Since 1860, uttering profane language in the state of Virginia has been illegal and it’s still illegal today. In 1860, the fine was 1 USD per four-letter word [通指不入流的詞語] uttered. Now it’s 250 USD.  People are rarely charged [指控] for this crime. Lucy’s guess: a person must make a potty-mouthed nuisance [妨害] of themselves before sufficiently catching the attention of the police.

Our culture has changed, and now we’ve reached a point where, often, we not only accept, but expect a four-letter word to be used for emphasis — not used in anger — merely to call more attention to a point. Socially with friends it’s been the new normal for many people for quite some time. There’s less bad language at workplaces and schools as everybody struggles to find where to draw the line between the new normal and inappropriate language. Do you want to know more about swearing in the USA? Lucy’s English lesson, “USA Swearing” is waiting for you.