by Brittany Meacham
If swear words can be called “salty language” because of the flavor that they add to everyday speech, “Fuck” is habanero seasoning. But where did this word come from?
Most English swear words come from old English and haven’t changed much since the language started in the 12th century. Fuck is different- it’s actually of Norse origin. Linguists believe that the English fuck derives from the Swedish fokka, meaning to strike or push. Fokka may have been used metaphorically to mean “to copulate,” a much more fun verb which frequently involves both striking and pushing.
Following a paper trail that goes back some 700 years, we’ve been able to put together a comprehensive history of the f-word.
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