Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Topic started by: Ian H on 21 August, 2021, 09:02:56 pm

Title: Effing linguistics
Post by: Ian H on 21 August, 2021, 09:02:56 pm
We're less bloody than before.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/20/bloody-loses-its-place-atop-swearing-lexicon-as-british-use-of-expletives-falls
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: rogerzilla on 21 August, 2021, 09:18:31 pm
Only the C-bomb has the real ability to shock now, among "proper" swear words.  There are racial and homophobic slurs that may be more shocking.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: T42 on 22 August, 2021, 09:51:31 am
Thirty years ago I can remember being somewhat taken aback when a female American colleague of MrsT's casually remarked that something or other was "all fucked up".  I rarely used the word myself before I joined YACF, but in the last few years I've been using it more and more. Got to move with the times, I suppose.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: ian on 22 August, 2021, 11:48:59 am
I like a good swear, but you have to choose your time and place, if every other word is fucking and you are dropping c-bombs with the vigour of the USAF over a civilian population centre, you've lost the power.

I have to be cautious around Americans, a fair number of them – I expect precisely the same ones who are scared by nipples – still have a naughty world hang-up.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Jaded on 22 August, 2021, 12:23:06 pm
Chuffing Norah!
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: rogerzilla on 22 August, 2021, 12:33:12 pm
Arsebuckets!
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: ian on 22 August, 2021, 12:41:35 pm
Heavens to Betsy!

I do know several Americans who will explete oh shoot! rather than shit. It's quite cute. I have an ex who was cursed by a need to swear but had the sort of expletive constipation that makes Americans shout out oh shoot rather than fucking cunting arserockets.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Salvatore on 22 August, 2021, 01:19:14 pm
I've heard an elderly American exclaim "Bullplop!" to express disagreement.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: T42 on 22 August, 2021, 02:00:10 pm
I watched a bit of Deadwood a few years ago, and was somewhat surprised by the hefty fuck content every time someone spoke.  I mentioned it on here, and someone (Kim?) pointed out that in the 19th century ruffians were more likely to blaspheme, but that wouldn't carry much weight so they had updated the obscenity to current standards.  I can't help thinking that nowadays a good hearty blasphemy session might get the producers' funding cut, but sexual expletives probably wouldn't bother the godly half as much.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Paul on 22 August, 2021, 04:54:31 pm
Thirty years ago I can remember being somewhat taken aback when a female American colleague of MrsT's casually remarked that something or other was "all fucked up".  I rarely used the word myself before I joined YACF, but in the last few years I've been using it more and more. Got to move with the times, I suppose.
Except the survey says that 'fuck' (in all its varieties) has also reduced in usage, just not as rapidly and 'bloody'.

There's something delightful about seeing all these swear words in a graph:

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/text-2020-0051/html

Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 22 August, 2021, 05:02:19 pm
I remember someone on here posting at some point in the past that their daughter had done a PhD or was it an MA in swearing. As in, tracing the history of "fuck". ISTR the first or one of the earliest recorded uses was in a monastic manuscript, where a disgruntled scribe had made a note in the margin about their "fucking abbot".
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Kim on 22 August, 2021, 05:06:02 pm
Good to see that 'bollocks' is still holding its own.  It's clearly the best swear word, not least because of the way that otherwise uptight USAnians find it quaintly charming when used by actual BRITONS.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Jurek on 22 August, 2021, 05:06:42 pm
I remember reading somewhere that it isn't possible to swear effectively in anything other than your mother tongue.
So when the FORRINS give freely with the blasphemy, it always sounds a bit Pete Tong.
Kurwa.
(There's no 'V' in the Polski alfabet. The 'V' sound is achieved by the use of 'W'.)
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: rogerzilla on 22 August, 2021, 05:21:06 pm
Good to see twat moving up the charts, too.  I know it can be a synonym for the C-bomb but it can also be seen as a variation on twit, which is its usual meaning when applied to someone (i.e. silly or idiotic).
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 22 August, 2021, 07:25:20 pm
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aRmLoD5_700bwp.webp)
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Tim Hall on 22 August, 2021, 07:26:01 pm
I remember reading somewhere that it isn't possible to swear effectively in anything other than your mother tongue.
So when the FORRINS give freely with the blasphemy, it always sounds a bit Pete Tong.
Kurwa.
(There's no 'V' in the Polski alfabet. The 'V' sound is achieved by the use of 'W'.)
One of my Scouts is Polish. I shall keep an ear out for her teaching the others how to do Bad Swears in Polish, starting with your examplw up there ^.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Jurek on 22 August, 2021, 07:43:01 pm
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aRmLoD5_700bwp.webp)
WTAF?
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 22 August, 2021, 08:13:12 pm
I remember seeing a cartoon of a Polish quiz show in the style of Countdown with the letters K******Ć. I couldn't find it but I did find that. I'm not quite sure what it's exactly about, but possibly an American's take on life in Poland?
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 22 August, 2021, 08:14:49 pm
The time I spent a couple of weeks training one of my colleagues in USAnia, I replaced my usual cuss words with 'rubbish'.
He thought this was enormously quaint.   :facepalm:
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: orraloon on 22 August, 2021, 08:23:25 pm
Back in the late 80s when I had become a Corporate on a work trip to Boston met up with this guy who was shocked by my language.  This guy was a survivor of Vietnam as a US Marine.  Does. Not. Compute.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Efrogwr on 22 August, 2021, 09:12:43 pm
Welsh has no swear words; they use English ones  instead.

