Asked by hi

What are "fighting words"?

Group of answer choices

words that would provoke a reasonable person to commit an immediate act of violence

words that would provoke the most sensitive and violent person to have an immediate and explosive reaction

any use of obscene or vulgar speech

any criticism of the government

Flag question: Question 6
Question 6

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Correct answer: words that would provoke a reasonable person to commit an immediate act of violence.

Explanation: Under Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, "fighting words" are those "which by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace" — typically face-to-face insults directed at a specific person that would provoke an average (reasonable) person to immediate retaliation. The other options are incorrect because the test is not the most sensitive person, not any obscene language, and not mere criticism of government.