Question

Posted by rfvv on Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 9:39am.

One of the don'ts is as follows.

1. Don't say bad words.
1-1. Don't use bad words.
2. Don't use bad language.
2-2. Don't say bad language.
3. Don't swear.
4. ___________

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Are they all grammatical? Do you have other similar expressions? •English - Reed, Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 10:06am
2-2 is not correct. It is grammatical, but not like anything we would say or write.

I'm sure there are other ways of saying this, but I can't think of any. Some say, "Don't take the Lord's name in vain." Some say, "Don't use four-letter words".

•English - rfvv, Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 6:15pm
Thank you....
4. Don't use filthy language.
5. Don't say filthy language.
6. Don't use a filthy language.

(Is #5 or #6 wrong?)

Answer 1

5 and 6 are not right. "A" language would refer to Korean, English, French, Mandarin Chinese, etc. "filthy" is an adjective for language. A language is not filthy, although it may have bad/filthy words.

And we don't "say" language. We use language, we speak language, write it, etc., but we don't "say" language with any adjective, clean or filthy. We say, "Don't USE bad words" or "bad language", etc.