Actually there is a very definite reason why Urdu/Punjabi words are more obscene than their corresponding English counterparts. It is actually a truism that is based on the language itself.
In the science of language or linguisitcs it is commonly understood that concepts are developed by terms. It therefore means that language of a given nation will direct the way they think. Urdu being a generally proper language designed for respectable society when contrasted with such words has a greater impact. English on the other hand has recently become a descriptive and legal language removing the concepts of morality and shame from with in it. The effect is that words are used to accurately depict names of things *without the care of how those words are perceived. *
Furthermore as dual language people it is easy for us to switch concepts when we switch between languages.
I see your points...good points:)....but do not agree with the bold parts.
Any language boasts it ability to carry not only its true meaning of words but how it is percieved among those who learn the language by birth. Those who learn language at later life do not get the perception so strongly.
Percepton is based on how one is braought up not how the language is created...formal or informal.
If you read Josh Malihabadi...he used obscene words in his book showing that Urdu language even those times had obscene words and those who were born in 'shareef' families reacted differently than those who were raised in relatively lower class areas.
Such is the case in English as well. Those who learn this language in Americas have different perception of 'bad' words than those from proper English speaking areas in England. You will hardly hear north american calling someone "Bl*dy- Bas*rd" but relatively speaking (no pun intended) more commonly in Britain.
My point is proper is proper and improper is improper based not on the language itself but how it is percieved by the people of certain areas...which in turn is based on how people are trained to percieve certain words.
If someone is raised in a society or family where bad words are commonly used..Urdu/Punjabi/English/etc. .....the words still ARE bad but the perception of these being bad words gets weaker with time. One can give example of anything bad ocurring repeatedly becomes the norm for that society.
Example of different perception: A common 'mistake' people from British area make is asking for a "tissue" at a fast resturant in America......instead of "napkins"!
'Tissue papers' in Americas are commonly perceived as paper towels used for either cleaning up the nose/eyes or private areas]
Lastly, it is not easy to switch the concepts...the concepts ARE different even among those who are bilingual or multilingual.
It may fascinate someone if you call other person F-U but if you will call someone in Urdu same thing who understand Urdu...get ready to get a shocking response or better duck!!