Why Are Some Words 'Bad'?

What are eels? And why are some eels electric? We head to Poughkeepsie, New York to learn about eels with Chris Bowser, Hudson River estuary educator with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Plus we learn about electric eels. Electric eels have captured the ima ...  Afficher plus

Why is there traffic? How do traffic lights work? How do they know when to turn red and green? Why does green mean go and red mean stop? Why are cars able to go faster than they are allowed to go with the speed limit? Why do we drive on the right side of the road in the United St ...  Afficher plus

Lots of adults think children should never swear. Many Short & Curly listeners tell us they secretly swear behind their parent’s backs. So what’s wrong with swearing anyway? Aren't they just harmless words? 

Brains Trust – Anula Primary School, Darwin:  Mariah, Megan ...

Swearing can be a powerful communicative act, for good or ill. The same word can incite violence or increase intimacy. How is swearing so multivalent in its power? Is it just all those harsh “c” and “k” sounds? Does swearing take its power from taboo meaning? Why is swearing some ...  Afficher plus

The sudden agony of stubbing a toe or burning a finger can make even the most polite among us swear our heads off. It’s like a reflex, a quick-release valve for the shock. But why do expletives give us such a sense of relief? Why does it sometimes feel so good to swear?

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All kids curse at some point! (Even though they most likely don’t understand what they are saying.)Last week, Jillian wrote in asking for help. Her three-year-old daughter discovered the f-word, and Jillian has no idea where she learned it because they don’t swear at home. When i ...  Afficher plus