# classification of #$**! words



## Chaska Ñawi

Have you ever noticed how offensive words tend to change in different cultures?  For example, English swearing falls mainly into scatalogical (crap!) or sexual categories.  You don't hear much religious swearing, apart from the occasional damn.

In Quebec, a lot of swearing is still religious, which is interesting because the society is so secular.  There are lots of references to communion (I rather liked "roast Host"), the tabernacle, and the colour of blue.

In Latin America, the more expressive swearing seemed to be not only sexual, but aimed at sexual promiscity.  (Puta! was used a lot in Bolivia the way we'd say dammit!)  In Quechua, rude language seemed to be more scatalogical.

Sometimes I think we pick up our phobias and use them as our swear words.  This might explain why preschoolers and kindergartens are so fascinated with "toilet words".  

I'd really like to hear from different cultures as to what categories their rude language falls into.

I'll now chew over translating this into Spanish and French, but if someone else wants to give it a go ... be my guest!


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## Outsider

Chaska Ñawi said:
			
		

> Have you ever noticed how offensive words tend to change in different cultures?  For example, English swearing falls mainly into scatalogical (crap!) or sexual categories.  You don't hear much religious swearing, apart from the occasional damn.


You know, I don't have that impression at all. In English, you say "God d***!" and "Holy s***!" None of that exists in Portuguese! We never, ever use God-words when swearing. Although we do have Devil-words and Hell-words... 
More comments later.


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## Laia

Chaska Ñawi said:
			
		

> Have you ever noticed how offensive words tend to change in different cultures? For example, English swearing falls mainly into *scatalogical* (crap!) or sexual categories. You don't hear much *religious* swearing, apart from the occasional damn.


 
Scatological and religious... in the same sentence  :
"Me cago en Dios" in Spanish
"Cagum Déu" in Catalan.

Literally would be something like "I have a shit in God" in English. I don't know how to translate it.

Really frequent in everyday speech.


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## Hakro

I believe that the three most common #$**! words in Finnish are 'perkele', 'saatana' and 'vittu'.

The first one is kind of religious ('perkele' is a very ancient name of a baltic god).

Also the second is religious ('saatana' is satan in Finnish).

The third one is sexual. It simply means c***.

After these three there's an infinite number of swearings. I know them all but I can't fill these pages with swearings in Finnish, can I?


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## Mayagirl

I'd definitely agree with Outsider. On an average morning in my average American high-school, I'd say that although most of the swearing I hear is sexual (this being high school after all  ), the rest is pretty evenly divided between scatalogical and religious 'swear' words. 
I have notice though that words like God or d**n are used by people who don't want to be seen as too crude but still swear quite a bit. So these are commonly used as less "dirty" swear words. I've always been puzzled by this since it seems to me that, in a culture that is supposedly predominately Christian, the 'misuse' of these words as swearing would be considered more offensive than the use of words that are merely crude.  But that's just my own personal gripe about my own culture. 
I was intrigued by Outsider's comment that religious words such as God are not used for swear words in Portuguese. Is this because of a different awareness of religion in Portuguese culture? And, if so, does this hold true for other cultures that use fewer religion-related 'swear' words? 
Sorry if these questions don't directly relate to the original post...


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## panjandrum

Religious "swear words" are used a great deal in Ireland.  They always have been.
I often thought this strange, because of the very strong religious heritage here.


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## Chaska Ñawi

panjandrum said:
			
		

> Religious "swear words" are used a great deal in Ireland.  They always have been.
> I often thought this strange, because of the very strong religious heritage here.



I'm sorry, Panjandrum - I'd completely forgotten about Ireland when I was making my sweeping generalisations about English swearing.  I guess I should have said "Canadian swearing".


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## Mayagirl

That's interesting, panjandrum, about religious swearing in Ireland. I wonder if that's true for all cultures that have a "strong religious heritage?" (Pretty ironic, isn't it?) As most countries would probably fall under that catagory, I wonder if it's related to which religion/s are a major part of the countries heritage, or which religions are dominant in that country today and the attitudes of the people who live in that country towards their "religious heritage"... 
I never really thought too much about it before, but the "swear words" that are used/ considered acceptable in different cultures probably say a lot about people's attitudes towards the things they're using as "swear words."
Just some (rambling ) ideas.


