English Swear Words
86The Queen's English
Where the swear words came from
The English language uses amusing, unusual, even unique methods for swearing. Every language has it’s expletives but English is bloody strange.That last one for instance, peculiar to England though sometimes used in the British Dominions of Australia and New Zealand, has its own bit of history.
Let’s start at the beginning;
The island of Britain was originally inhabited by Celtic people. The Island became part of the Roman Empire for 400 years then when the Romans left in 410 CE everyone who had a boat wanted to invade. Most of these illegal immigrants came from the Germanic areas around what is now the Hook of Holland. Also Danes and Scandinavians appeared. The main tribes were the Angles and the Saxons. It resulted in the people being called “Saxons” and the country they inhabited becoming known as “Angleland” or England. They spoke a language called Englec Today we would call it “Old Anglo-Saxon” This was a dialect of German and became the common tongue of the Saxons as they spread through the part of the island today known as England.
Then there arrived the one man who would change the history of the island and the nature of the language, William the Conqueror. In 1066 CE he landed on the southern shore and defeated the English, killing the last of the Saxon kings, though they were actually Danish at that time, Harold Godwinson. William then set about consolidating his hold on the English by giving land to the Barons that had came over with him to assist in the conquering. The barons had their retinues and all these people spoke Norman-French. Now, the language of the Nobility was French while the language of the Saxons, the new commoners, was German. The Saxon language was considered crude and peasant-like to the new rulers. Over the next couple of centuries the two languages would meld into the English of today but the same prejudices remain. There is a saying in England “English for the stable, French for the Table.” For example; when it is running around in the field, it is called a “Cow” When it comes to the table it is called “Beef” Boeuf is French for Cow. Similarly, in the field it is called a “Sheep” on the table it is called “Mutton” Muton being French for Sheep. So English has a number of words for the same thing. It’s just that French is perfectly acceptable and may even be used in Church. Old Anglo-Saxon is vulgar and must never be used in “Polite Company” and that is where the swear words come from.
English ain't what it used to be
Pardon my French
A few examples; It is acceptable to say “Bosom” and “Posterior” It would not surprise us to hear the Pastor say those words, after all they are French. If however the Anglo-Saxon words were used, I refer to “Tits” and “Arse” Then we would all be shocked at his foul mouth. Indeed we may “Defecate” but we may not Schitz as the Old Saxon would say We may even refer to a ladies vagina and not cause undue alarm but we must never, ever use the modern pronunciation of the old English word for Sex. It’s pure prejudice; we may say whatever we like just not in the language of the conquered. Let’s not forget that it is perfectly acceptable to “Fornicate” but never to……………..Ahh! now there’s an interesting one.
Back in the days of sailing Ships, when Navies and merchant ships sailed the seven seas, the captain would keep a journal of the daily events. No, the Ship Captain’s Log did not begin with Star Trek, it was around for hundreds of years. During the voyages, due to limited writing space the captain would tend to abbreviate a lot of the entries. So, if two seamen were caught in a homosexual act, they would be punished. The entry would read, for example; “30L for UCK” “L” stood for Lashes and the UCK stood for “Unlawful Carnal Knowledge” So a Taboo word came into being. The way that word is used today is interesting. Perhaps the worse thing to wish on anyone is that they suffer torment for eternity but if I was to tell someone to “Go to Hell” they would hardly be offended. On the other hand, if I told them to “Fornicate off’ (Pardon my French) I could be in for a fight even though it almost could be a blessing.
The English nobility of the middle ages had their own way of cursing that trickled down to the masses. They used to use religious words. It is said that Oliver Cromwell’s favorite phrase was “God’s Teeth” The phrases that were particularly insulting amongst the religious based curses of those days have remained with us; curses like “Damn you” and “Go to Hell” are still here but have less emphasis these days. One that became popular was “By our Lady” This became so popular amongst the ordinary folk that it is still used today, only it has been shortened to the earlier mentioned “Bloody” Regional variations in accent still retain some of the old sense of the word. “Bloody” is only pronounced that way in the South East of England. In South Wales the word is “Bledie” and in many areas of England you hear “Buh-ledie”
In many ways the English of today lacks the character and eloquence of bygone years. Today we say one word, when in years past a sentence would be used, and misunderstandings were far less. Every one of us has at least one person they would love to approach with the words;
“Thou art an unseemly dog; mayhap thy mother didst dally with a lustful goat”
Isn’t that so much better than inviting them to fornicate?
- Amazon.com: English Swear words and other ways to be completely misunderstood. eBook: Peter Freeman,
Amazon.com: English Swear words and other ways to be completely misunderstood. eBook: Peter Freeman, C. J. Hill: Kindle Store. For a further explanation of why and how we swear the way we do. With anecdotes and "Slips of the tongue" just $2.99
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This is just too amazingly amusing. Thanks so much for sharing this insightful foray into the wacky world of etymology.
Mutiny92; Thank you for being the first visitor to this Hub.I enjoyed writing I'm glad you enjoyed it. I always hope my hubs can add to the collective knowledge here. Thank you for your support.
