other hand never swore and she had an iQ close to 160. It’s crazy how the human mind works.

[menamurray]

I cuss now but when my boys were little I did not cuss in front of them. I would say “muffins” instead of a bad word. Then one day one of them heard someone say muffins and told me they were sayin a bad word. They are grown now and will not swear in front of me. I don’t think it makes me seem more intelligent but I also don’t really care. Other people’s opinion of my vocabulary isn’t something I think about.

[Ysabell]

I dunno, my ex swears like a sailer and can barely spell "IQ"

[axofbrevity]

I swear a lot, but I don't think it makes me seem more intelligent. maybe it makes me seem more real/approachable. I just think that "f*#k" is a very versatile word and adds punch to my statements.

[pianolady]

Most of the swearing I’ve heard is limited to two or three overused obscenities — hardly a mark of intelligence.

[legallybrunette]

Yeah I don’t swear. I’m Christian and attend honors classes in my school and I’m pretty successful grade-wise. A large majority of my peers who swear are just generally annoying and overuse them. It really gets on my nerves when they only use slurs and swears. They need to honestly grow up, but that sounds like a rant session. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk

[johnclark]

Retired Navy...trying to break myself from swearing as the civilians just don't quite understand it as well...

[Rayanvision]

I find it weird because I never swear in my native language unless I'm super mad that is but in English it's a whole other story.

[GunnCarter]

10/10 for the factoid, 1/10 for missed opportunity to say "Fuck yeah." after showing the article then end the video

[catherinemcgee]

I find that swearing shows a lack of vocabulary. I stay away from people who talk like that. It hurts my heart

[irishreader]

I think it shows less intelligence because people that can control their mouth shows patience and self control.

[rozcos]

i swear in my head a lot but not in actual conversations

[sylokthedefiled]

I swear a lot, but I don’t think that makes me intelligent. I think there’s no correlation between the two, and is based on the individual