How the Word ‘Fucking’ Constructs Emotional Stance in Conversation

Publication Date

4-18-2026

Authors

• Madeline Riechers, University of New Hampshire, Durham

Abstract

Madeline Riechers is a Communication major at UNH set to graduate in 2026. She is originally from Dalton, Massachusetts, and plans to continue her education in Language and Social Interaction after graduating from UNH. She is a part of UNH GIVE, and is an editor at the Comm-entary!

This piece uses conversation analysis concepts to examine what the word ‘fucking’ does in everyday conversation and how it conveys the emotions and stance of the participants. It examines 4 real-life cases of ‘fucking’ being used, demonstrating how it changes the meaning of the utterance and therefore the course of the conversation.

Recommended Citation

Riechers, Madeline (2026) "How the Word ‘Fucking’ Constructs Emotional Stance in Conversation," Comm-entary: Vol. 22: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://scholars.unh.edu/comm-entary/vol22/iss1/6