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## cuchuflete

Many years ago, a Moroccan friend taught me the translations of some of his preferred curses. Typically they made reference, all in the same long sentence, to the mother or wife of the person he wished to insult, together with at least one camel. I don't know if this is typical, but they were much more creative than the typical English curse.

Here, for the brave and unpuritanical, is one example:

If you are squeemish, do not read this.




.
.
.
.


May the crotch of your first-born be infested by the fleas from the undersides of forty syphilitic camels who have enjoyed your mother.


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## Mayagirl

Wow, cuchuflete, that's the most entertaining kind of swearing I've ever heard.  That definitely confirms my opinion that we Americans are pretty lacking in creativity sometimes!


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## Chaska Ñawi

cuchuflete said:
			
		

> May the crotch of your first-born be infested by the fleas from the undersides of forty syphilitic camels who have enjoyed your mother.



That has to be the most comprehensive curse I've ever heard.  It also puts into context Corporal Klinger's (M*A*S*H* fame) curse "May the fleas of a thousand camels nestle in your armpits", which I'd hitherto assumed was a Hollywood invention.  

Laia, I think your "Me cago en Dios" would translate best into "Holy Shit!", an expression I used to use at particularly inappropriate times before I became a parent.


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## fenixpollo

Chaska Ñawi said:
			
		

> Have you ever noticed how offensive words tend to change in different cultures? For example, English swearing falls mainly into scatalogical (crap!) or sexual categories. You don't hear much religious swearing, apart from the occasional damn.


 I also disagree.  I mean, how can you discount all of the religous expressions there are for cursing, for chrissakes?

My own impression has always been that there is less religous swearing in Mexican culture than in Unitedstatesian culture.  There may be more sexual swearing in Spanish, but there are also more vulgar expressions and insults that refer to animals or inanimate objects.  For example, the English _stinkin'_ _(I just ran into the stinkin' door!) _has a plethora of equivalents in Spanish (_cochino_ and _puerco_ are just 2 examples, referring to pigs).  When was the last time you heard anyone in English say "Swine door!" (except Inspector Clouseau).


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## Outsider

O.K., let me break this down for you... 

In Portuguese, the usual repertoire of swear words can be classified as follows:



*Scatological*: Yes, the s*** word and related ones are widely used;


*Underworld* words: Associating a noun with Hell, or the Devil, or some sort of damnation (is there are technical term for this, I wonder?);


*Animal*: A variety of animal epithets you can throw at your victims. On of them is "camel".


*Sexual*: This is perhaps the most common branch. I will break it down into subcategories:


The f*** word _per se_, and various words relating to male genital organs, including the c*** word. Widely used.


The f*** word or others, inciting your target to assume the passive role in various sexual positions. (This is directed at another person.)


To a woman: suggesting that she is a prostitute, or the daughter of a prostitute.


To a man: suggesting that he is a homosexual, or the son of a prostitute, or a pimp, or that his wife is unfaithful to him.


On the other hand, I can't think of any religious swear words associated with God, or saints, or the Virgin Mary. To me, swears like the ones that *Laia* wrote above sound baffling and funny.

Another curious absentee is the female c*** word, which seems common in Spanish, but we never use as a swear. Hearing Spanish speakers use it is a bit shocking for us.

Given the religious similarities between Portugal and Spain, I don't know if these omissions are related to cultural attitudes towards religion. As Panjandrum noted, religious swear words are common in Ireland, which is also a very religious, Catholic country...  

I don't know if it's the same in Brazil. It would be interesting to know.


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## tvdxer

I find it disgusting that people would use God's name in such a disrepectful and careless way.

Most swearing here consists of the standard English vulgarities.  However, many do use God's name with "damn", and as terrible as that is, it doesn't sound quite as outright blasphemous as some of the other ones posted here.


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## nycphotography

Outsider said:
			
		

> You know, I don't have that impression at all. In English, you say "God d***!" and "Holy s***!" None of that exists in Portuguese! We never, ever use God-words when swearing. Although we do have Devil-words and Hell-words...
> More comments later.


 
NOSSA!  É Verdade?!?


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## Outsider

Tanto quanto eu sei, é.


