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I’ve been thinking a lot today about swearing, ‘coz that’s the kind of thing I think about when I should be writing anthropology essays, and I thought I’d start a little discussion comparing the difference between American swearwords and English swearwords, with the intention of compiling some sort of American/English profanosaurus. If the ensuing language offends, then don’t look at it.

It started when I found the word ‘turd’ in a copy of the New Yorker. For most things that inspire swearwords, there is a hierarchy of terms that can be used: the clean, sanitised scientific jargon, the silly little words that we use to sanitise our children’s vocabulary, and inoffensive then offensive swearwords, for example: excrement, poo, turd and shit.

That is and English hierarchy, and you note where I’ve put turd? An English popular journal would never use the word turd in a scientific context, mainly because in England, the word rates so high on the giggle factor.

So I’m, opening this discussion to discuss other ways to swear at foreigners - other countries apart from UK/USA welcome.

Am I right in believing that the words ‘wanker’ and ‘shite’ (one step worse than ‘shit’) don’t exist in the US? And the word ‘fanny’ seems to have a completely different (OK, about 3” different) meaning over there…

"cunt" seems to be uniquely American, as is "pussy". You don't see Brits go "You fucking cunt!"

More likely they say "You fucking slag!/hag!/etc."

Evil Sadistic Bastard wrote:"cunt" seems to be uniquely American, as is "pussy". You don't see Brits go "You fucking cunt!"

More likely they say "You fucking slag!/hag!/etc."

Wrong...to call someone a cunt over here is almost in invitation for a fight. "Pussy" is somewhat less common though.

KG

kheegan wrote:

Evil Sadistic Bastard wrote:"cunt" seems to be uniquely American, as is "pussy". You don't see Brits go "You fucking cunt!"

More likely they say "You fucking slag!/hag!/etc."

Wrong...to call someone a cunt over here is almost in invitation for a fight. "Pussy" is somewhat less common though.

KG

I wri- nah, doesn't seem appropriate for my new avatar.

Okay, I stand corrected.

If "wanker" gets used here in the US its probably being used to refer to a penis. Im not sure what it means in the UK, but the use of wanker here is extremely rare.

Heheh, you guys call pencil ersasers "rubbers" which means condom here.

TrailerParkJawa wrote:If "wanker" gets used here in the US its probably being used to refer to a penis. Im not sure what it means in the UK, but the use of wanker here is extremely rare.

Heheh, you guys call pencil ersasers "rubbers" which means condom here.

Wanker is UK/Australia is more like jerk-off- basically a masturbator.

I've just realised this just be OT - but what the hell, it's a social sicence, isn't it?

'wanker' means a person who wanks - which means masturbates. Same origin as Jerk, but ruder.

'Cunt' and 'pussy' are both used here, 'cunt' beginning to lose its original meaning in the same way as 'twat' has. Incidently, I use 'cunt' exclusively when refering to blokes, but other people seem to use it to insult women...

Oh, and no one calls anyone else a hag...

Wanker is UK/Australia is more like jerk-off- basically a masturbator.

Yeah, that not too different from here. Ive heard people say wank off, but its rare here.

Some other English/English word translations Ive learned are:

Australia ----> Station = Ranch <------ USA
Britain ----> Skip Loader = Dump Truck <------- USA

Im not sure but I think the term FOB is an American one??
Its a derogatory term for immigrants, that started with the Irish,
but today mainly refers to Asians. Do you use that term?

TrailerParkJawa wrote:

Wanker is UK/Australia is more like jerk-off- basically a masturbator.

Yeah, that not too different from here. Ive heard people say wank off, but its rare here.

Some other English/English word translations Ive learned are:

Australia ----> Station = Ranch <------ USA
Britain ----> Skip Loader = Dump Truck <------- USA

Im not sure but I think the term FOB is an American one??
Its a derogatory term for immigrants, that started with the Irish,
but today mainly refers to Asians. Do you use that term?

Yes, FOB is American. It stands for "Fresh off the Boat"

Yes, FOB is American. It stands for "Fresh off the Boat"

Thats what I thought, Ive never heard it outside of the US. But Ive never been overseas so I had to ask.

Ive heard cantonese people say "da fei gei" "hitting the airport" in reference to masturbating. I have not clue where that comes from, but I suppose if any other language "literally" translating "Chill Out" they would not understand that ment to calm down.

Having done English Language for two years I can safely say that English and the American dialect are very different in not just spelling but overall word meanings. Swear words are just one subgroup.

