Words on a Wednesday--Good old-fashioned cussin'!
First, forgive my silence the last few days. I am in hunker-down-edit mode on an edit I picked up in the 11th hour and is due zero-dark-yesterday. That's all I'll say about that! Except that I will probably be in lockdown for the next few days. I hope to catch up on all of you!
Ok, now back to your regularly scheduled program.
Cussin'. Dab-flarn, veg'able-biscuit, lolly-gobbered cussin'. There is no G on there. It's not the same if you say cussing. Nope, gotta cut off that N to get the true meaning of the word. With the de-tabooing of most of those words that used to be banned from television, books, and any decent tongue in the land, cursing isn't what it used to be. Remember, back when you (or your parent!) was a kid, and you'd hide a horseshit! in a sneeze? When you coughed through a goddamn! What the heck are later generations going to make fun of when making movies about "the good old days?"
We've gotten lazy, relying on those old standbys that have lost not only their power, but cost us our imaginations. By avoiding those taboo words, we came up with all sorts of colorful alternatives. Here are a few:
Ten Old-Fashioned Cuss Words and Their Meanings
All cultures, whether earth, alien, or fantasy, cuss. Thing is, cussin' is directly connected to each culture. They aren't interchangeable. Damn works--but shit doesn't and neither does fuck. Jackass, asshole, they all have cultural significance that will not work in a world where such references don't exist.
"But it's all translation."
Very true. But using them is like using any slang, any colloquialism, any anachronistic concept or idiom--it's going to throw a reader out of YOUR world, and push them further into the one they live in daily. Imagine being immersed in Game of Thrones, all the intrigue, blood, guts, sex, betrayal, in that VAST world of dragons and knights, traitor queens and usurper kings, and Joffrey, upon being scolded by Tyrion in front of his court says, "Aw, man! That's so totally uncool. Off with your head, you Gimli wannabe!" Ok, a little much, but you get the idea.
Here's the other thing--like making up your own idiom, making up your own cuss-words is worldbuilding. These little details give such subtle flavor to your world--when done right. What WOULD a cuss be in your world? What are the taboos? Like in that link up there, how much is going to come about by trying to avoid those taboos? Is it a fishing culture? "Barnacles!" some swarthy seaman might growl. Barnacles are the bane of sailors (one of the many) so it makes sense. Not nasty enough? Probably not, but again, you get the idea. Look at the cusses on the link page, read how they came about, and you'll have a good idea of how to come up with your own.
One last word on cussin'. If you're going to use "earth" curse words, just be consistent. Everyone has their own line. Stick to that line, and agree or disagree, your reader will get over it.
Another great link, thanks to jennygordon : NK Jemison--fantastic profanity