Jiyoon answers “When the author says that the sentence...”

Charles Thompson, E asked this question about What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves:

When the author says that the sentence "Fuck you" has no subject, I wonder if it's another way of saying "You be fucked". And what exactly is the meaning of "Fuck you"? Is "fuck" in this instance an action or state of being verb? I find it a little strange that the author doesn't delve into the meaning at all.

Jiyoon You might find the answer in the chapter on swearing in Steven Pinker's "The Stuff of Thought." There, Pinker says that the phrase was originally "God…moreYou might find the answer in the chapter on swearing in Steven Pinker's "The Stuff of Thought." There, Pinker says that the phrase was originally "God damn you," but the "damn" was later replaced with a similar expletive, "f*ck." That's why "F*ck you" has been used in that particular sentence structure ever since. You'll find more explanation on the subject in the book.(less)

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