Imellada; Thank you for being so encouraging. English is not my first language so I am able to find many amusing things within it. Etymology is an interest of mine along with History and Mythology. They all tie in and are fun to write about.
I found this hub very amusing and interesting.
This is one of the most interesting hubs I have read in a while. Going to pass it on to a few people.
I have always wondered where our swear words really came form, and why people say, "Pardon my French," though, I have been told that many do swear in french. (Wouldn't know it if I heard it, most likely.)
Really enlightening, Ianto. Maybe I should study how to swear properly now. I can tell my mates,'I'm personally exasperated by your continual use of Anglo Saxon words.'
Thank you Angela_michelle. I'm very glad you enjoyed it.
Hello Ivorwen; Now that's a good Welsh name if I ever saw one.
Thank you for stopping by and reading. I really appreciate your comments. I've always wondered, when French people swear do they say "Pardon my English"?
ScaryTaff; It's always good to hear from you. Just tell your mates to "Stop your by-our-lady swearing"
Di iawn, Ianto, well excuse my Anglo Saxon but I found it all fornicatingly funny. I am now thinking of a way I can work it into a usable lesson with my Italian, English students.
Hello Knell; Isn't it funny how we tend to learn the bad phrases in a language first. among the first bits of Italian I ever learned was the four things an Italian loves; i'm sure you know it "Aqua fresca, Vino puro......" and so on.
Thank you for commenting I hope you and your students have fun with it.
I love this-funny thing in Southern ireland bloody is also pronounced bledie.Very enjoyable read.
I love history and this one is going down in my books. Big thumbs up and you have made me into your newest fans!
Itakins; Thank you for reading and commenting. I have noticed that in county Cork the accent is very much like the South Wales accent. Definitely a bledie funny thing. :)
Wavegirl22; Thank you so much. I'm proud to have you as a fan.
Especially since we just became friends on RedGage. :)
Great Hub! Interesting topic. I would never have thought of it but it's a really good article. Thanks!
TnFlash; Thank you for reading my Hub and thank you for the compliment.
Very interesting and amusing hub, thanks for sharing.
billyaustindillon; Thank you for reading I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Entertaining and informative. Next time I let rip at least I will know where it came from :)
Great hub, thank you! I always wondered why "bloody" was such a bad word in England; now I know!
Hello Ethel; Thank you very much for reading my Hub. So next time you let it rip you can say;
"I'm going to speak my mind and it won't be French!"
Hello Paradise7;
So now you know. Don't you wish you were back in the day when you could say things like;
"Get your by-our-lady hand off my by-our-lady arse"
Much more colorful and far more expressive than the words of today.
Thank you for stopping by and reading.
Great Hub, really informative!!!
got me thinking!!! I am wondering why there isn't a list of how to use the "F' word properly. It has so many uses!!!
I think your hub should be required reading in U.S. High Schools. It may give pause to our youth to know what they speak was not coined by their uncles but precedes Ollie Cromwell. Work well written!
Majidsiko;
Thank you encouragement is very valuable I do appreciate it.
Hello George;
I remember the list. It wasn't written down but I believe we discussed it at length in my school days.
papalopp;
Thank you very much for stopping by to read and comment. I appreciate the thought but fear it would not be acceptable in our P.C. conscious world.
Dammit!
good, but I thought the origin of the "f" word was an old German/Saxon word, and that the idea of it as an acronym was actually a baseless urban legend?
Nice hub
Fascinating. Thank You.
Hello Rachael; Thank you for reading and commenting.
Truth is we don't know for sure. It has been a taboo word since at least the 16th century, that's the first record of it being written down. It's not old English any word that sounds like it has nothing to do with sex and wasn't taboo by anyone. The acronym isn't baseless, the abbreviation was used along with other sea-going abbreviations that have become words, POSH comes to mind.
It's the best explanation for that word that's out there and the fact that it's also the most entertaining doesn't hurt.
Tweetter; welcome to HubPages and thank you for stopping by. You have some nice Hubs yourself.
Laird Glencairn; Fine Scottish title. Thank you for reading my Hub. I look forward to reading yours.
I just loved your hub. Its very interesting and very different from other hubs. Liked your choice of topic.In joining your fans club and would like to invite you to join mine and stay connected.
FashionFame; Thank you for reading and for your comment. Your Hubs are very interesting. Though fashion is not my strong point I think you have a winner there.
Best Wishes...........Ianto
hehe that was good :)
really a great hub full of information that i really didn't knew thanks
I thought that the f-u-c-k came from "Fornication Under Consent of the King", when the kings of England gave their soldiers permission to 'breed out' the Scottish blood by sleeping with whomever they could force.
Hello Patrick; Thank you for commenting. This was a fun Hub to write.
iphoneaccessories; Interesting choice of name :) Thank you for stopping by, I'm glad you found it informative.
Porshadoxus: Now there's a name i need to look up;
Thank you for reading and commenting. The origin of the word is as controversial as the word itself, that adds to the fun of it. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the earliest spelling as "fukkit" while Wikipedia gives "fuccant" both originate from poems around 1500. Most attempts to discover the origin of the word come down to legend, urban or otherwise. The one you mention is a common tale but soldiers in the middle ages did not need the consent of the King to rape but thank you for mentioning it, it adds to an already interesting debate.
a very interesting hub, quite honestly i would not have considered how that lingo came about, very enlightening i must say!
