BS: Improper Language

Subject: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 28 May 00 - 06:55 PM

Having used Super Search to find threads dedicated to "swear words" and "bad language" the closest I can find is the thread titled "BS: British/American cultural differences" where some unsavoury verbiage is defined or alluded to. I have a fascination for foul language and it is particularly popular in Ireland so I hear and use it daily myself.

May we start a thread on this subject or can someone point me to an existing thread concentrating primarily on foul words? There are many aspects to this subject relevant to folk music and I sincerely believe that it is an important discussion topic for anyone interested songs.

For example, there are "polite" words and terms having very crude origins of which most are unaware. There are words many think are crude which have quite proper meanings and origins. And, of course, there are words with very different meanings from culture to culture as well as colloquialisms, meaningless to those not native to an area.

Rather than assault the dignity of sensitive Mudcatters without either warning or permission, I shall refrain from actual examples until the status and properness of this potential thread is verified by Max, Susan or Joe, to whom I defer.

I look forward to your adjudication.

Sincerely,

Frank McGrath

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: JenEllen
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:04 PM

Actually, I am rather fond of the colorful language I was presented with while living in the southern US. Interested in seeing where this goes. Good luck, Jen

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: GUEST,Champion the Wonder Horse
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:09 PM

Fuckin' great idea

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Pene Azul
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:09 PM

Here's an interesting reference in several languages. Here's its English page.

PA

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:14 PM

While not specifically on the subject of *colourful* language, there were a couple of ones which might be of interest, along with this one (which I think will turn into a very interesting thread.) They were:

Colloquialisms - Post 'em & define 'em!,

Colloquialisms II and,

Song Appropriateness,

Good idea for a thread, Kevin.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: GUEST,Champion the Wonder Horse
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:20 PM

Or Frank, even.

Can't you not get anything fuckin right.
Fuckin' hell

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:21 PM

What an excellent web site pene Azul!

But, there is so much else which could be added. The subject is massive.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Pene Azul
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:26 PM

Yeah, Frank I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps we can expand it right here...

PA

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:26 PM

Having taboo words means you can sail close to them, and have all kinds of verbal fun in the process. And you can do it for ever. Once you've broken the taboo you lose all that. No more shocks. So new taboos have to be found, and sometimes they are more likely to be damaging than the harmless old ones. We lose the sexual taboo on words words to do with sex, and find people start to flirt instead with racist taboo words.

What I find interesting is that words which are seen as a bit dodgy in one culture are seen as harmless in another. I can think of an old man who would never dream of saying the kind of words Frank McGrath was refraining from using in his opening post. In fact, he'd probably only say "bloody" in extreme situations. But he wouldn't give a bugger about saying he wouldn't give a bugger, or he'd say that someting "hurts like buggery". And yet I've come across people who would casually use other taboo words who find those expressions fairly shocking.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:39 PM

Well said Harlow person with whom I have the honour of sharing a distinguished surname. You have given a perfect example of innocent use of improper words.

"Berk" is another prime example. It is the abbreviated version of "Berkley Hunt" which is rhyming slang for that four letter word most hated by women.

Great thread links kat. I shall take my time to study them carefully. They are definitely related to this subject.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:48 PM

Sorry, Frank.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:50 PM

kat - you're gettin' your McGraths in a twist. I've never been Frank in my life.

A long way from Nenagh to Harlow, Frank. But not so far to Cahir where my parents are buried.

That's what I mean - without the taboo, where's the fun in the rhyming slang?

Round where I live there used to be a magazine called Essex Folk News. They decided that was one four letter "F word" that put people off, so it's now called efn. People refer to it as "the effin' magazine". Now you lose that kind of thing if the taboos go competely.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:51 PM

"That's what I mean" - I was referring to Frank's explanation of "berk"

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Pene Azul
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:54 PM

Here's a guide to help you Avoid Foul Language.

PA

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 May 00 - 07:56 PM

My father objected to my use of the word "Crap". 5 children; only girl. Until brother Pat discovered that the inventor of the flush toilet was named Crappe (and was knighted for his efforts) hence crapper and crap.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Pene Azul
Date: 28 May 00 - 08:05 PM

It seems that Sir Thomas Crapper did not really invent the toilet. Here is a history of "The Men That Made The Water Closet."