Ffwcun  bastad lladronau!
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: ian on 23 August, 2021, 10:12:34 am
The time I spent a couple of weeks training one of my colleagues in USAnia, I replaced my usual cuss words with 'rubbish'.
He thought this was enormously quaint.   :facepalm:

Years back, our particular mothership (as part of the larger fleet at the time) had a British CEO who potty-mouthed during the annual sales kick-off. Everyone British and European chortled it up. The Americans sat in awkward semi-silence. Can we laugh at this? Will it make the baby Jesus angry? Anyway, he lasted about 2 months. Shame, he was quite acerbic and funny, and thus thoroughly unsuited to the role.

Blaspheming with Americans is also very dangerous territory as they're far, far more churchy than we are and quite serious about it. You have to know your audience if you plan to unleash a proper rant. And a rant without swears is just an opinion.

The US is an odd country, they're simultaneously terrified of nipples and bad words while spurting torrents of the world's finest pornography and Hollywood muthafucking muthafuckers.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 23 August, 2021, 10:36:38 am
Looking through a Cycling magazine from 1929 yesterday, I spotted the following:
I hear of a lady in a road race who, after covering 160-odd miles, asked at the feeding station, "Where's the band?" She explained her question by adding "Here I am! Alone I did it, and there's no d–– band!"

Presumably the missing word is damn(ed). So in 1929 it could be uttered by a lady but was not fit to print, and 92 years later it doesn't even count as one of the 16 swears worthy of research.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Adam on 24 August, 2021, 10:43:34 pm
Good to see that 'bollocks' is still holding its own.  It's clearly the best swear word, not least because of the way that otherwise uptight USAnians find it quaintly charming when used by actual BRITONS.
Years ago, I was impressed to hear "Bollocks" said by the character Miles O'Brien in Star Trek DS9.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Basil on 24 August, 2021, 11:59:59 pm
"Bollocks to the rules"
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Mr Larrington on 25 August, 2021, 12:14:12 am
Good to see that 'bollocks' is still holding its own.  It's clearly the best swear word, not least because of the way that otherwise uptight USAnians find it quaintly charming when used by actual BRITONS.
Years ago, I was impressed to hear "Bollocks" said by the character Miles O'Brien in Star Trek DS9.

The other day I was mildly surprised when DJ Random played me a track by Beck entitled “Diamond Bollocks”.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: ian on 25 August, 2021, 09:21:43 am
I have a soft spot for Americans who try to use bollocks and wankers. It just sounds wrong, but in a nice way.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 25 August, 2021, 11:21:44 am
I once got in major trouble with my manager for saying 'bloody!' with emphasis. She was english but very prudish. 'Bloody' was shocking and forbidden, but 'sugar!' said with same emphasis absolute fine (and shouted by her regularly).

Very embarrassed (at a meal out) by nice German woman who asked people at the table to explain what 'bugger' meant. Everyone mumbled and wouldn't answer, so she turned to me . . .