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## Laia

tvdxer said:
			
		

> I find it disgusting that people would use God's name in such a disrepectful and careless way.
> 
> Most swearing here consists of the standard English vulgarities. However, many do use God's name with "damn", and as terrible as that is, it doesn't sound quite as outright blasphemous as some of the other ones posted here.


 
Swearing is disgusting by definition.
I find a lot more disgusting saying "son of a bitch" to someone. Bitchs are people. Human.
Just an example.

"Cagarse" in religion is very common. Some threads:
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=6293
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=35100


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## grumpus

Laia said:
			
		

> Swearing is disgusting by definition.
> I find a lot more disgusting saying "son of a bitch" to someone. Bitchs are people. Human.
> Just an example.



Hi Laia,
I say "son of a bitch"  all the time, but never to someone.  I shared my litany the
other day on a different thread.  When I hurt myself I say,

g.d. dam..d  fu.king son of a bitch !!!
or
g.d. dam..d  fu.king piece of sh.t !!!

so I guess I cover all grounds   religious, sexual, scattalogical  (je je je)

saludos 
Grumpus


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## maxiogee

I spent some years working in a church in Dublin, on a religious magazine. I knew the day I was told that I had the job that I would have language difficulties. My expletive-of-choice in those days was a HE standard - B----x! I quickly mofidied it to Bother, which allowed me to stress the "Bo" part with the emphasis customary for expletives, but could not be interpreted as swearing by anyone who heard me. Those who heard 'knew' I was swearing, I was just doing it with a safe word.
I still use it.


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## Laia

grumpus said:
			
		

> Hi Laia,
> I say "son of a bitch" all the time, but never to someone. I shared my litany the
> other day on a different thread. When I hurt myself I say,
> 
> g.d. dam..d fu.king son of a bitch !!!
> or
> g.d. dam..d fu.king piece of sh.t !!!
> 
> so I guess I cover all grounds religious, sexual, scattalogical (je je je)
> 
> saludos
> Grumpus


 
Yes.
I swear a lot too. 
What I meant is that I think that is the same disgusting swearing about religion than swearing about any other issue.


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## grumpus

Laia said:
			
		

> Yes.
> I swear a lot too.
> What I meant is that I think that is the same disgusting swearing about religion than swearing about any other issue.



Hola Laia, te corrijo si quieres, pues, aunque no quieras  (je je je)

What I meant is that I think that is the same disgusting swearing about religion than swearing about any other issue.

What I meant is that I think that it is just as disgusting to swear using religion as to  swear using anything else.

ciao,
Grumpus


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## Laia

Thanks a lot!  
I need to improve my English... wow


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## cuchuflete

The point of swearing is usually to express anger or to insult someone or something.  Thus religious swearing is bound to be rude-sounding.  

I find it terribly amusing when a self-proclaimed athiest curses using religious terms.  I also know people of strong faith who use such terms when cursing.  That doesn't make their faith any less, though it might shock some puritans. 

Come to think of it, are curses supposed to lull the faithful into a serene state?


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## Laia

cuchuflete said:
			
		

> I find it terribly amusing when a self-proclaimed athiest curses using religious terms. I also know people of strong faith who use such terms when cursing. That doesn't make their faith any less, though it might shock some puritans.


 
Most people I hear swearing using religious terms are, in fact, believers. I'm thinking now... my grandfather!!  

I think that curses don't have to be taken to the dot... their meaning is not what is said, their meaning is that you are angry or something.


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## fenixpollo

cuchuflete said:
			
		

> The point of swearing is usually to express anger or to insult someone or something.


The point of swearing is also to express strong feelings -- not just anger -- that beg for words that are stronger (ie. more offensive) than everyday words or holy words... hence the _profane_.





			
				hoochie-coo said:
			
		

> I find it terribly amusing when a self-proclaimed atheist (don't worry -- I misspelled it, too) curses using religious terms.


 Curse words are completely social. Many of them are learned in childhood, before most people have developed a religious identity. I think that atheists grow up saying G-- D---, but when they are older and realize they don't believe in God, most of them don't change their swearing habits. One, it's hard to change a socially-ingrained habit (especially when everyone around you still does it) and two, it's secretly satisfies the atheist to know that he's irritated a religious person. 

The irony, though, is delicious.


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## Outsider

Interesting conversation in the Spanish forum.