PA

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 28 May 00 - 08:09 PM

Is it a Chair man you are by God? Another Tipperary McGrath on the 'Cat. Jasus bye, we'll take it over yet.

The South Tipp. McGraths would be part of the Waterford McGrath sept. The McGrath's that own Waterford Glass. There was even a McGrath on the Waterford Hurling team which Tipp. beat today in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. Good clean hard match it was too, with plenty of bad language used and no quarter given. But, there will be new swear words invented between this and June 11th when Tipp. meets Clare in a Munster Semi-Final.

Delighted to make your acquaintance Kevin.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: GUEST, Daithi
Date: 28 May 00 - 08:18 PM

Confuckinggratulations

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 28 May 00 - 08:40 PM

Pene is a mine of internet resources on bad language and Daithi gives a great example of the use of swear words within proper words which is unique to Ireland (I think) and particularly used in Dublin.

Excefuckingllent guys.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Pene Azul
Date: 28 May 00 - 08:59 PM

A mine? Maybe more of a sewer :^{)> I had lost my link to this one. Very nice:

Dictionary of English slang and colloquialisms of the UK

PA

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: GUEST, Daithi
Date: 28 May 00 - 09:02 PM

Shut to (the) fuck up = Shut up to (the) fuck.
The difference is in the delivery

When a teenager from West Belfast puts his face 2 inches from your face and says between his teeth:

B'Fuck Aff!*

you will no for certain that you presence is not solicited in his/her particular environs

* a meagre attempt at phonetics

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 28 May 00 - 09:23 PM

Delivery and tone are critical to real meaning when using bad language. The written words can never convey adequetly the multitude of variations of meanings that only the spoken words intone.

eg

Jasus, the little feckin' robins!
Looks like someone is very annoyed at little red breasted birds.

However, my sadly missed aunt Nancy (recently deceased) when she spoke these words, it was gentle poetry. She loved Christmas cards with robins on them and she often repeated this phrase with endearing gentle innocence. Bad language is not always bad language as McHarlow pointed out.

But, when used with venom, nothing can portray anger or hatered with such power.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Pene Azul
Date: 28 May 00 - 09:59 PM

Another interesting slang dictionary:

American-Australian Slang Dictionary

PA

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Gary T
Date: 29 May 00 - 03:41 AM

Hi, Frank. This sort of thing--"confuckinggratulations"--is found here in the U.S., so I'm afraid it's not unique to Ireland. Of course, the real question is how/why does one choose between the form above and this--"congratufuckinglations". Personally I favor the latter, it just seems a bit smoother to me.

If you really want a response from Max, Susan, or Joe, I believe it would be most efficient to click on "Help" at the top-of-page menu, and post something there.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 May 00 - 03:56 AM

Well, to be perfectly "frank," Frank...
It's an open forum, and "no holds barred" is the general rule. If you keep the thread going, you may well get Dick Greenhaus to add some scholarly (and colorful) comments on the topic.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 29 May 00 - 05:30 AM

Mighty shaggin' good.

Once Joe Offer gives even a slight thumbs up or even a non thumbs down, that's good enough for me.

I am very interested in;
(a) origins of naughty words
(b) naughty words which are not naughty
(c) polite words which are really naughty
(d) ye olde naughty words which we no longer or are rarely used
(e) variations on naughty words
(f) regional naughty words
(g) regional naughty words with innocent meaning in other areas
(h) naughty words in various languages
(i) comparison of naughty words in various languages with similar pronunciations
(j) naughty words and phrases in Latin and Greek (h) and whatever you are having yourself

A few examples follow

(a) "Berk" and "crap" as given in earlier postings
(b) Arse is the correct term for a horse's bum
(c) "Fiddlesticks" comes from old english and translates to penis
(f) Bollocks, bollix, bollicks
(j) "Omnia testicalis est!" = It's all a balls etc.

