Certain Words

[dukealien]

Certain words,
if used too much,

can lose their punch-
one is f*ck,

G*d is another.
But never n*gg*r.

I don't know... as between members of some cultures of American people of color, that last seems to have become more a handshake than a punch.  Perhaps a "friendly" shoulder punch?

On the main issue, I recall it being remarked, decades past, that "bullsh*t" had lost its punch and should be replaced by the common though somewhat military "chickensh*t" for lesser matters with, perhaps, "whalesh*t" for greater.  West Texas patois stressed variants such as "dogsh*t", "horsesh*t" and "catsh*t" (as in "mean as catsh*t") and cycling through those kept conversations, as it were, fresh   .