Questions related to words or phrases that may be considered offensive in English
1
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5answers
214 views
Is “monkey around” offensive?
Someone asked me for something and I said, "Do you need it right now, or do I have a couple hours to monkey around with it?" They got really quiet. While certainly unprofessional, is this also ...
4
votes
3answers
600 views
Is the acronym PIGS (or PIIGS) offensive?
To my Spanish ears, the acronym PIGS (for Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain) or PIIGS (for Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain) sounds offensive. The Spanish equivalent “cerdo” is a strong word ...
2
votes
2answers
585 views
Swearing: 'bollixed'
The House Ethics Committee has now hired an outside counsel to investigate its own bollixed investigation into the conduct of Representative Maxine Waters. (The House’s Farcical Self-Investigation, ...
7
votes
5answers
452 views
Better way to say “cover our a***s”
I'm looking for a couple of good coined phrases that I can use in front of business people, apologies if the one I had in mind offends anyone.
I'd use "can sleep at night" but I want the phrase to ...
2
votes
3answers
452 views
Does this sound vulgar or have sexual connotations? [closed]
I'd like to ask you to help me clarifying if a brand name sounds sexual/vulgar/queer for native English speakers.
It is "I Job You" which is a social job recommendation site. However, we had some ...
1
vote
4answers
874 views
Should I use “damn” or “darn”? [closed]
How unseemly these days is it to use the word damn in educated or elderly circles? I have heard that there is a modified and supposedly less intense darn. Should I be careful to avoid the former and ...
7
votes
3answers
1k views
Why is the term “touched” no longer commonly used?
I’ve heard the term touched used to refer to someone who is “not quite right”. I’m curious as to where this term came from, what it really means, and why it doesn’t tend to be used often anymore.
Is ...
10
votes
7answers
3k views
Can the term “jack/jerk off” be used for female masturbation?
I apologize for this potentially obscene question.
Can the terms jack off or jerk off be used for female masturbation? If not (which is my intuition), what would be the not too poetic vulgar slang ...
1
vote
1answer
235 views
Why do they call the counterpart “that woman” to press corps after parting from a female?
Further to my question I posted yesterday on the significance of the term “woman driver” used by Rush Limbaugh, I have another question:
Limbaugh’s use of ‘woman driver’ in a derogatory context ...
15
votes
6answers
997 views
Does “woman driver” have a special meaning other than female driver?
Rush Limbaugh’s “wrong choice of word” is causing a big fuss. And I was puzzled to find the following statement of Limbaugh from www.rushlimbaugh.com that was made 4 days ago:
The reaction that ...
5
votes
3answers
864 views
Is the term “halfcast” racist?
When I was at university in the late 90s, a girl I shared a flat with would use the term "halfcast" to describe people of mixed race, especially in the context of people who had a similar skin colour ...
5
votes
5answers
2k views
What is the origin and earliest recorded usage of 'cock-up'
In informal British English, the expression 'cock-up' (c.f. the US English 'fuck-up') is used to indicate an error or problem in a situation.
What is the origin of this expression and its etymology? ...
5
votes
2answers
442 views
Etymology of “sh**hole” [closed]
What is the etymology of shithole? Did it originate from A) the orifice through which excrement is passed, or B) the hole in the ground intended for the disposal of such excrement?
(This is a serious ...
1
vote
1answer
274 views
Usage and acceptability of the word “queer”
This dictionary.com definition pretty much sums up my understanding of what the word queer is supposed to mean. However, in modern times (at least here in the US, perhap someone else can speak for ...
6
votes
5answers
235 views
Grammatical explanation of “what the blank”
In emphatic questions, it's common to see or hear an interjection such as the heck — or something more vulgar — between the interrogative and the verb.
What was that?
becomes
What the heck ...
9
votes
8answers
1k views
Alternative term to “Blacklist” and “Whitelist”
In short, my company is developing a management tool for managing SIM cards. One of the features of the tool is to block the SIM card if it's put into a disallowed device by device IMEI validation.