Having done English Language for two years I can safely say that English and the American dialect are very different in not just spelling but overall word meanings. Swear words are just one subgroup.

Our language is such a hodge podge of borrowed words, and has all sorts of crazy rules. It drives native born Americans nuts.

TrailerParkJawa wrote:

Having done English Language for two years I can safely say that English and the American dialect are very different in not just spelling but overall word meanings. Swear words are just one subgroup.

Our language is such a hodge podge of borrowed words, and has all sorts of crazy rules. It drives native born Americans nuts.

Well which language isn't? French and Spanish and Italian are descended from Latin, German and Scandinavian languages make up English.

There is olnly one English language, but there are many dialects e.g. Cockney, Brummie, Yorkshire, Australian, American, Afro-Carribean and so on.

There is olnly one English language, but there are many dialects e.g. Cockney, Brummie, Yorkshire, Australian, American, Afro-Carribean and so on.
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Plus all the sub-dialects. Us Californians talk different that them thar folks in Texas.

Actually, that brings up a point.

Question: For those of you who do not speak American English as a native language, is it hard for you to understand different American dialects? Do you even notice there are different dialects.

TrailerParkJawa wrote:

There is olnly one English language, but there are many dialects e.g. Cockney, Brummie, Yorkshire, Australian, American, Afro-Carribean and so on.
_________________

Plus all the sub-dialects. Us Californians talk different that them thar folks in Texas.

Actually, that brings up a point.

Question: For those of you who do not speak American English as a native language, is it hard for you to understand different American dialects? Do you even notice there are different dialects.

Umm, I was kinda brought up with with both English and Mandarin Chinese. I notice the different accents, but can still tell what they're saying.

I notice different dialects. I have a female friend in my lectures from Cali. and one of my current lecturers is from Texas. She's damn cute and for some reason the accent helps this whereas normally I'd be tearing my ears off.

There are many dialects I hate though, most American ones are too nasal and some British ones are just too funny to listen to seriously (Geordie for instance).

Plus American English is an oxymoron.

Skip Loader?

Skip Loader

Skip Loader

Never heard that one.

TrailerParkJawa wrote:

Yes, FOB is American. It stands for "Fresh off the Boat"

Thats what I thought, Ive never heard it outside of the US. But Ive never been overseas so I had to ask.

Ive heard cantonese people say "da fei gei" "hitting the airport" in reference to masturbating. I have not clue where that comes from, but I suppose if any other language "literally" translating "Chill Out" they would not understand that ment to calm down.

Not "hitting the airport"...rather "hitting the airplane", which makes more sense. The equivalent in the Hokkien dialect is "pah jui cheng", which literally means "hitting your water pistol" .

English swear words are generally pretty uncreative compared to other cultures'.

KG

Admiral Valdemar wrote:I notice different dialects. I have a female friend in my lectures from Cali. and one of my current lecturers is from Texas. She's damn cute and for some reason the accent helps this whereas normally I'd be tearing my ears off.

There are many dialects I hate though, most American ones are too nasal and some British ones are just too funny to listen to seriously (Geordie for instance).

Plus American English is an oxymoron.

What's wrong with geordie ya cheeky git!

TrailerParkJawa wrote: Question: For those of you who do not speak American English as a native language, is it hard for you to understand different American dialects? Do you even notice there are different dialects.

Nope. Guess there must be, but American is Americna to me.

Betcha cant tell Bruhm from Mahnk from coknee from slah, tho, innit?

first of all welcome to the Forum innerbrat *POKE*

Second of all the irish have the best curses on the planet. Just watch Father Ted if you don't believe me.

Already been poked, ta.

I've thought of another one - tosser

In fact, do the Americans even have a derogatory term for a bloke that masturbates?

thanks to whoever moved the topic, BTW

Not "hitting the airport"...rather "hitting the airplane", which makes more sense

Ooops. Yeah, airport is "fei gei cheung" if I remember right.

But, still hitting the airplane makes no sense to me, but Cantonese is not my native language. Someone told me once that in Taiwan they say "hitting the cannonball"

This may/may no thave already been covered, but

(A) 'Fuck' seems to be less ...brutal... in Britain.

(B) Never really understood bleeding and bloody.

What the hell is "tosser" supposed to mean?

I have heard "fei gei cheung" being used to refer to flat-chested women.

The Hokkien for masturbation is "pa chiu cheng" or PCC for short (we used to throw this around in school a lot)