Heyy that was really interesting! Well done!
jkmillz; hank you for reading and commenting. Welcome to Hubpages. I look forward to reading your Hubs.
Hello Jennifer; Welcome to Hubpages. A woman of mystery, I'm already intrigued. :)
Thank you for reading and commenting, I'm glad you enjoyed it. This Hub was fun to write.
This is a great hub iantoPF. I learnt something new here as well.
great hub in deed :) well done ;)
thanks excellent hub ~hugs~
Earnest: Thank you for visiting my Hub and thank you for your comment.
Kepke90; Thank you. Welcome to Hubpages. I do appreciate encouragement and I appreciate you stoppnig by to read and comment.
Best Wishes........ianto
Blackreign2012; Welcome to Hubpages and thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Best Wishes...........Ianto
Strueth mate,
you made a lot of people happy with this one good on ya.
Saltymick; Good ta meet ya mate.
Yeah I never realized swearing was so popular :)
T'yn iawn ianto, once again you've come up with a gem. I've always felt it a compliment when those across the border have called me a 'sheep s*****r'( hill cattle fornicator) After all thats where the biggest market for sheep is! Do you reckon there is a one word expletive for it.
Diolch yn fawr iawn brawd;
I'm not sure about one word, I can think of a lot of words neatly strung together. The rumour is that the English like to make love to sheep face to face, so as not to miss out on the kissing. I don't believe it, it's just scurilous slander.
Lol! I ve just had an urge to find my wellies!
Great stuff! There's some great nuggets in here I'd never heard. You tell it credibly, so I have no reason not to buy it (also given that I'm too lazy to keep investigating). Great work. (I was dissapointed not to have a song this hub though. I thought it was going to be a trend in your hubs. Figured some Death Metal would go nicely with the pagan song and Tom Jones lol)
Shadesbreath; Thank you very much. I hadn't thought about it but you have a point. There's a great song on youtube called "You can't say Fuck in Canada." Perhaps.... but naah I don't want to upset the powers that be.
Nice thought though.
What a wonderful hub, the best I've read in a long, long time. I wouldn't have come across this hub had it not been for Shadesbreath and his post on the forum. I am glad I found you Ianto!!
Well, I'd be reading some more of your hubs. Well done!! Thanks for the education - its not often that you learn something substantial reading a hub, but with this one, I've learnt a lot. Thank you again, Ianto! You have a new fan!!
Hello Shil and thank you. I look forward to reading your work also. Must admit I'm overwhelmed since Shadesbreath recommendation kind people like yourself have been very generous with their encouragement.
I've found in my readings that the word um... fornicate, was found in classic German childrens' stories.
Oh and by the way, great article i enjoy your hubs.
Loved this, especially coming from Guernsey in the British Isles. I must tell my Mum the origins of the F*** word, it is her pet hate word, and if I am angry and it slips out she goes mad at me, (even though I am 40). 'Twat' is another she told me off for, as apparently it is a word for a womans vagina, but I have no idea why... perhaps you can enlighten me :)
Very interesting and may I say hucking filarious too.
Great read. Had fun here. Thanks
Interesting read!
Redwortallicus; I hadn't heard that, interesting, about kids. The kids today know words that I never knew at their age. I was 20 before I heard the word Vagina, and then I thought it was somewhere in Italy.
Mistyhorizon thank you I'm glad you enjoyed the hub. I have heard two versions of the origin of "Twat" 1) it's a word for a pregnant fish and 2) it comes from an old anglo-saxon word for a cut. Other than that, it is used as an insult. Though didn't David Cameron, The conservative leader get into trouble for saying the word in a live interview? As I recall he was talking about Twitter and said something about "Too many tweets make a twat"
ralwus; thank you but I think you got your mucking words fuddled :)
Granny's House; I'm glad you enjoyed the Hub. Though I would be embarrassed to say those words in Granny's house.
ritosolounge; interesting name. Thank you for reading and commenting.
This is very interesting. Language in any form interests me and this was a very good article. I will read more of your work later.
Thanks.
Hummingbird; hank you for reading and commenting. having a bi-lingual background I find English very fascinating. Though I have a reasonable fluency in the language I'm still something of a cultural outsider so it's nuances continue to fascinate.
I hope you find my other Hubs interesting. :)
LOL, I susoect number "2" in your descriptions for a "Twat" may refer to certain areas of the female anatomy, and that this is where the comparison might come from, I doubt it is the "pregnant fish" definition, (unless the "odour/fragrance" may come in to the equation somewhere!
Awesomely written, informative and entertaining hub! I feel so educated now and know better how to respond to certain "invitations."
Hello U Neek; Thank you for reading and commenting. I've been reading your Hubs too and I bet Miss Lila could have taught me a thing or two about responding.
I can't see why you remain buried on HP. Thanks for sharing this with us, it was bloody well done.
Cheers!
GeneriqueMedia; I've been folowing you for a little while, your Hubs are excellent. Thank you for reading and commenting I do appreciate your praise.
