Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

When "gosh" is a euphemism for "God", it's when "God" was used not as a noun but as a curse, ie an exclamation of surprise or anger.   When I say "God is merciful", I don't need to use "Gosh" instead; but if I bark my shin on a crate and exclaim "God, that hurts!" I was probably not talking to God but just venting my anger, and some people might be offended; "gosh" is unlikely to offend anyone, however.

Quite a few of our ejaculations are on that level.   We say "gee" and "jeez" instead of "Jesus", "gosh" and "golly" instead of "God", "darn" and "dang" instead of "damn", "goldurn" and "doggone" instead of "God damn", "heck" instead of "Hell", "shoot" and "shucks" instead of "shit", on and on.

I picture the early users of those words earning themselves a harsh look from, say, their mothers, perhaps using them to shock while still claiming innocence.   "SSSShhhhoot!", says a boy, and his mother reprimands him so he cries disingenuously "What?   I didn't say that word, I just said 'shoot'!   What's wrong with 'shoot'?"   But most of the above words have been around so long that I don't suppose most people ever think about their origin.

I like dadgummit.   It works as well as god damn it.    

And RobertB, I disagree with your assertion that using the word god is always offensive.   It's just another word.   I only find it offensive when someone of a religious ilk is using it as reason to push an agenda.