Beware and Swear: English-as-a-Foreign-Language Learners’ Perceptions and Experiences Regarding Swearing in English

Abstract

The perceptions, use and understanding of swearing in a second language is an area of linguistics that is comparatively under-researched and rarely taught in the classroom. However, this issue has become increasingly important with the ever-bourgeoning use of online spaces that expose English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) students to swearing in English. As a result, language learners are often left to their own devices in trying to understand if and when they can use swear words in English language that they encounter online. This study investigates how a group of students from a Confucian cultural background learn to swear in English. The results indicate that for EFL students, there is a significant level of uncertainty concerning what is appropriate in terms of when and where they can swear. This investigation contributes to filling the research gap in understanding the dynamics of swearing in English and emphasises the need for pedagogical attention to this evolving aspect of EFL education.