Endorsing this answer and adding some more info and examples.
Etymologically: blasphemy comes from ancient Greek, meaning “hurtful speech”. In the Christian context, this was extended to mean impious speech, or taking God’s name in vain. Euphemy, in contrast, “good speech”, includes ways religious people modified these invocations against God to avoid blasphemy. Damn > darn ; God > gosh; sacré dieu (fr) > sacré bleu. Of course this is not just limited to religious speech: shit > sheesh; fuck > fudge; putain (fr) > purée.
More etymology on the terms we use to discuss these categories of words: “vulgar” = of or relating to the common people (i.e., not "polite society’). “Profanity” = religiously impure (literally “before the temple”, i.e., before being consacrated).
In a state with laws which reflect this Christian tradition, blasphemy is considered impolite, antisocial, and absolutely a corruption of the youth to allow children to hear such words. This is how these words get tied in to legislation which also prohibit other vulgarities. This is why you can’t say “God damn” on American public radio or tv. These laws often blanket ban the words without any mind to context. Sometimes they loosen them, however, so you might hear “damn” on the radio, but they censor the entire phrase “god damn”.
Cross-culturally, common insults, vulgarities, or invectives involve invoking the taboo: what’s impolite or improper to talk about in the culture? Scat/urine (shit, piss, s/cum, pissintunicus(medieval Latin), sex or sexual organs (dick, douche bag, fucker, pendejo(sp), dirtbag/scumbag (referring to a used condom)), blasphemies (go to hell, God damn you, hostie de tabernak(fr-ca)). What animals have a negative reputation (ass, cow, ayı(tr), bitch)? In what ways did you or your family break social norms (bastard)? Bonus if any of these overlap (mother fucker, ppb).
Note that a lot of profanities and insults are misogynist in origin. There are some obvious ones that refer to female genitalia or to female promiscuity, but even “Son of a bitch”, “mother fucker”, and “bastard”, while all directed at a male referant, impugne his mother’s character within the patriarchal system.
Euphemy, in contrast, “good speech”, includes ways religious people modified these invocations against God to avoid blasphemy. Damn > darn ; God > gosh; sacré dieu (fr) > sacré bleu.
I learned not long ago that phrases like “Jeepers Creepers!” or “Jiminy Crickets!” were euphemisms for “Jesus Christ!”
I don’t know why it took me so many years to realize that.
To add onto this: many Christians may be familiar with the term “benediction”, which is literally “good speech.” This is a blessing, where good words are invoked to bless you (usually as the end of a sermon, to bless you as you depart).
Its opposite also exists: malediction. A malediction (literally “evil speech”) is a curse. Curse stems from Gaeilge (Irish). Cúrsachadh means abuse, so to curse someone is to literally wish harm upon them; it is a very real and dangerous threat. Malediction stems from Latin, but there is also an Irish term, mallacht, that has the same root as malediction.
Cursing in Irish was seen as a literal violence: it is a poetic art with the power to disrupt lives. In fact, it was common for a poet to be brought to battles to curse enemies. The satirical verse (glám dícenn) was one such form, and often the point was to render the target unclean (escaine). Essentially, to besmirch them. Another was conntracht (from Latin contradictio), which was literally to speak against someone. With conntracht, someone could even speak against royalty, which was a serious accusation that required legal arbitration. In the County Waterford area, a word for curse–guídóireacht–is also used to mean praying.
All of this to say that cursing was built on the belief that speaking evil against someone was actually harmful–that it would be literally damaging to them, not just through diminishing of reputation. And that this evil was usually connected to making unclean, impure, abusing, or making common–in a Christian society, this then naturally lent to the most powerful curses being ones that targeted someone’s connection to God. To paint someone with sin, or to curse–to pray–to God to bring justice and punishment. (Pre-Christian curses were wild too, I could go on forever about Irish curse-culture, but I just wanted to add a bit on the Christian elements and why praying to God to damn someone was a literal call for someone to be tortured for eternity and seen as one of the highest forms of punishment).
