Different cultures have different taboo subjects; in English, it's sexuality and genitals that are "four-letter words", while in others, taboo subjects include religion (famously in French Canadian; to some extent also in southern Germany) or, no doubt, other subjects.
So I would imagine that while English is not alone in having a sex-related word being the "worst standard insult", there will be other languages where that role will be taken by a religious swearword or something else.
That's my intuition too (I've heard rumors of French Canadian insults). I'm sure English isn't alone in giving "f you" type phrases special force and meaning, but I wonder which languages give that special force and meaning to other phrases, so that directly translating "f you" into that language would make the phrase much less forceful than what was intended. I'm pretty sure there are languages where insulting one's ancestors is a pretty terrible thing, but translating those insults into English turns it from an insult into a bit of a joke ("Your ancestors were all stupid and smelly" just doesn't work in English).
It's considered one of the most offensive things you can say in Klingon.
(IIRC, the distinctive pattern of forehead ridges serves to identify clan membership; someone without any ridges on their forehead would, presumably, be familyless, perhaps also honourless.)
So I would imagine that while English is not alone in having a sex-related word being the "worst standard insult", there will be other languages where that role will be taken by a religious swearword or something else.
Reply
Reply
How about "Your mother's forehead was smooth"?
Reply
Reply
(IIRC, the distinctive pattern of forehead ridges serves to identify clan membership; someone without any ridges on their forehead would, presumably, be familyless, perhaps also honourless.)
Reply
Leave a comment