Truth is I rarely visit the forums and I haven't advertised myself on Hubpages. I've used social bookmarks and other writing sites to advertise my work. Since Shadesbreath "discovered" me I've received tremendous support from Hubbers. It's been very gratifying.
An absolutely fantastic, entertaining, AND fascinating hub. Thoroughly enjoyed the ride, so thank you for offering it.
Springboard; You are most welcome. Thank you for reading and commenting.
ianto,
Glad Shadesbreath did "discover" you. We wouldn't know about you!
And we're with you about the forums, generally go around there to amuse the masses or myself.
In any case, I tweeted this particular Hub. Not sure it'll do much for you, but hopefully you'll see a couple clickies.
Ixxy; Thank you, you honor me. appreciate that more than i can say.
Many Bright Blessings...........ianto
Excellent hub. Didn't know that a swear word like "bloody" has history too. Can someone tell me what does "By Our Lady Fool" mean? :)
hello Dense; It is surprising what has a history, sometimes it is the things we take for granted.
LOL all I can say is that I've been called a "Bloody Fool" many times.
really enjoyed this hub!! brilliant stuff. thanks for the read.
ugivetheword; Hi thanks for reading, commenting and thanks for the word :)
I like it, it's funny.
Damn good stuff, made me laugh!
very interesting hub
Hello Billy; Welcome to Hubpages, thank you for reading and commenting. Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Jamie; Welcome to Hubpages, Thank you for stopping by and it makes me damn well laugh too even though I wrote it. :)
Zreeves; Thank you for reading and commenting. Also welcome to Hubpages though I'm two weeks late. :)
Fascinating hub. Great work.
I will never swear again!!.......... without thinking of this read;)
Great hub! Gives a fresh perspective on swearing!
OMG - this is really funny! Great perspective. I must tell you the first time I visited my husband's family in England I mentioned that my fanny was sore from the airplane ride. They turned purple and my husband whispered, "You just told them your vag*** hurt." Huge oops.
lovelypaper; Thank you for stopping by and reading and thank you for being fascinated :)
Compu-smart; Lol I try to be a little more creative when I cuss. It's a lot better than using the same words all the time. Thank you for visiting.
jbullet; Thank you we all need a fresh perspective on swearing. Thank you for your comment.
sdipple; I've heard some words over here that made me choke in my beer. Like the guy who introduced himself as "Randy" The only suitable response was "Good for you!"
A great read - very funny. A pleasure.
flinchwymer; welcome to Hubpages. thank you for your comment. You know that it's not a sin to find it funny, it's only a sin if you take pleasure in it. LOL sorry I couldn't resist.
hey iantoPF,
This is a bloody fantastic hub!
I just wish I could come up with great hub ideas like this.
:D Steve
This is a interesting read,though I did know a couple of them.But it was well done and informative.Thanks.
Hi Steve; I'm totally surprised by this myself. This is my most commented on Hub. All I need do now is think of something even more popular than swearing.
Wayne; Thank you for stopping by and thanks for the encouragement.
Great Hub! Very amusing :)
Now you're speaking my language!
hello Lisa; thank you for the compliment. As you see the first picture is of Queen Victoria but i don't think she would be as amused :)
Hello lender3212000; interesting name, I'll bet there's a story there and I'll bet you could tell it with hearty language :)
Thanks for the history lesson. It made me think of all the sayings we have and wondering where they come from. Maybe you could write a hub on them.
And thank you True Blue Tips; That's a good idea and I think I might do that.
Interesting.
What about the word, bollocks, not sure of the spelling?
Thanks
OpinionDuck: Glad you found it interesting, I hope you found it fun too. Not sure my self about the word "Bollocks' Though back in my younger day syphilis was somtimes referred to as "The ragin' bollockolitis" and that is not a load of Bollocks. :)
Just found this hub and I must admit I did not know half of this stuff! Excellent and really well-written :)
Hello Izzy; Thank you for the compliment. When I started writing I never thought I would be adding to the general knowledge of cussing. Just goes to show.
It's always a pleasure to know you are reading my scrawls.
TOo funny:
“Thou art an unseemly dog; mayhap thy mother didst dally with a lustful goat”
Love these old sayings! COol hub :)
Hello Troy; This was a fun Hub to write and these old sayings are worth a lot. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Best Wishes..........Ianto
My husband and I like to make up our own swear words. For example, "cricker" is a very uneducated person-usually with very dirty feet. A "bohach" is a very annoying person (the word came from the family name of my neighbors up north)-we use it instead of saying someone is an as*****.
good one..reminds me of the 1960s English classic movie ...my fair lady...stressing on the importance of good English language
hello mikicagle; yes it is fun to make up your own words, then you can be wishing someone all kinds of luck and they would never know what you are calling them :)
Thank you for stopping by to read and comment. I hope you have the time to enjoy some more of my scrawls.
jonsony; Thank you for stopping by. Yes it seems that these days we are all becoming versions of Eliza Doolittle.
Best Wishes.
Very Educational !!
thebuckleshop; Thank you for reading and commenting.
Best Wishes.
Fascinating! I hardly knew about any of this until reading it on your article so thanks very much!
