Bad words

[Bethany K. Dumas]

A local columnist has sent me an interesting query that I do not know how
to respond to. Please help me answer this (you will get full credit for
all your words, good, bad, and indifferent). I can discuss certain
epithets, but I suspect those are not the words at issue. (I have a copy
of _The F-Word_ now, but I will not have access to it again until Monday.)

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Bethany,

My 15-year-old grandson asked his mother a question that she passed on
to me to answer, and I don't know the answer.  How did bad words get to
be bad? Can you shed any light on this for me (and for him).  Thanks.
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Thanks,
Bethany