Why are some swear words more offensive than others?

Short answer ?
Because it is about women.
And since society mostly have seen women as fragile little things, they shal have to be protected so much more.
Ergo, an insult about/to a woman is worse than if it is towards a man.

Because the latter is freely used by men to describe their own member, and the former is used by men in a derogatory manner, and by women who don’t care about themselves.

@squirbel But why is it derogatory? Why is it not used “freely”?

I don’t have a problem with c*unt or d*ck. Now cunt and dick are a different story, however.

@AstroChuck How are those stories different?

It’s Logic:
I love powerful words. Cunt is the most powerful word. Therefore I love cunt.

@squirbel

I don’t know that you can just assume that any woman who uses the word lacks self-respect. Also, I can’t remember the last time I called my penis “my d*ck.”

When I say d*ck, I’m generally using it as an insult, towards a male, usually kiddingly, but not always.

@bob_

I think it’s largely because of the history of the word. Women have historically been treated a lot less respectfully than men.

It’s similar, IMO, to the reason that the n-word is worse than cracker, or honky.

Have you spoken the words aloud? which sounds like someone being punched in the stomach? And which just rolls off the tongue? And strangely I don’t think d*ck and c*nt are on the same footing as insults. If a dude wants to really insult another dude, does he call him a d*ck? No, he calls him a p*ssy. DISCUSS.

because “dick” can be an actual name of somebody. we just seem to accept “dick.” back in the day, people named “richard” for some reason were called “dick.” it is socially understood.

“cunt” is just pornographic and everybody knows it. who do you know named cunt?

first of all, this has been asked before. Search is your friend. Second of all, out of two questions in 12hrs THIS is what you need to know?

@emilia_eclaire
You’re reaching. What sounds more like a punch in the stomach than thug and that’s a gangster word.

@TaoSan Who made you Mr I-decide-what’s-relevant? Also, I’d like to kindly ask you to address the question in your response, as per the guidelines. I’d be happy to receive your feedback on the quality of my questions elsewhere.

Part of what makes one more offensive than another is the intent to offend. It’s circular, yes, but the intentionality behind the use of “cunt” is almost invariably much more aggressive and pejorative than the intentionality behind “dick,” which, as others have noted, is often used in a casual and even humorous way. That softens it (if I may say so). Nothing, but nothing, sweetens “cunt.”

Great. Now that the mods made you change the wording of your question my earlier smartass response makes no goddamn sense!

Swear words aren’t offensive, they’re just sounds.

It’s the meanings people put TO the sounds that make the offensiveness begin….

Of course that’s so, @catinthehat. Few of us take offense at swear words in languages we don’t understand at all. So shall we agree that what he’s talking about is the use of certain words, when their meaning is vulgar and their use is generally regarded as offensive?

Wonderful!!!!

Now I don’t have to worry about my secretary running in while I look at a website that has c*nt and d#ck on it. Yaaaaaaaayyyyy!

@TaoSan
lol. no…not the sites with the supersize images :)

I think this is a fuckin a question, got that shit right.

That was not offensive, it was even flattering, eh Bob? (Great question, btw!)

But if used: Fuck you, asshole. You little shit. Fuck off, dick. Then fuck, shit and dick can be extremely offensive.

It’s best to just say what you mean, without swear words, if possible.

:-)

In my opinion it entirely depends on the audience and its related (sub) culture. Plus it changes over time. To give you an example: grammar nazi seems mildly offensive in the US (when describing a strict teacher) and the very same term is extremely offensive in Germany. I wouldn’t recommend using it there. It’s like calling an oppressed student a nigger which would be totally unacceptable in the US.

In principle your two examples are merely a string of 4 characters. The deeper semantic meaning and all the associations around it are created in the minds of the reader (or listener). Every human mind is different.

My approach: avoid profanity altogether, especially on the web. During my 18 months on wis.dm I’ve never used a single swear word (I believe), even when pestered by a troll or spammer. Now I was very surprised by myself that a few days ago I was using profanity once on Fluther, sharing my intense anger by saying that I’m really pissed. I still feel a little bad about it, but fortunately I didn’t use a stronger word. I’m not saying cursing is wrong and I read in the guidelines that it’s allowed when talking about one’s own feeling without directly attacking someone else. It’s a personal choice to use profanity or not. I’m trying to avoid, but it’s okay if others don’t.