And what is most facinating is where these words appear in songs, old and new, and how they are used.

Looking forward to your postings.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Pene Azul
Date: 29 May 00 - 11:52 AM

Here's a short article on the etymology of "damn," "fuck" and "shit."

PA

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 29 May 00 - 12:09 PM

Frank, I have heard your explanation of burk/berk before, but with Berkshire in place of Berkley. However when I tried to follow it up I finished up with the impression (can't remember where from) that there was no substance in the tale.

Is it true that "bloody" is a contraction of "by our lady"?

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Brendy
Date: 29 May 00 - 12:51 PM

It is interesting, Pene, that last link you provided in that I remember years ago when I lived in Kerry I had the same discussion about such etymologies with a former political journalist of the Irish Times.
Apparently during 'The Silly Season'; that unique time in the journalistic year when nothing of 'real' news value is around. Parliament is on it's summer break, and scandals are few.
He was asked to do some research on among other things on the origins of 'fuck'. He pointed to the colonial times in India during Clive's tenure, where it was a criminal offence to 'lie with' a native Indian (they forsaw the locals making claim to British citizenship), and because squaddies are squaddies, of course there was a long list of offenders. The charge sheet was 'For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge', and if you higlight the capitals, as they were wont to do in those days, with a kind of 'Ruritanian' font, the word 'FUCK' clearly stands out.
Due to the enormity of complaints against the red-blooded squaddies, they did shorten the charge to 'Fucking'.
As far as I could ascertain, my journalist friend went no farther back than that.

But I am from North Armagh, and although my mother would have beat me with the poker if she EVER heard me say a 'bad' word, my vocabulary was quite enhanced with such words and uses of them. And you are right, Frank, that certain regions, like any dialectic difference, will produce it's own particular variation.
'Confuckinggratulations', and 'Congratufuckinglations' are actually the same backslap, and the intonation of the voice (by which we are severly limited here) determines which one is 'the sarcastic one' Both can be the genuine one, as I have no doubt Daithí was expressing (unless he's a Waterford man hehehehehe), but I suspect a Northern influence there as I know that 'delivery' of 'Fuck off' very well. Daithí would, I'm sure, use the same words, accent the syllables subtly, say it more 'open-mouthed', and express disbelief in the story you were telling him at that particular moment in time.

I have a story about my first conversation with a London guy in Oslo here which was overheard by my girlfriend and her mates who are all Norwegian. I'll post it later, when I've a bit more time on my hands.

Fuckin' A1 lads!

B.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Peter T.
Date: 29 May 00 - 02:24 PM

There is a television show in North America called "Inside the Actor's Studio" which I occasionally see on public broadcasting stations, in which the host interviews famous actors and actresses, and there is a mock questionnaire given at the end -- borrowed from a French interview show -- in which one of the questions is: What is your favourite swear word? There are a number of interesting things about this: first, the station beeps out the swear word often, but sometimes not. There must be a rule that they have to work with -- Fuck is out, but bastards are in, and so on. Another interesting thing is that most everyone interviewed is somewhat shy about responding. They begin to edit in their minds, and then they go, oh what the ***** and say whatever. You can see the barricades go up and go down again. It is a very ingrained reaction. But what is really interesting is the mind of the man who thought up the questionnaire -- he must have thought that this was the best way to identify the special star as "just another human being with failings like you and me". The question invariably gets the big laugh, and everyone is slightly embarrassed. It is totally infantile, really: but it suckers everyone in.

When you think of the really blasphemous language out there: "ethnic cleansing," "mutually assured destruction", "family values", "national security", it is really pathetic.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: MK
Date: 29 May 00 - 03:13 PM

I've always found the term "quim" (sp?) elegant. Origins?

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 May 00 - 03:20 PM

Add "compassionate conservatism" too, Peter.

One we insert around here is "Absofuckinglutely!" My ex, a native of Western Colorado, and his friends hardly ever said "shit" without adding "fuck, and piss" immediatley following it.

