Those around the GeekWire offices know that I occasionally like to drop an f-bomb or two every once in a while. It’s not in anger, typically. It just kind of feels nice rolling off the tongue.
Now, I’ve got an excuse for my potty mouth.
It’s a cultural thing. I’m from mother f***ing Ohio, dammit!
Marchex, the Seattle mobile call advertising company, used a sophisticated call mining technology to analyze specific swear words in more than 600,000 phone calls between consumers and businesses (including frequently cussed-at customer service reps at cable, Internet and auto companies).
The goal? Determine which states’ residents cuss the most and which cuss the least.
What did they discover?
Ohioans lead the nation in cussing, while Washingtonians are the most proper in their choice of words. Washington residents cuss every 300 conversations, compared to Ohio residents who cuss every 150. (No wonder I sometimes feel like an outcast here).
Obviously, there’s a reason for this. Have you ever encountered the bitterness of a Cleveland sports fan? You almost have to cuss in order to relieve that stress.
As for me, I grew up just a few miles away from the hometown of one of the legendary cursers of all-time, Hall of Fame swearer (and chair thrower) Bobby Knight. For those not familiar with Knight’s work, I give you this roundup from the former Indiana basketball coach:
Other findings from the Marchex survey, released in conjunction with National Etiquette Week:
—66% of curses come from men.
—The calls that contain the most cursing are more than 10 minutes long. So the longer someone is on the phone, the more likely that conversion is to devolve.
—Calls in the morning are twice as likely to produce cursing as calls in the afternoon or evening.
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