...
8
votes
2answers
939 views
What makes a word offensive? [closed]
Whilst I was sat on the bus yesterday, I overheard a group of teenagers discussing various things. As per the usual social requirement at that age, every 5th word was an expletive. Not exactly the ...
4
votes
0answers
526 views
What is the origin of “bite me”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Meaning and usage of “bite me”
Here’s the dilemma: What body part does the oft-used expression, “Bite me!” refer to?
All the males (man on the street) I’ve ...
6
votes
0answers
450 views
What is a term describing offensive word replacement with made-up slang? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What term describes a non-offensive substitute for a swear word?
Is there a term for replacing one slang word with another made-up slang word?
For example f*cking => ...
9
votes
2answers
700 views
Where does the pejorative meaning of “shower” come from?
shower British informal
a group of people perceived as incompetent or worthless
I think this term is becoming obsolete. It's certainly not something I've heard in the street recently. The ...
1
vote
2answers
619 views
Use of “brother” in non-family and non-religious contexts
I think the word brother (sometimes spelled brotha or bro) has been used for a long time among African Americans when talking to one another with the meaning of "pal" and not in a family context.
...
3
votes
2answers
735 views
How long have people been swearing in English?
I was looking through my old A-Level English set books from 1989 at the weekend. We had to study the Canterbury Tales and I can still remember our delight when we discovered that 'queynte' was the ...
9
votes
4answers
9k views
Difference between “smart” and “clever”
What is the difference between smart and clever?
As far as I understand the latter is offensive. But the Cambrige Dictionary gives similar definitions of smart and clever.
4
votes
1answer
1k views
How to mock the French? [closed]
I have recently started playing a board game (A Few Acres of Snow) that pits the British against the French in 18th century New England.
I know how to mock others in general, but in order that ...
33
votes
6answers
2k views
How did “Jew” become pejorative?
For some reason, the word Jew often carries a pejorative or offensive connotation, which the related adjective Jewish does not carry. This is most obvious when either word is used as an attributive:
...
10
votes
6answers
1k views
Synonym of “s--t eating grin” suitable for polite company
Can anyone think of a synonym for "shit eating grin" that would be usable in polite company?
This definition from the OED captures the meaning I'm looking for perfectly:
A broad grin expressing ...
5
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the etymology of the word “dinlo”?
dinlo n. stupid person; idiot
Suggested etymology from urban dictionary
a Romany (gypsy language) word that has been adopted widely by the east coast.
Sorry if this language offends but I ...
6
votes
1answer
201 views
Origin of “c**p”
I've heard some far-fetched stories of the origin of the word crap.
What is its real origin?
7
votes
6answers
7k views
Madam vs. Ma'am
I suspect that the answer to this depends on region, so insights from multiple areas would be beneficial:
It has been my impression that in the US addressing a woman as "Madam" is considered ...
9
votes
4answers
27k views
Where did the phrase “batsh*t crazy” come from?
I am curious how this term came to be. I've found this question on various forums, but none of them seem to agree where the term came from. The most popular explanation seems to come from "bat in the ...
2
votes
1answer
173 views
Is there a pejorative word for an ethnic appeal?
When ultra-conservative Jesse Helms ran against Congressman Nick Galifianakis in 1972, he is considered to have gained ground with the slogan, "Jesse Helms: He's One of Us," presumably referring to ...
2
votes
3answers
508 views
What is the origin of “cr*p on a crutch”?
Where did the saying "Crap on a crutch" originate? My mother used to use it a lot and I find myself using it also.
0
votes
1answer
234 views
Etymology of sh*tfaced?
Where does the term shitfaced come from? I'm aware that it means to be totally drunk, but I'm not sure how shitfaced describes being drunk.
5
votes
2answers
13k views
Correct usage of replacing cuss words with symbols
I've noticed that symbols (i.e. #, $, %, !, *, etc.) are commonly used to filter profanity/foul language.
