OMG

[NerdGirl]

Office mate is from northern Ontario, so I think it's just that he's weird. He's a bit of a Dwight Schrute type.

thebigcheese - I had to think for a minute about what the p-word was. When I was 7, my friend told me that she knew the worst swear word ever, and it was "pask". She said it was even worse than the f-word. I never heard anyone say it, so I just assumed it was a real word and that it really was that bad. I didn't find out that it wasn't even a word until I was 14 and my friend (different friend in a different town) was telling me about how her brother or someone had a major swearing problem. So I asked her if he had ever said the p-word. She was just like, "The p-word? What's that?" And I was like, "You know. P-A-S-K." And then she told me that there was no such word. But even know, as I type this, I just don't know for sure and I'm half worried that I really am saying a horrible swear word to all of you. That's how convinced I was that pask was the worst swear word ever. But I googled it, and all that comes up is Pask as a last name or an acronym. But maybe that's just because it's so bad that people on the internet don't even say it.

[Tao]

Gasp! Can we get a moderator in here! to dare type such a thing! Not just once, but multiple times!

heh, what it does for me is show how ridiculous the whole idea of swearing is. Without knowing it's meaning, you innocently used that word, which leaves the offense entirely upon the shoulders of the offended, as none could have been intended. How does that reflect on other swearwords?

[Tao]

"Fanny" is another one that I was surprised to find had a completely different meaning in Britain. It's really bizarre how certain words become vulgar and others become acceptable - I suppose that's the beauty of language, though.

Too right. When they were a bit more common I found it somewhat amusing to ask people on which side they wore their fanny packs, largely due to the linguistic twist.

[thebigcheese]

Without knowing it's meaning, you innocently used that word, which leaves the offense entirely upon the shoulders of the offended, as none could have been intended. How does that reflect on other swearwords?

In general, most swear words are used very deliberately and are understood very clearly. Intercultural accidents are bound to happen, and they are not limited to words (offensive gestures, failure to show respect, poor etiquette, etc), but for those acquainted with a given culture, the meaning is usually very clear. In that case, the offense does not lie entirely upon the shoulders of the offended...because it was intentional.

[Dragon Lady]

Heh. The c-word. I think it's funny when people talk about swearing and resort to this.

Especially because some of us more sheltered folk have no idea what you're talking about. … crap? It reminds me of once on the school bus when one of the other elementary school kids said a swear word that I didn't hear and was laughing about it. And I didn't know what was going on. And all they told me was that it was a swear word that rhymed with 'duck'. I spent the rest of my day going through every swear word I could think of, and not a single one of them came even close to rhyming with duck. In an attempt to keep me from hearing the swear, I ended up thinking of every swear I knew for hours. It was years later when I finally figured it out.

[thebigcheese]

Personally, I don't consider crap to be a swear word. I suspect that Yarjka was referring to a different c-word...

[Yarjka]

Again, I envy anyone who is innocent enough not to know the c-word. I'm more than happy for people to remain oblivious. Unfortunately, with Google conveniently providing the word in the first result of a search for "c-word," I'm pretty sure that won't last. My apologies.

[Dragon Lady]

bigcheese, I wasn't saying that crap is a swear word, it was just the worst c-word I can think of

yarjka, in attempt to keep my innocence, I just won't google it.

[ahem.]

in attempt to keep my innocence, I just won't google it.

And I'll refrain from giving you "rhymes-with" clues.

[Yarjka]

yarjka, in attempt to keep my innocence, I just won't google it.

I think I've just learned the number one lesson in maintaining one's innocence: avoid the allure of Google.

I'm doomed.

[Wisteria]

You, know, I think the only reason I know what "the c-word" is is because I read a fascinating book called "The Mother Tongue" several years ago about the evolution of modern English, and it included a chapter on the development of swears. It was interesting, but I did feel kind of dirty afterwards (I grew up pretty sheltered, too), and I'm pretty sure I learned a few swears from that book. Fortunately, this knowledge has not significantly impacted my life for the worse.

[Tao]

Huh. Reading Shakespeare must be rather boring if you're that sheltered. Seems a good quarter of his comedies are based around course language. That and cross-dressing.

[Imogen]

Huh. Reading Shakespeare must be rather boring if you're that sheltered. Seems a good quarter of his comedies are based around course language. That and cross-dressing.

since i teach theater, it's a veeeeeery delicate balance between really getting into what he means without getting stuck on it. people don't realize how dirty those plays are or how raunchy the jokes and physical comedy is intended to be. and really, ALL of his comedies are full of dirty jokes and insinuations. and let's not forget juliet's "i can't wait for romeo to get here so we can have sex" speech. it was the only way to keep the audiences' attention back in those days since it was common for folks to be chatting and selling things an making deals in the audience during the show.


and i LOVE "the c-word." it is my favorite pejorative word of all time.

here's a question that came up on my V-Day forum: what do you think of news outlets and papers that don't want to allow the use of proper words for female anatomy like "vulva" or "vagina" because those words are "dirty"?

[wired]

in attempt to keep my innocence, I just won't google it.

And I'll refrain from giving you "rhymes-with" clues.

Yeah, I wouldn't hunt for that word. It's better to just punt the issue until you're actually faced with it.

[Whistler]

I wonder if we have a bunt pan...

[thebigcheese]

[C is for]

*cough*

It's spelled bundt.

*rolls eyes too*

[bobtheenchantedone]

Honestly, kids. *shakes head*

here's a question that came up on my V-Day forum: what do you think of news outlets and papers that don't want to allow the use of proper words for female anatomy like "vulva" or "vagina" because those words are "dirty"?

I seem to remember a writer having his or her answer changed from "vagina" to "down there" or something. I find it a little silly. There's a proper word for something, so let's use every euphemism we can think of and make up a few as well!

But maybe you shouldn't listen to me because it's only lately that I've felt comfortable saying "vagina." Curse my irrational discomforts!

[Yarjka]

Ooh, all this talk of female body parts just reminded me of a time when I too was innocent: there was a Seinfeld episode where they were talking about "a part of the woman that rhymes with Doris." I didn't have a clue what they were talking about for the longest time. It must have been prior to Google.

[thebigcheese]

It is interesting that most people are uncomfortable talking about certain body parts...personally, I prefer to use the phrase "lady organs" when I'm describing woman parts. As for the men, heh heh, let's just say that I've been known to refer to male pectoral muscles (chest muscles) as "the boys" and their reproductive parts as "the men"

It makes for a good laugh, anyway. (Like the time when I was playing whack-a-cracker with my husband and his former roommates and he quietly said, "Be nice to everyone's men!" That was pretty funny.)