Ah, so that's the story behind "bloody". Interesting!
dansmith; thank you for your comments,what has amazed me is just how popular this Hub has become. There may be a future in writing about swearing. :)
Origin; Thank you very much for stopping by. Best Wishes
Good job, Now I understand more. I have a friend who said bloody hell one time, he is a Welshman. Now I know, this is a very interesting piece, Maita
Hello Maita; I'm honored you stopped by to read and comment. Thank you. but a Welshman said "Bloody Hell" just *One* time. Bet it was more than that LOL
nice write up.
I've heard another variant on the f word, that it came here with the first Hanoverian King and is a mispronunciation of fack, to hit, is fack the German Verb to hit? Vagina is the euphanism, it's the Roman scabbard for their short sword, easy to se where that came from. All over Europe, including Greece and Rome, the c word is the correct word.
Hello Micks; hank you for commenting. I've been astonished at the number of possible origins for the word. It seems to me one is as good as the other. I don't think it came over with George though because it appeared in print before he got here. It could have reached us from Germany some other way. I don't discount anything.
Best Wishes............ianto
It gave George Carlin a career highlight - and speaking of highlights - I swear this is the best hub ever written about swearing!!!
Thank you for the compliment epigramman. I have other hubs that have had more views but this is the most commented upon Hub that I have. there seems to be a lot to be said about swearing. ;)
Best Wishes.........Ianto
What an information I've got here. Really educative.
Thanks for the history too.
Great Hub, I must say.
Hello Dchosen; Welcome to Hubpages. Thank you for taking the time to read my Hub and for your comments.
Best Wishes............Ianto
I've noticed in some pop comedy today they do use arse, and other body parts. Know I understand more. Thanks!
Hello Troy; I just became a fan of yours. I'm from Wales so Rugby Union is my passion too. All the words and phrases and many more that I dare not print can be found in the Pub at the end of a Rugby game when we all get to sing the songs.
Sing a song of Rugby, Buttocks, Booze and Blood.
Thirty dirty ruffians, brawling in the mud.
When the match is over, They're at the bar in throngs,
If you think the game is filthy, you should hear the songs.
This is one really interesting hub!! Loved it !
Hello SunBeams; It was an interesting Hub to write but what is more interesting than anything for me, is that this is fast becoming my most read Hub. Who would have guessed?
Yes, we are all interested in this one. I knew the general history--and you recapped it well--but I didn't know some of the specific origins you give.
This was very interesting. I look forward to reading more of your hubs.
Very interesting hub, mate!
Hello Triciajean; thank you for stopping by and thank you for being interested.
Best Wishes............Ianto
Hello Shawn: Thank you. I hope you do find my Hubs interesting but most of all I hope you enjoy them.
Best Wishes........ianto
Filthyrichfellow; Interesting name. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Best Wishes ..........Ianto
The derivations of words and phrases are always amusing. They can also help you learn the modern language easier too. I like the depth you go into on these words.
Hello TylerCapp; Yes I agree and it's a lot of fun to write about. I'm glad you enjoyed the read.
Best Wishes.......ianto
Thanks for this Hub. Very entertaining and educational. And yes... "bloody" is still frequently used here in Australia.
Hi TransScribbler; Thankd for reading and commenting as I've mentioned to others this Hub was bloody entertaining to write. :)
iantoPF, this is totally #$#@#ing cool :), especially the part about the origin of "bloody". That's one I had always wondered about.
Nice job and thanks,
L.T.
Hey L.T. Thank you very much for reading and commenting. That "By Our Lady" thing is interesting in itself. Glad my Hub helped clear it up. :)
I am certain I will wake up later tonight and start laughing all over again.
There is a funny story about manure. I do not know if it is true, but here it is:
In days past when manure, fertilizer, was transported by ship, they had to be very careful. If the manure was stored below deck, gas would build up with an explosive, and messy, outcome.
Therefore, containers of manure were stored above deck with the reminder: Ship High In Transit.
This is very interesting thing to know.
Thanks for an amusing look at the English language.
keith Tax; Thank you for reading and commenting. Especially as that led me to checking out your profile and Hubs. You sre high on my list of "Authors to Read"
Interesting tale unfortunately I don't believe manure was ever transported by ship. There's usually enough of it to be found without going to any expense.
But thanks anyway.
Iburahimu; Thank you very much for taking the time to read and comment.
Iou16; I write mostly for others to enjoy. I am so glad that you enjoyed this Hub. Thank you.
Great read. thanks. I especially liked the ending.
Hi there agalia; Thank you for reading and commenting. The ending is an attempt to show how you can cuss someone out with flair. Glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent hub! Yet another variant on the origin of one of our 'taboo' words: I had always heard that the 'f-bomb' came from British English legal terminology, essentially the same as the sea captain's usage, but not necessarily homosexual in nature; "Found Under Carnal Knowledge."
I am reminded of being in the audience during George Carlin routine surrounding 'that word.' He went on and on about how people are designed to enjoy that activity, so why should being told to do so be an insult?