Just out of curiosity, is there a specific way to do this. I've noticed sometimes there ...
3
votes
3answers
272 views
Is “senility” pejorative?
Could you please give your opinion on whether or not "senility" is a pejorative term?
My sentence is:
Although there wasn't any real upper age limit, elders who seemed to be affected by senility ...
16
votes
10answers
2k views
Is “chubby” offensive?
I said to a person that she is "chubby" and, apparently, she took it very seriously. What I meant to say is that she's not skin and bones... some more pounds than needed but, precisely because of ...
5
votes
3answers
841 views
Is the phrase “all to c**k” considered profane?
I occasionally use the colloquialism "all to cock" to mean "disastrously wrong". I've always thought it a benign phrase, but recently I've wondered whether the use of the word "cock" in this situation ...
10
votes
6answers
5k views
Non-offensive substitute for a swear word
What term describes a non-offensive substitute for a swear word?
For example, Battlestar Galactica used frack instead of fuck. Another example is the use of snap instead of shit.
I think I may have ...
5
votes
3answers
689 views
Is “gaijin” considered offensive?
Is gaijin a term that's only acceptable when it's a non-Japanese person using it self-referentially (similar to n-word privileges in TV Tropes), or is it considered ok to use in normal conversation ...
2
votes
3answers
474 views
What does “[expletive] it up” mean?
When I was in San Diego, I asked to a girl "how can I get to the freeway?" She answered me, "Go straight on, you can't fuck it up." What does it mean? Is this a usable phrase or it is too vulgar? Is ...
14
votes
4answers
7k views
What's the difference between “informal”, “colloquial”, “slang”, and “vulgar”?
It seems many people get confused about the differences (and similarities) between "colloquial" and "slang", so what exactly does each term apply to?
But to be even more thorough it seems to me we ...
7
votes
4answers
265 views
General term for muggle-type terms?
Is there a general term to refer to "a semi-denigrating term used by a minority social group (not necessarily a racial group) to refer to the majority". Examples would be "muggle", "gentile", ...
5
votes
4answers
851 views
Were “devil” and “damned” really offensive words in Victorian times?
I've been reading Trollope's The Way We Live Now, and have noticed a little stylistic quirk; that the words devil and damned appear blanked out, as d----- and d------. They appear in sentences like...
...
10
votes
5answers
21k views
Meaning and usage of “bite me”
I often come across the phrase bite me in many TV shows. What does it mean and is there a specific context in which this phrase can be used?
0
votes
5answers
463 views
“Sl*t” term for males
"Slut" can have two meanings:
an immoral woman, or prostitute
a dirty and slovenly woman
I would like a term for men that is the equivalent of the second meaning. Is there a term for describing a ...
7
votes
5answers
415 views
Is the adjective “vain” considered offensive when applied to a person?
I am given to understand by the Chambers Dictionary and Webster's that vain can be understood as thoughtless, empty-headed, useless, which all sound rather strong to me. Is it likely that a native ...
10
votes
5answers
20k views
What is the origin and history of the word “motherf---er”?
I'm not a native English speaker, but I would like to know how and why people started using mother fucker. Today it seems it has lost its meaning because people use it all the time, but was there a ...
6
votes
5answers
1k views
That which is vulgar, obscene, or profane (title reflects contents)
When I look up the word "fuck" in the dictionary, I see that it is listed as a vulgar term. However, if I use it in church, I might be scolded for speaking profanity in the Lord's house. If I use it ...
7
votes
5answers
614 views
How rude is “naff”?
"Naff" is a word I infrequently use as a mild version of "shit". If something is a little bit bad or dull, it is "naff". I have just come across (via The Slate Gabfest podcast) one of the alleged ...
2
votes
5answers
2k views
Synonym for “half-ass”
As in:
I don't want to half-ass this project or I'll be fired.
Don't half-ass this project or I'll fire you.
I half-assed this project and was fired.