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## cuchuflete

¡Ay Pollo! ¡Me c___ en la ______!  My keyboard must be a devoutly God-fearing atheistic device, may it burn in ______



			
				Chicken à la Fenix said:
			
		

> The irony, though, is delicious.


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## GenJen54

laia said:
			
		

> I find a lot more disgusting saying "son of a bitch" to someone. Bitchs are people. Human.


Actually, the origin of “bitch” and its primary definition is English is “female dog.”  Even “son of a bitch,” in its origins, refers to “son of a female dog,” and not “son of a human.”  



			
				maxiogee said:
			
		

> I knew the day I was told that I had the job that I would have language difficulties. My expletive-of-choice in those days was a HE standard - B----x! I quickly mofidied it to Bother, which allowed me to stress the "Bo" part with the emphasis customary for expletives,


 Am I to assume you are speaking of “b*gger?”  Just trying to clarify in the event there is another BE/IRE expression I, and other AmE speakers, are not familiar with.  Thanks. 


			
				fenixpollo said:
			
		

> Curse words are completely social. Many of them are learned in childhood, before most people have developed a religious identity. I think that atheists grow up saying G-- D---, but when they are older and realize they don't believe in God, most of them don't change their swearing habits.


I think you’ve hit the nail squarely on the #*%*$%(*@ head here.  My husband is an agnostic.  G*d d*mn is his “favorite” swear word.  I say that only because of the frequency with which he uses it.  He picked up that habit from his father.  I don’t particularly like it, but hey, you’ve got to “pick your battles” as it were, and this is one I’m happy to let go for now. 
 
I tend to “make up” my own swear words as substitutes for stronger words. I hate really calling them substitutes, because most of the time I use them on their own and just not worry about meaning.
 
Flip, flop, fart, fudge, and flibbertigibbet (meaning “foolish woman”) are “substitutes” for well, the “f” word.  
 
Scheisse, shyte, merde and shoot are sh*t. (Note, they’re all shit in another language).
 
Darn is well, darn.  Damn is just damn.
 
The “c” word is an absolute no-no in my book, my house and any social context in which I find myself.  It’s the worst of the worst as far as I am concerned. 
 
I tend to use curse words rarely, but when I do, I just prefer the "less-offensive" variety.


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## mattt777

I sometimes think about where curse words came from. I mean, who said that s**t was a curse word. It is of course but why. And the many other curse words. In english or spanish. 

I think in Mexican culture the worst type of cursing is when someone curses another's mother. 
ex. hijo de tu pi**he madre, or p**a madra...., algo que habla de la madre.

I never curse by the way, not in English anyway.  

Great Discussion!!!


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## Chaska Ñawi

GenJen54 said:
			
		

> The “c” word is an absolute no-no in my book, my house and any social context in which I find myself.  It’s the worst of the worst as far as I am concerned.



I'm not sure which c-word you're talking about here .....  I'm assuming we're discussing female as opposed to male genitalia.  Interestingly, I've never heard either used as a swear word, and very rarely used even as anatomical terminology, around here.

Outsider, that was the most masterly summary and classification of offensive language I've ever seen.    There must be a master's thesis in there somewhere...


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## asm

This is almost a poem. I am wondering if this Arab trend is related to FREEDOM OF SPEECH. It seems they do not benefit from this freedom, but they curse like if they were releasing all they accumulate. An other indicator should be the frequency of cursing



			
				cuchuflete said:
			
		

> Many years ago, a Moroccan friend taught me the translations of some of his preferred curses. Typically they made reference, all in the same long sentence, to the mother or wife of the person he wished to insult, together with at least one camel. I don't know if this is typical, but they were much more creative than the typical English curse.
> 
> Here, for the brave and unpuritanical, is one example:
> 
> If you are squeemish, do not read this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> .
> .
> .
> 
> 
> May the crotch of your first-born be infested by the fleas from the undersides of forty syphilitic camels who have enjoyed your mother.


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## Brioche

tvdxer said:
			
		

> I find it disgusting that people would use God's name in such a disrepectful and careless way.
> 
> Most swearing here consists of the standard English vulgarities. However, many do use God's name with "damn", and as terrible as that is, it doesn't sound quite as outright blasphemous as some of the other ones posted here.


 
The whole point of swearing is to be offensive.


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