Bad words cursing?

[ZeZar]

Ok all, this thread SHOULD be long, but its really late here in cold Norway so i doubt it will be that long after all ...

And my English should be worse than usual ... and i understand if you guys dont understand my questions and comments.

What this thread is about ...

I was thinking about all those bad words that most English and American movies use these days. In Norway, we hardly use "normal" cursing like "oh my god" and "hell".

I know these are cursing words, also in Norwegian.

BUT, fu.ck, di.ck, a.s.s and so on ... these aren't real cursing words are they?

I know in Norway they dont use it in movies, but i often screem words like the female hmm ... you know, sexthing (@#$% as you might call it) when im playing CS ....

Anyway ... is it bad to say fu**? I mean, i know its not a good thing, but is it either worshipping the devil, or faking to God, which you fo when you are cursing?

-ZZ

[King Tutankhamun]

Here is America there's tons of curse words in movies.

I've noticed that in a PG13 rating (middle rating, for teens) that the can say f... about once or maybe twice, after that it enters the R state.

[Quacker]

They're cuss words, but more like popularized cuss words. Because people say them in the movies, people say them in society. As a general rule, you don't cuss around women out of courtesy. I tend to think of it this way, the people that are successful in life (besides actors, but their personal lives suck so they don't count) don't swear/cuss, and the annoying teenager and red-neck father do cuss. Personally, I'd rather be courteous to others. Cussing doesn't show "manliness" or "machoness", on the other hand it shows lack of manners.

There, how'd that go for not bringing religion into it?

[Mythos_Ruler]

Hang out with "successful" people from the office after work and I am sure you'll hear cussing too. It isn't about social status in the least. George W. Bush and @#$% Chaney swear like sailors while in the Oval Office. This is well known. Clinton and Gore did it too.

Rather, it is about the social situation in which you find yourself at any given time. There are times for professional language, and then there are other times for, shall we say, "less stuffy" language. It depends on what the individuals around you expect from you at the time.

To me, words are just words, so it depends on the context of their usage.

[Yiuel]

Well, here in Quebec, we have as the F-word. I mean, yes, the English word is used a lot. But it lost its original meaning.

In Quebec, we have the "Sacres". Those are words about christian manners, that we use to express a handful of emotions. Depending on the tone you use, "t*b*rn*k (from "Tabernacle") you can express anger, shame or even joy and pleasure. In everyday life, most people use them, but it is lower than familiar, it is always considered as vulgar (but it doesn't necessarly means impolite). You can think of about any word from catholic christianism, and it's probably a "Sacre".

On the other side, we almost never use words based on sex. It sounds foreign and Frenchy. Some scatologic words made their way, though : but they still don't speak about sex act. Libanese people speaking French will also use an obscur expression, that we could translate in English easily : "Your mother!" (Ta mère!) It is used much as the Quebec's Sacres.

We also use false Sacres, in order to familiarize the tone ("cibole" instead of "ciboire", as a common example). Neutral French in Quebec will never use either.

[ZeZar]

Hmm, then a question ...

Is it a sin to say fu**? Like, its not real cursing is it?

[Argalius]

I wonder if god (if he exists (SP?) would ever commit a sind ...

[Klaas]

I wonder if god (if he exists (SP?) would ever commit a sind ...

That belongs in HoI

I think the Dutch are funny with their cuss words. The Flemish and Dutch speak the same language but we managed to use totally different words for swearing

In the Netherlands they like to use diseases: tering (tuberculosis) and kanker (cancer) are very popular.

In Flanders we mainly use godverdomme. Translated godverdomme means doom God. Another one we use is dju or nondedju in east- and west-flanders. It's a dutchified form of nom de dieu (name of God).

We also tend to use merde a lot, which is a French word for dung IIRC.

The French are also pretty funny. Putain is quite common (@#$%) or sentences like this one:

Ta mère en culottes (your mother in her underwear)

[EKen132]

Haha... you're mother in her underwear... lol

Yiuel, what's "ta gueulle"? (not sure at all about the spelling, but I heard it was something bad, so you'll probably recognize what I'm trying to get at)

[Yiuel]

"Ta gueule" is a small version of "Ferme ta gueule", which means "Shut your mouth". In Frnehc, we distinguish between a person's mouth (bouche) and animal's mouth (gueule). So, it rather impolite on its own, and with imperativew, you're on the way to be vulgar

Here, in Quebec, we pronounce it "Ta yeule!", changing the hard g into a y slide. It familiarize the tone (but still is vulgar) :

"Ta gueule" will be said to strangers, or people from which you want to be apart.

"Ta yeule" will be said to friends or peers, but it doesn't mean its a joke (but it can be)

You can give a plural by saying Vos gueules/yeules. If you want to be pedant, you can use politeness : "vot' gueule". But it really feels pedant. Since "yeule" is never said to foreigners, "vot' yeule" is not used much.

The distinction between yeule and gueule is only for youngsters. Older people will either use yeule, if they are low-class, or gueule, if they are of a higher class. The connotation then is that it is vulgar, simply (without any familiarity distinction). In fact, it is possible that there isn't any distinction at all, andit may only be my "egolect" (that is, how I use and feel French myself).

We never say "ta yeule" to people to whom we show respect. The corresponding polite expression is "Taisez-vous" (in tutoiment : Tais-toi).

[DarkAngelBGE]

Very interesting thread, ZeZar.