At the close of the show that evening, he left the stage with a loud, (un-abbreviated)"F-you!" and wave of the hand to the audience. Everyone howled with laughter; no one was offended...and I'm sure more than a few went home to do just that! ;-)
I am also reminded of a story about a Quaker lady who was rear-ended by a drunk. As the Quakers still believed in using the old-fashioned 'Thee and Thou' usage, and absolutely did not swear, her way of calling the fellow a rotten SOB was to say, "When thee gets home to thy kennel, I hope thy mother bites thee!"
I actually have my doubts as to the veracity of this tale, because as far as I know, the modern Quakers no longer use 'thee/thou,' and an olden-days Quaker would not have been driving a car.... ... but it is amusing, and does serve the purpose of illustrating a different way of saying things.
(I am not one to be offended by language--"it's only words--so what!" is my take. Personally, I can either make a sailor blush or be a perfect lady, or anything between, as the occasion demands.) ;-)
Hello DzyMsLizzy; Thank you so much for your comments. I love that story about the Quaker woman if I had known it I may well have used it.
I'm also a big fan of George Carlin his 7 words never used on TV are a classic.
thank you again. Best Wishes............Ianto
Very good! I had certainly never heard about the 30L UCK!! Fascinating. Any more examples?
hello Culturespain; Welcome to Hubpages. There are a lot more examples of this kind of thing. I might even write another Hub about it.
Thanks for stopping by.
hi!
i love this hub; i think it's interesting that swear words change to less scathing words as time progresses. for example, in the middle ages, 'wench' was highly derogatory, but as it progressed into early modern English, the connotations changed to be less so. Now we hardly use the word, but when we do, its connotations are more funny than hateful!
beautifully done!
Hi Gina; swear words are interesting but i never knew they would be this interesting. If ever you get a chance to go to the Rennaissance faire up in Northern califotnia you'll hear "Wench" said a lot. True it's more fun than derogatory these days. I can't imagine my walking into a bar and ordering a Wench to give me a beer. Not here in L.A.for sure.
This is very interesting... My best friend moved to the states from London about 6 years ago...so he always asks me to go to the pub with him instead of the bar.
Bloody well done.
cbris52; Thank you for reading and commenting. One of these days I'll do a Hub on the different meanings of words between America and the english speaking world.
Best Wishes..........Ianto
Burning Bush; Thank you; I took a look at your hubs too. Bloody good show.
Hah, what a controversial topic this is.
I like it.
Delightful Hub,
As a person who has traveled to England and Scotland, I have come to realize that America and these great countries are simply divided by a single language.
It’s quite unsettling to be asked, “What time do you want to be knocked up?” when checking into a hotel.
Or have someone ask to “bum a fag” in a local pub.
And am I supposed to be offended when someone calls me a "wanker?"
Ah, so many phrases that one could discuss.
Not that I plan to add any of those to my vocabulary, it was still very interesting to learn about them; thank you.
Well, Fornicate me, THAT'S a good hub!! :)
Hello Joshwinvp; It seems so I agree and it was just written for fun, hardly one of my more serious Hubs.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Great hub,
Kind of made me laugh, I think for every sentence us Londoners use, over 50% are filled with profanities. Its not that we like swearing, or even do it deliberately, its just part of the culture. Not a good thing but part and parcel.
Now as much as I'd love to share all these with you, I think its best I didn't....lol
Regards,
Zaheer
hello Miss_jkim; Thank you not just for reading and commenting but for giving me a great idea. I'm going to write a Hub on the differemces in US and UK English. I have some deas that I think might go well together and you have been my inspiration. Thank you. :)
Passinitalong; I'm glad you enjoyed the Hub and may I say that there are many things I have learned about that I do not intend to do. So happy you dropped in.
Mike the Rhino; You enjoyed that? well I'll be buggered. :)
Hello nettech: thanks for stopping by. I used to drive tour buses in and around London so I got to know the town pretty well. You're right about the swearing but the dicky bird around the kermit was that the old bill would turn a blind mince pie if you watched the P's and Q's.
Wonderful hub and lots of fun. I am from Canada and we use a lot of the British terms, but here in the southern USA they look at with the evil eye if you use terms like bloody or bugger. The whole chesterfield thing really throws them as well but I still go to the pub for a pint, even if they only serve bottles!
Very proper lesson on angles and saxons and queens manners. I did not know the origin of "bloody" being "by our lady". Sounds religious or were they speaking of the queen?
Hello Mardi; I've had the evil eye thrown at me a few times myself. though being Welsh I have the advantage of being able to curse in a language no one can understand.
Is the beer better in Canada? I've never been but that would be a definite selling point.
Best Wishes..........Ianto
healthgoji; Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes they were speaking in religious terms. That was the method of swearing before modern English started using vulgarities.
This really made me laugh out loud. Very informative and well researched post. Thanks for sharing!
Fantastic Hub! In addition to finding it informative in its right, I love the model - this is exactly the way Hubs ought to be written. Thank you for the great job!
interesting read
PR_am; Thank you for your kind words. I write mostly for my readers to enjoy. I'm glad that you enjoyed the read. Best Wishes..........Ianto
Lionel Bracken; You do me too much honor. Thank you.
taskmanagement; Welcome to Hubpages, thank you for stopping by.
