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    Nine Nasty Words by John McWhorter Summary

    Nine Nasty Words
    John McWhorter
    3.95 (4165 Reviews)
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    Society
    Philosophy
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    Overview of Nine Nasty Words

    Linguist John McWhorter's "Nine Nasty Words" takes you on a thrilling journey through profanity's evolution. Ever wonder why certain words shock us? His audiobook narration, praised for theatrical flair, makes taboo language intellectually fascinating - even turning the N-word's complex history into essential cultural understanding.

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    "Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

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    Key Takeaways

    1

    The Linguistic Underworld of Profanity

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    Have you ever wondered why certain words make us gasp or lower our voices? Nine Nasty Words takes us on a fascinating journey through English profanity, revealing how our taboos have shifted from religious blasphemy to bodily functions to slurs against marginalized groups. What makes these words so powerful isn't their meaning but their transgression - saying what we're told we shouldn't. These linguistic outcasts tell us more about human psychology and social evolution than perhaps any other part of language. As our values shift from religious piety to bodily privacy to social justice, our profanity evolves alongside us, creating a perfect linguistic fossil record of what society considers sacred or profane at any given moment.

    2

    From Religious Taboo to Bodily Function

    3

    The Mysterious Power and Evolution of the F-Word

    4

    The Curious Case of Anatomical Profanity

    5

    The Genital Vocabulary Gap

    6

    The Ultimate Taboo: Racial and Identity-Based Slurs

    7

    Words as Cultural Mirrors and Linguistic Fossils