Swearing in Other Englishs

[deird1]

I recently realised something about writing different dialects.

You see, I’m an Aussie. My English is (sort of) a mixture of British English and American English - with a lot of Australian slang thrown in. It makes me a pretty reasonable Britpicker for American writers, and also a pretty good Ameripicker for British writers. But there’s one area I

Comments

[penny_lane_42]

My only thought is: hey! I inspired someone's post!

I always get really happy when that happens. :)

[deird1]

Hooray!

[gillo]

Interesting. Here in my bit of England, "bastard" would depend on intonation - said viciously it would suggest he's pretty much irredeemable, said with affection it would be OK, possibly sounding slightly Aussie. "Bugger" varies hugely from area to area - a Geordie uses it as a term of endearment, while in some parts of the Home Counties it would be taken as obscene. Ditto "sod". "Retard" is something I've heard twenty-somethings use, but I find it offensive and avoid it. "Dickhead" could just mean he's done something stupid or could be nastier

[washa_way]

American here: yes, "fanny" just means ass/ buttocks/ gluteus maximus/ bum in the States, and it means pudenda in Britain. "Cunt" is very definitely a harsh term, and is almost always used toward women.

Back in 1972, George Carlin identified the "heavy seven" as shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits. Since that time, I'd say that "tits" has become almost quaint, but still wouldn't be used during a state dinner. "Asshole" has probably passed it on the swearing scale.

Also, describing someone as "pissed" (which means "angry" here, as opposed to "drunk" in the UK) is somewhat more acceptable nowadays, though actually using it to describe a bodily function would be distinctly rude in most situations.

I actually used "sod" and "bloody" and occasionally even "bugger" when I want to swear but don't want to be overheard doing it. It's oddly satisfying.

[curiouswombat]

'Shit' is regarded as a mild epithet by British nurses - 'Oh shit!' is so common both at work and at home that it's hardly swearing.

I also remember, as a teenager, a small boy from a devout Catholic family whose favourite swear phrase was 'Shit, shite and sugar lumps!'!!

[deird1]

Interestingly, I'd find "shit" much less offensive if said by someone with a British accent, as opposed to an American. Swear words said in an American accent come across as a lot harsher...

[menomegirl]

Agreed-there's a huge difference in the meaning of swear words between countries-sometimes there's a difference depending on which part of the country you're in.

Personally, I don't think I would feel comfortable trying to write a British person or an Aussie person swearing because the way things are phrased by them is ... almost like another language to me.

[rebcake]

Hee! It's funny, but the strength of the alternates you listed is pretty much exactly opposite here in the States. "Idiot" is usually kind of tame, unless delivered with real vitriol, but "bastard" is usually used for people really disliked, and indicates heartlessness. It's a titch old-fashioned, though. "Asshole/asswipe" and "douchbag/douche" seem to be the top of the line these days, though I have a strong preference for "dick/dickhead". "Tosser" isn't used at all. In fact, I suppose "jerk-off/jerk" is the only masturbation-related insult in common usage here.

Still, it's very amusing to me that the scale is swapped between continents.

Another UK voice

[brutti_ma_buoni]

I honestly think our swearing hierarchy is flattening out. Gill's right that the truly unsayable (in polite company) swearwords are all racial. An awful lot of other words depend entirely on context and voice to get their force. 'Bastard' for example can go from 0 to 100 on the insult scale depending on whether it's accompanied by a smile.

I remember my mum being very annoyed that 'fuck' had passed into common usage, because it reduced the 'proper' swearing possibilities. And she's a nice middle class middle aged lady.

I wouldn't say 'cunt' at work (or at all, for preference), but I've certainly said 'fuck' in the office without problems. It's possibly my mum had a point.