Awesome hub. Our language is not really as complicated as it once was. A lot of phrases are no longer used today anymore.
'Bloody' certainly isn't only or even mainly used in England. It's pretty bloody common in Australia too - and in other 'outposts of bloody ex-empire'.
Great informaton you have here. I enjoyed reading your hub. Wanted to read more of your hubs. Thanks for sharing.
I found this useful list in Time magazine--it's probably already mentioned here somewhere, but just in case--
"First printed in a Scottish poem in 1503, the ancient and awesomely powerful F-bomb continues to mystify lexicographers. Rumors persist that legal acronyms spawned the obscenity in question ("Fornication Under Consent of the King" or the Irish police-blotter inscription "booked For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge"), though the modern-day phrase has been traced to a number of etymological origins: Middle Dutch (fokken), Germanic (ficken), English (firk), Scottish (fukkit). Even the Latin terms futuerre ("to copulate") and pungo ("to prick") bear a striking resemblance to the four-letter word. Of course, its original definition linking sex with violence and pleasure with pain has broadened considerably in the past 500 years." http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,185
Hello David470; that is a very good point. Though I would use the word "Flowery" A comparison of today's English with the language of Shakespeare makes me feel we have lost much.
Best Wishes.......ianto
Hello Witchetty; Welcome to Hubpages. You are right it is used in many English speaking parts of the World. Does that mean America is not an English speaking country? :)
Hello jeanie; Thank you and welcome to Hubpages. I'm glad you enjoyed this Hub and I hope you enjoy not just mine but the really excellent Hubs other writers put on here. Best Wishes...........Ianto
Hello Teresa; I'm honored you took the time to read and comment. Your comment is a valuable addition to this Hub and the subject of the F word. That word seems to have a particular fascination in it's use and origin.
The stories are fun though :)
It's just such a great word to SAY, innit? I love the Irish version, feck, too. And your intro to the history of the English language is great--
T.
The French word for 'cow' is 'vache'.
The French word for 'beef' is 'beouf'.
=)
i like this hub a lot. i think English has evolved a lot. In Korea, we use English swear words all the time. I guess they've infiltrated all across the world thanks to American cultural colonization... no f-ing good!!!
darntoothysam; Thank you for your comments. I try to make my Hubs entertaining as well as informative though I have discovered that the comments section is a place where I can go into a little more detail without spoiling the flow of the article.
"Cow" is derived from the old Anglo-Saxon "Cu"
"Vache" is derived from the latin "Vacca" modern French is the adaptation of the earlier Gallo-Romance language centered around Paris. Just as the accepted standard for modern English is based around the English dialect prominent in London and the south east of England, so modern French is based around the dialect commonly spoken around Paris. The Norman-French were related to the Scandinavians and their dialect was heavily influenced by their Nordic heritage. Their word for "Cow" was similar to the Danish "Bos" from which was derived the English word "Beef" There are many other examples of how Norman-French impacted the Saxon language causing more than one word to be used for the same thing and sometimes the effect of Latin as a legal language in the middle ages also contributed. For example; Canal (Latin) Channel (French) Trench (Anglo-Saxon)
Thank you for the opportunity of allowing me to go deeper into this subject. Best Wishes.......Ianto.
Hello paulkimelecu: Thank you very much for stopping by I had no idea that English swearing had entered Korean.
Welcome to Hubpages........ianto.
Ah! This is very funny. Thanks for the awesome hub!!
Yes, healthgoji--they used to say things of religious derivation, and that's why it was considered 'swearing' because they were "taking the name of a diety or saint in vain."
A friend of mine, when her kids were young, used to exclaim, "Oh, fungus!" I laughed & questioned her on it one day, and she replied, "It's better than saying something else that starts the same way!"
I also enjoy "frelling" which susbtitute I learned from Hollywood screenwriters, in the Sci-Fi TV series, "Farscape."
Very interesting! Thanks for the info!
Very amusing and educational. You should do more of these kinds of hubs!
Ameliadietl; Thank you very much for reading and commenting. Thank you most of all for enjoying.
DzyMsLizzy; Your comments are always a joy to read as are your Hubs. Thank you.
Hello CowlesK; Welcome to Hubpages. Thank you for reading this Hub. I was wondering if you use any of those words when training your animals :)
Richard; Thank you for your comment. This Hub has done so well overall that your advice is very worthwhile. I recently wrote a Hub on Americanisms and I've linked this Hub to it. Let's see if it does as well as this one.
Awesome post! I do love English history and the English language. One of my favorite historical tidbits (and my memory is a little vague on the specifics) involving the English language was the fact that when the language was changing and taking out the less formal you, thou etc, people would get into fights if they thought they weren't addressed properly! Ha!
Hello Elefanza; Thank you for your comment. It is still partly true today. "Thee" and "Thou" are still used in Yorkshire but it should not be used towards someone you are not on very familiar terms with. Outside of a friendly atmosphere it is called "Thee-ing and Thou-ing" and can be construed as fighting words.
Think I learned more about english history than the teachers at school ever managed!