Growing up in the oilfields and cattle country, I learned to swear with the best of them, BUT I prefer my father's style of cursing...very eloquent, hardly ever anything *worse* than a "goddamn" or "hell" and usually sounding so non-obscene, some thickheads even think he's given them a compliment. It is an art that Roger and I have discussed and believe to be dying out with my dad's generation. He was raised a gentleman, but also exposed to the rough side of ranching and oilfields. There was a time and place for it, but usually, regardless of where, he always used courteous language in a very cutting way.

The first time I ever really cussed at him was when I called him up, after he'd left my mom after 38 yrs of marriage. I was 22 and very angry. I swore at him for a good thirty minutes calling him every combination I could think of, of a cocksucker, motherfucker, lying son of a whore, etc. When I stopped, he said "Are you done?" When I said I was, he continued, "Your grandfather (whom he knows I adored) would be very proud of the good Scotch (sic) blessing you just gave me!" Totally disarmed me and we made peace right then and there. To my knowledge, I am the only one of his five children who has ever felt comfortable enough using *foul* language when speaking with him.

I'll see if I can find an example of one of his exhortations and post later.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: WyoWoman
Date: 29 May 00 - 04:11 PM

My goodness, Pene. You are a font of hypertext links (although I just wrote "kinks" first...hmmmm?) on this subject. But I must say, on one of those sites you linked to, what with John's big balls and Mary and John so busy making the beast with two backs, etc., those two must be a very energetic couple.

I was raised in such a proper manner that I actually only heard my dad say "damn" twice in my life. And that practically made my world stop spinning. If Daddy said "damn," you just KNEW the fur was about ready to fly! But, having spent the past 20 years in newsrooms great and small, I now swear like I just stepped off a freighter, and I find myself having to monitor my potty mouth for polite company. Not always easy to do in the heat of the moment...

WW

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Pene Azul
Date: 29 May 00 - 04:15 PM

Michael, apparently "quim" is of Scottish origin. That's all I can find so far.

PA

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 May 00 - 04:23 PM

"Shag" is one of those words with a double life, with perfectly polite meanings lying alongside the wicked one:

The common cormorant or shag
Lays eggs inside a paper bag.
The reason you will see, no doubt,
It is to keep the lightning out.
But what these unobservant birds
Have never noticed is that herds
Of wandering bears may come with buns
And steal the bags to hold the crumbs.

Another like that is the American way of spelling arse, as ass. "Kick ass" always sounds an unkind thing to do to the poor animal.

You can get it with names too - I posted a story a little time back about an English explorer called Sir Vivian Fuchs.

Soon after returning from his trans-Antarctic journey in 1958, he was given a civic reception by the mayor of Leeds.

In the speech of welcome, sopeaqking in broad Yorkshire , every time the mayor referred to the guest of honour he called him "Sir Vivian Fucks". Finally he decided to intervene. He leant forward and whispered "Actually, it's pronounced FOOKS."

The mayor looked shocked "Oh no, we can't have that sort of language here! There's ladies present!"

Waterford sept I suppose it is Frank (though we never had much to do with Waterford Glass that I heard of -. Just the stuff they sometimes put in it). But always Tipp for the hurling!

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Bert
Date: 29 May 00 - 05:10 PM

I always thought that quim was from the Latin quidam meaning 'thing'. Didn't the Wife of Bath say that her husband told her that she had "the finest quidam in all the land".

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 29 May 00 - 07:08 PM

"Quim" is a word I am very curious about, though not an improper word I think. Similar to vagina or penis it is a word from the taboo subject of sex, a word for adults. If anyone can enlighten us, great, but if not i shall research it.

"Feck", the polite Irish swear word, which is used in virtually all the same contexts as "fuck" with the important exception of sex, is another for which I have no origin.
"Feck off", "he's a right fecker", "where's the feckin' bog roll gone" are all semi-accectable in polite company and nowhere near as bad as the "fuck" alternative.

And those are interesting comments about the power of polite words in cotrast to foul language. Churchill, when describing Hitler called him, "that evil man". He could have called him "that f&^%ing ba*!&¬!* sh&^(*&^& cock**&&", but the simple words he used carried even more impact that the worst four letter words imaginable.