On a zoom call, caused hilarity and embarrassment from USAnian colleagues; I had some cardboard boxes behind me. One of them had "Who gives a crap" on the side. 'crap' naughty word, titter, he he.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: rogerzilla on 25 August, 2021, 12:26:27 pm
Rude Kid in Viz gave us such gems as BIG FAT ELEPHANT'S FANNY, GRANNY'S PUBES Y'WHORE and, of course, GO PISS UP A ROPE, FUCKSTICK.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: nuttycyclist on 25 August, 2021, 02:34:43 pm
Ms Nutty, aged 8, has started using "dammit" quite a lot.

I have educated her that some words are naughty and mustn't be used.  The actual expression of emotions can continue with any words, as per my example of hitting my hand with the hammer and shouting "oh slice of cake".
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 25 August, 2021, 02:38:26 pm
But a slice of cake is a good thing!
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Kim on 25 August, 2021, 04:20:11 pm
But a slice of cake is a good thing!

As can a bash with a hammer.  It's all about being in the right time and place.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Rod Marton on 25 August, 2021, 04:27:24 pm
Ms Nutty, aged 8, has started using "dammit" quite a lot.

I have educated her that some words are naughty and mustn't be used.  The actual expression of emotions can continue with any words, as per my example of hitting my hand with the hammer and shouting "oh slice of cake".

On similar lines, in Russian the word blin - pancake - is used as a mild oath. I'm not sure why, it's not as if Russian lacks for swear words. But they are rather prudish about them.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Mr Larrington on 25 August, 2021, 06:12:01 pm
Rude Kid in Viz gave us such gems as BIG FAT ELEPHANT'S FANNY, GRANNY'S PUBES Y'WHORE and, of course, GO PISS UP A ROPE, FUCKSTICK.

One of which ended up as part of a Lawnmower DETH lyric, which track no-one has yet seen fit to put on YouBend chiz.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Jurek on 25 August, 2021, 06:25:26 pm
Ms Nutty, aged 8, has started using "dammit" quite a lot.

I have educated her that some words are naughty and mustn't be used.  The actual expression of emotions can continue with any words, as per my example of hitting my hand with the hammer and shouting "oh slice of cake".

On similar lines, in Russian the word blin - pancake - is used as a mild oath. I'm not sure why, it's not as if Russian lacks for swear words. But they are rather prudish about them.
Polak swearing is on similar lines.
Apart from the ubiquitous favourite of Polak builders everywhere - Kurwa - which, to this day, I'm unsure whether it means motherfucker or whore, there's 'psia krew' which translates into 'dog's blood' and 'cholera' which translates into err.... cholera.
The two are sometimes combined in a sort of tandem swearing way.
Wassat all about?
They also have this weird thing for when you want to say 'there's no rush' - you say 'nie ma gwaltu' - which translates into 'there is no rape'.
Fucking weirdos.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 25 August, 2021, 07:31:42 pm
Kurwa is defo whore, at least literally, rather than motherfucker. As in skurwysyn, whoreson, which sounds almost quaint now in English. But not quite.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: FifeingEejit on 25 August, 2021, 08:00:54 pm
The drop in swearing seems to correlate with the introduction of the not so bad f-word by a certain Irish priest.

Coincidence?

Feck knows.

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 25 August, 2021, 08:12:23 pm
And freaking?
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Kim on 25 August, 2021, 08:14:50 pm
And freaking?

Those badass melon farmers at the ITV dubbing department.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: FifeingEejit on 25 August, 2021, 08:16:32 pm
I have just remembered that the other day I randomly remembered some of the swear phrases introduced in Terrace and Phillip the movie, so shut your fucking face uncle fucker. Those donkey raping shit eater Canadians have it down up.

Ahem...

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Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 25 August, 2021, 08:32:46 pm
Oh yeah, melon farmers. Didn't that originate in Hollywood though not ITV?
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Kim on 25 August, 2021, 08:34:45 pm
Oh yeah, melon farmers. Didn't that originate in Hollywood though not ITV?

Apparently it was a BBC dub of Repo Man, not an ITV dub of Die Hard 2 as I had misremembered.
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 25 August, 2021, 08:35:19 pm
Yokay, a re-re-export!
Title: Re: Effing linguistics
Post by: rogerzilla on 26 August, 2021, 08:09:10 am
Martin Scorsese's "Badfellas" ruined for TV

https://youtu.be/CHKBlLyrRMI