Cool! =)
This is really an interesting topic. I definitely learned something here. Thanks for this great share:) voted up!
Very interesting... and surprisingly funny! Thanks for sharing.
Jacob
"...And then they all F***ed off to America!" -Might be your next instalment?
Thanks for this great hub! Very informative, I bet it will take me a lifetime to read the comments alone! Well Done!
LOL days leaper I actually did do that, not with that title though; It's called Americanisms,
http://hubpages.com/hub/Americanisms-English-in-Am
Thank you for your comment and yes there are a lot of them. That's a good thing :)
Life Changing topic, thanks for sharing.
it's very good information.
Wow, I didn't realize that. It's amazing that anyone continues with the folly of speech when there is so much opportunity for mishap. Even a fool is thought wise when he holds his tongue. Yet language is sadly and irresistibly addictive.
I love delving into etymology. Thanks for sharing.
A nice read, very interesting, thnx!
Very interesting article.
I must say you have written a 'fornicating' good hub!! Very well written .. made me laugh and at the same time gave a lot of interesting info on the history of swear words, Thanks.
RoseGardenAdvice; Thank you very much for the comment, I continue to be surprised at how much interest this Hub has generated. The most important part is that you enjoyed it, Best Wishes............ianto
Cheese and crackers! Why do people like such odd subjects 'round here? Guess funny and/or entertaining is the way to go. I do like the article ianto, and thanks for the educational response to my previous comment.
Thomas
I can't believe how many comments there are here...looks like a good topic....
Very interesting topic. Some people use those words without even knowing where they came from. Thanks so much and good luck with your hub.
Great hub. your topic is very interesting and informative.
Good Hub!!!!!
The information regarding word is very useful. The language of English today lacks the character and eloquence of bygone years. It is aptly stated into the hub that today we say one word, when in years past a sentence would be used, and misunderstandings were far less. The hub is very much knowledgeable, thanks a lot for sharing such a wonderful peace of text.
nice hub
very true because language is a most important thing for communication. thanks for sharing.
A very interesting hub to read.
Wow-I did not know how "swear words" came about. I guess, like anything else, it has to start from somewhere. Just like with history of names: how did we get from Richard to Rick to Dick or William to Will to Bill? Thank you for sharing such an informative and interesting hub. Keep up the good work. God bless!:-)
Fun hub! I got a good laugh out of it, and it is an interesting approach to linguistics... maybe, the naughtier side of the English language. I might have to slip a few of these in place of my other bad words so that I don't get in trouble. Haha!
thanks for the great idea. been working through a little dittie on the cliche. perhaps there's room for one more hub on the topic of language.
You've got a nice topic.I really love reading and this one is nice.Thanks
Nice topic, great lil hub !
Very Interesting... That is why I love history very much. Because everything that we are today, or everything that we do all goes back to something that happened in the past. I did not know about bloody... That is very very interesting. I always wondered why people would say pardon my french after they cursed... Now I know... Thanks for sharing
A wonderful article! Glad I ran across it!
Good article. You know what I really love reading history. Keep posting man,,,
This is an exceptional writing . Thanks
That was an interesting read. Seriously, I still can't believe 'bloody' was originally 'by our Lady'.
Wonderfully witty hub, turned me into a fan. :D aloha oe
I never knew we could have so much clean fun reading around the foul subject.
Great and witty hub!
this is unbelievable. Such hubs are invaluable and are what make this community a world class article directory. Great job and looking forward to read more of this....
This is a great hub!! very much enjoyed reading it!
This is a great one. Fun and informative.
Great fun. Remembering that my nephew had to calm me down one day. "Uncle, you sure use a lot of expletives." Til that day, I didn't know what the word expletives was. Now I have new ones to use on them.
Nice hub. Hope to see more from you! :)
Always good to know the origin of our language. Name-calling must have meant so much more back then as well - so much more descriptive!
Love the historical perspective, as a History major undergrad...
Ken @EliKen
Positively WONDERFUL. I LOVE this article. Outstanding job on bring out some of the funnier sides to the English language. Thank you IantoPF for the post, I truly enjoyed this.
Kindest Regards,
Tony S.
Historical facts is my search. Thanks you have given me to meet it. Enjoyed really.
Great stuff, i never knew any of this, and it tickles me. You have just obtained another follower.
Great hub, lots of interesting stuff. I look forward to reading your other hubs.
I'm a new follower too. Great Hub. I will be reading other articles that interest me. Cheers.
What a great hub.................
Wow, lots I never knew there.
I really loved your style. Very humourous but also very informative & meaningful. Btw, Bloody is also commonly used in India thanks to the Brits & the resultant Anglo-Indian community that they spawned.
funny and informative. love it. :)
hah, very funny. I never realized swear words had such a dep and profound history
Interesting and humorous I might add.
this was great and funny!
Posh is another urban myth! It's a false acronym.
It gave George Carlin a career highlight - and speaking of highlights - I swear this is the best hub ever written about swearing!!!
Thanks for this Hub. Very entertaining and educational. And yes... "bloody" is still frequently used here in Australia.
Mutiny92 2 years ago
Wow! This is a great hub...I can honestly say I did not know much of the info you shared.