Edit: recommend The Book of Irish Curses by Dr. Patrick C. Power
Endorsing this answer and adding some more info and examples.
Etymologically: blasphemy comes from ancient Greek, meaning “hurtful speech”. In the Christian context, this was extended to mean impious speech, or taking God’s name in vain. Euphemy, in contrast, “good speech”, includes ways religious people modified these invocations against God to avoid blasphemy. Damn > darn ; God > gosh; sacré dieu (fr) > sacré bleu. Of course this is not just limited to religious speech: shit > sheesh; fuck > fudge; putain (fr) > purée.
More etymology on the terms we use to discuss these categories of words: “vulgar” = of or relating to the common people (i.e., not "polite society’). “Profanity” = religiously impure (literally “before the temple”, i.e., before being consacrated).
In a state with laws which reflect this Christian tradition, blasphemy is considered impolite, antisocial, and absolutely a corruption of the youth to allow children to hear such words. This is how these words get tied in to legislation which also prohibit other vulgarities. This is why you can’t say “God damn” on American public radio or tv. These laws often blanket ban the words without any mind to context. Sometimes they loosen them, however, so you might hear “damn” on the radio, but they censor the entire phrase “god damn”.
Cross-culturally, common insults, vulgarities, or invectives involve invoking the taboo: what’s impolite or improper to talk about in the culture? Scat/urine (shit, piss, s/cum, pissintunicus(medieval Latin), sex or sexual organs (dick, douche bag, fucker, pendejo(sp), dirtbag/scumbag (referring to a used condom)), blasphemies (go to hell, God damn you, hostie de tabernak(fr-ca)). What animals have a negative reputation (ass, cow, ayı(tr), bitch)? In what ways did you or your family break social norms (bastard)? Bonus if any of these overlap (mother fucker, ppb).
Note that a lot of profanities and insults are misogynist in origin. There are some obvious ones that refer to female genitalia or to female promiscuity, but even “Son of a bitch”, “mother fucker”, and “bastard”, while all directed at a male referant, impugne his mother’s character within the patriarchal system.
I learned not long ago that phrases like “Jeepers Creepers!” or “Jiminy Crickets!” were euphemisms for “Jesus Christ!”
I don’t know why it took me so many years to realize that.
Puts a whole new spin on that Justin Long movie.
Ohh this is a great conversation, thank you!
To add onto this: many Christians may be familiar with the term “benediction”, which is literally “good speech.” This is a blessing, where good words are invoked to bless you (usually as the end of a sermon, to bless you as you depart).
Its opposite also exists: malediction. A malediction (literally “evil speech”) is a curse. Curse stems from Gaeilge (Irish). Cúrsachadh means abuse, so to curse someone is to literally wish harm upon them; it is a very real and dangerous threat. Malediction stems from Latin, but there is also an Irish term, mallacht, that has the same root as malediction.
Cursing in Irish was seen as a literal violence: it is a poetic art with the power to disrupt lives. In fact, it was common for a poet to be brought to battles to curse enemies. The satirical verse (glám dícenn) was one such form, and often the point was to render the target unclean (escaine). Essentially, to besmirch them. Another was conntracht (from Latin contradictio), which was literally to speak against someone. With conntracht, someone could even speak against royalty, which was a serious accusation that required legal arbitration. In the County Waterford area, a word for curse–guídóireacht–is also used to mean praying.
All of this to say that cursing was built on the belief that speaking evil against someone was actually harmful–that it would be literally damaging to them, not just through diminishing of reputation. And that this evil was usually connected to making unclean, impure, abusing, or making common–in a Christian society, this then naturally lent to the most powerful curses being ones that targeted someone’s connection to God. To paint someone with sin, or to curse–to pray–to God to bring justice and punishment. (Pre-Christian curses were wild too, I could go on forever about Irish curse-culture, but I just wanted to add a bit on the Christian elements and why praying to God to damn someone was a literal call for someone to be tortured for eternity and seen as one of the highest forms of punishment).
Edit: recommend The Book of Irish Curses by Dr. Patrick C. Power
Awesome, love this, thanks for the rec!