A few of my favourites used in Ireland are;
Shithead
Shiteater (pronounced shitayetur)
Gobshite
Whoore's melt
Muck savage (not really bad but fairly insulting none the less)
Dipshit

The first and ladt are used outside of Ireland but are the others unique to our little isle?

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 May 00 - 07:33 PM

Isn't one reason "feck" is so un-threatening a word in Ireland on account of it's an Irish word to start with anyway, meaning "thing"?

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Brendy
Date: 29 May 00 - 09:36 PM

There is a mention of 'feck' in one of the verses (I can't remember the exact quote) of 'The night before Larry got stretched', but the context was 'fuck'
I imagine that 'feck' is a Dublin variation, or at least an east coast expression; I can't remember coming across it in Irish. Then again, dialectic differences in the Irish language are just as wide as the are in English.

I was going to tell yiz about one of my first nights in Oslo.
I was playing my first gig in Oslo. This was Sept 1994 in 'The Shamrock'. Helene had gathered up a few of her mates (all women)to come along to give a bit of moral support to the preceedings.
That was fine. And when I took my first break, I went down to the girls for a pint, and this English guy comes over. London chap, as it turned out.
Now the girls all came from a culture that would not use 'swear words' as part of their normal, everyday , vocabulary. Helene was well used to my 'speech patterns', so she didn't take the conversation to heart.

Basically the two of us, the London guy and myself, introduced each other, shook hands, I bought the first round, and we chatted.
"Ah, it's fuckin' crazy, man, the price of things over here"
"I know what you mean. Every fucking where you go; the bastardin' shops! My fuckin' missus went off to the cuntin' hairdressers the other day; comes back, that's all right. And do you know what the fuck she told me?"
"Fuckin' hell!"
"Do you know wha' she fucking told me?"
"Ah for fuck's sake, man, that's fuckin' terible"
"Two fucking hundred and forty seven bastardin' quid. Two cuntin' fucking hundred bastardin' quid. I couldn't believe it, for fuck's sake. Do you know that you could have a two week holi fuckin' day in Majorca for that cuntin' price; or one day on the piss in this fuckin' country"

Twenty minutes of this and you begin to get the picture Helene's friends got. Since most of the conversation was at the speed that two people well versed in the subtelties of the English language, one a Cockney, the other an Irish, city boy, would normally hold their conversation, ie. the speed of light, some of them thought we were having an argument. They thought that our faces were too close to each others' at times, especially when we were mutually lamenting some terrible catastrophe, like his wife's hairdressing bill. He was from time to time banging thumping his fist on the table, jabbing me with his finger (not on the chest, mind you. Body movements are also subtle, but that's another subject), and to all intents and purposes, to the outside eye, our conversation could have been construed as being aggressive. Far from it. I was a sort of 'shoulder to cry on' for a bit.

The girls, though, were at first scared, next disgusted in varying degrees, at our foul mouthedness.
Helene was a cool as a breeze; brushing their concerns off with a 'they're practically crying into each other's beer at this stage' kind of remark.

That was six years ago, and I now know all her friends quite well. And they also know me, and are still amused at our (Scots, Irish, and English) penchant for using swear words as adjectives.
Exclamations like "Well, Fuck me!" when one is signifying exasperation or surprise, can get you some strange looks. I have to watch myself with that one, especially in the States. (It's the same with "I'd love a fag right now" - you could end up smoking more than you bargained for!)

This guy John Pepper has a wealth of information on things dialectical, and when he used to write a column in 'Ireland's Saturday Night' I would be doubled up laughing at some of the stuff he was coming out with.

Other thoughts may come!

B.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Bill D
Date: 29 May 00 - 10:52 PM

supposedly a true story:

Mark Twain's wife did her best to censor the more picturesque flights of her husband's language. One morning he cut himself shaving and cursed long and loud. When he stopped, his wife tried to shame him by repeating to him verbatim all the profanities that he had just uttered. Twain heard her out and then remarked, "You have the words, my dear, but I'm afraid you'll never master the tune"

my father did not swear very much...but he loved to tease us by shaking his head and saying very 'seriously'

"goddandruff and someofititches"

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Brendy
Date: 30 May 00 - 12:30 AM

Anybody remember Billy Connolly's "Getifu ye basa"?

