Greek word · G148
αἰσχρολογία
aischrologia
obscenity
From aischros, 'shameful, disgraceful', plus logos, 'speech'. It covers obscene, indecent talk (dirty jokes, sexual crudity) and also scurrilous, abusive language meant to shame or humiliate someone.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
αἰσχρολογία, -ας, ἡ
(αἰσχρός, λέγω),
abusive language, abuse (Lft., ICC, in l.; MM, VGT, see word): Colossians 3:8.†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
From the study of Colossians 3:8
- Range of meaning
From aischros, 'shameful, disgraceful', plus logos, 'speech'. It covers obscene, indecent talk (dirty jokes, sexual crudity) and also scurrilous, abusive language meant to shame or humiliate someone.
- Against the English
BSB/NIV 'filthy language', KJV 'filthy communication' ('communication' then meant conversation), ESV 'obscene talk', NASB 'obscene speech', WEB 'shameful speaking', YLT 'filthy talking'. All capture the obscene side. Few bring out the abusive, humiliating side.
- How it drifted
Modern readers often take 'filthy language' to mean a list of forbidden swear words. The Greek names a kind of speech, talk that degrades, whether by indecency or by insult, rather than a vocabulary list.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Aristotle (Politics 7.17, 1336b) wants aischrologia kept out of the city, especially from children's hearing, meaning indecent talk. Polybius uses the word family for coarse abuse heaped on opponents. Didache 3.3 warns 'do not be foul-mouthed (aischrologos)… for from all these adulteries are born', linking it to sexual sin. Clement of Alexandria (Paedagogus 2.6) gives a chapter to it. Compare Eph 5:4 (aischrotēs, 'shameful conduct/talk').
Similar words
Where it appears
Colossians · 1
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Colossians 3:8 αἰσχρολογίαν foul language
But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Here: Literally 'shameful-talk': obscene, dirty talk and also degrading, abusive language meant to shame someone. It appears only here in the New Testament.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.