B.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 May 00 - 01:11 AM

In the US, "shag" carpeting was all the thing in the late 60's, early 70's....plus there were "shag" hairstyles.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Brendy
Date: 30 May 00 - 01:19 AM

It is also a cut of tobacco.
'Douwe Egberts', a Dutch company, sells 'Halfzware Shag', a curiously relaxing, pleasurable, kind of smoke.
Odd really!!

B.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 30 May 00 - 06:54 AM

The closest to "feck" in the Irish language is "feckim", meaning I see. "Thing" as Gaeilge is rud

Bendy's conversation with his Londoner friend, is quite the norm. Many people outside these Islands do not realise how prolific profanity is in the day to day conversations of ordinary folk in Ireland and Britan.

There are countless people I know who insert the word "fuckin'" at least once in every sentence they speak. If they were told to stop using the word they would not be able to speak.

Austin Powers certainly popularised the word "shag" in the US but it is used over here as part of everyday speech. Despite it's sexual connotations, hag is a bit like feck in that it is not a very profane word and might occassionally pop up in "polite" company.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 30 May 00 - 08:02 AM

The Cat being the Cat, I am surprised that this thread has not opened up in another direction, as indeed I believe Frank hinted it might.

There is a huge family of what might be described as "teasing" songs in which vulgarities are strongly signalled and anticipated, only to be circumvented at the last moment. Such songs are a particular delight for children. I'll give them a thread of their own and see what is turned up.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Kim C
Date: 30 May 00 - 12:02 PM

Oh this is funny! I too am interested in word origins, naughty or otherwise. Being a good Christian girl I generally shy away from naughty speech but I do wholeheartedly believe there is a time and place for it. Dammit and Sam Hill are my favorites to use, and I generally save the F word for things like road construction (as in, they're f---ing up the road again) or when I drop something heavy on my foot. Some former coworkers got a huge laugh one day when I said something was f---ed up. Hey y'all, Kim said the F word! They found it quite amusing.

Mister likes to swear a little too much and sometimes has to be scolded.

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 30 May 00 - 12:36 PM

I tried to eliminate the words God, Damn, Heaven, Hell, Jesus and all variations thereupon from my swearing/terms of emphasis. Try it, I dare you! I find that all I have left are scatological or anatomical or biological terms not suitable for most audiences who would have tolerated the blasphemies I was trying to avoid. All I can say now is it was a terrible day (not Godawful), it was very intersting, not damn interesting, and I say My Word! a lot. I am paralyzed, in other words, and it has been a seriously difficult battle.
Also, I believe Quim is a naughty term for female genitalia, see The More Vulgar-Minded song (not sure if it's in the Trad, if not, I'll post).
Also, I have read that while many different languages have different "bents" towards what is considered dirty, Hungarian is known for being the most blasphemous language... If I can find the rest of that article, I think it was in the Smithsonian or something maybe 10 years ago?? I'll post that too. All I can remember is the standard insult it listed, something about Your mama's little yellow-footed god (remember, in Hungarian, that's only one or two words).

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 30 May 00 - 12:42 PM

Went to the site Pene Azul posted for the multicutlurate swearer - and my company's Internet PC Police have blocked access to the French part - but not the English! Go figure...

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 May 00 - 03:33 PM

The thing is, the taboos only really kick in when it comes to using the words in their dictionary meaning.

Well, anyway I knew there was something rude about "thing".

Subject: RE: BS: Improper Language
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 30 May 00 - 04:45 PM

Definition for the word feck from;

"English as we speak it in Ireland" by Dr. P. Dwyer-Joyce, first printed 1910 and reprinted 1979, 1988, ISBN 0-86327-122-7, Wolfhound Press.

Feck or fack; a spade. From the very old Irish word, fec, same sound and meaning.

How did a digging impliment become a "nasty" word? Can anyone throw some more feckin' light on this?

Now to find me some quim, in the literary sense of course.

Frank