Questions related to words or phrases that may be considered offensive in English
32
votes
7answers
2k views
How bad is the f-word, really?
I am confused: on the one hand, many of my native-speaker friends keep telling me that the f-word is very, very bad. Much worse than the s-word for example. On the other hand, I see it being used ...
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 ...
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 ...
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:
...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
What is the origin of the word “wog”?
Some friend of mine told me it was an acronym for "western oriental gentleman" and was a form of sarcastic politeness. Is this true, and is it offensive to use this word?
5
votes
3answers
839 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 ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Why haven't we used “it” instead of “he or she”?
There is a related discussion on this forum.
My questions is different. I'm all for gender awareness, but why hasn't a properly defined pronoun "it" been used instead of "he/she" or "he or she", etc. ...
82
votes
10answers
10k views
Differences between slang words for breasts
What is the difference between “tits” and “boobs”?
P.S. I'm not sure if this question is appropriate but as English is not my native language I really would love to know the difference.
25
votes
5answers
6k views
Is there a difference between “arse” and “ass”?
From a comment here, in frequent usage, arse and ass are often interchangeable when used to refer to buttocks or to a person of dubious charms. However, although “to arse about” has a vague connection ...
23
votes
7answers
2k views
Does “gay” still include the meaning “merry”?
Dictionary.com lists eight meanings
of gay, with “merry, lively” as
the first entry.
Microsoft banned an
Xbox user for listing Fort
Gay (a real place) as his
hometown:
Xbox Live considered the ...
3
votes
5answers
2k views
What is currently the most obscene word in British English? [closed]
In a recent question, I realized that while I know what's currently considered the most obscene word in American English ("cunt"), I am told that word is much more unexceptional and workaday in ...
10
votes
5answers
20k 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?
8
votes
2answers
934 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 ...
7
votes
1answer
405 views
What name for bowdlerisation with asterisks (e.g., “f*ck”)?
I have always been intrigued by the English use of asterisks to replace vowels in words considered as offensive, and the reasons it seems somewhat language-specific. My (very related) questions on ...
6
votes
6answers
746 views
Why did the descriptive, “Orientals”, shift into a pejorative?
It seems as if a shift occurred and the descriptive "Oriental" was replaced by "Asian" as the accepted term in polite society — what caused this shift?
5
votes
3answers
877 views
How old is “Bollocks!”?
As a non-English native it took me years to grow up and understand, what meant "Never Mind the Bollocks" as the title of Sex Pistols album. Using "bollocks" as "rubbish", "crap" or what so ever took ...
70
votes
6answers
3k views
What the #$@&%*! is that called?
Is there a name for the use of symbols in place of curse words, for example #$@&%*!?
19
votes
12answers
2k views
Just how offensive are the terms “retarded” and “gay”?
My college-age son and his friends use the terms "retarded" and "gay" pretty much interchangeably to mean substandard, bad, lame (in the sense of ineffectual or weak) or just plain wrong. I've ...
8
votes
4answers
638 views
What is the historic process for converting vulgar words into simply rude words?
I have noticed a pattern involving vulgarities where the previous generation's evil words become accepted as merely off-color or rude in the following generation. Is this merely each generation's ...
20
votes
4answers
5k views
“Hooker”, “whore”, “prostitute”, when to use which?
"Hooker", "whore", and "prostitute" all mean whore; what are the differences between them?
18
votes
9answers
6k views
Why is 'c*nt' so much more derogatory in the US than the UK?
What accounts for the strong disapproval of anyone using the word 'cunt' in the US, when the sentiment doesn't exist to the same extent in the UK?
To be clear, it's still a strong word to use in the ...
29
votes
8answers
3k views
Offensiveness of “black” in reference to race or skin colour
Is black offensive when used to refer to race or skin colour? If so, should we then not use white as well?
16
votes
5answers
4k views
Is “Eskimo” a universally offensive term?
I know that "Eskimo" is an offensive term in Canada; they use the term "Inuit".
But I see the term "Eskimo" popping up regularly in news articles that I read; I hardly see the term "Inuit" being ...
13
votes
10answers
6k views
Is it offensive to call a redhead a “ginger”?
So I just re-watched this great comedy by Tim Minchin, and here are the questions:
How bad/offensive is the g-word
really (other than being an anagram of the n-word)?
What are alternatives? Is ...
20
votes
5answers
2k views
Is “what on earth” still commonly used in real life? Is there any alternative that is not cursing or obscene?
I'm a non-native speaker. When I was at school, we were taught that "on earth" is used for emphasis in questions such as:
What on earth are you talking about?
However, from my experience ...
17
votes
7answers
6k views
How derogatory is “chicks” when used to refer to women?
A comment in “What is a feminine version of guys?” got me wondering: how derogatory is the use of chicks to refer to women (either in general, or to a specific group). To me (I'm a man), it was quite ...
15
votes
4answers
738 views
Obscenities considered less obscene in compounds? [NSFW]
There are at least a few cases in which a compound word or phrase, transparently containing an obscene word, seems to be considered less obscene (in some dialect/registers/circumstances) than the word ...
13
votes
5answers
911 views
“Woman is the 'n-word' of the world”?
The other day I was watching a video, in which one white teacher was being accused of using the word "nigger" in reference to one of his students who was black. The newscasters, before showing the ...
12
votes
2answers
988 views
Are -er insults a British phenomenon?
In the UK there are a lot of insulting words which end in -er, like this: scrubber (slut), tosser (masturbator), chancer (untrustworthy person), poofter (homosexual), wanker (masturbator, generally ...
10
votes
3answers
502 views
Why are nouns sometimes pejorative when used attributively?
Certain nouns can often be used as noun adjuncts in place of a corresponding adjective, with no change in literal meaning, where:
The noun is not pejorative when used nominatively by itself.
Nor is ...
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 ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views
What is another name for Dick?
Coming from "Changes in English names of people" telling:
Richard → Dick
Can I substitute Dick by Richard?
I need it to know because my Emails with the use of name Dick are being returned by ...
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 ...
14
votes
5answers
2k views
Was the word “nigger” an expletive in Mark Twain's day?
Was the word "nigger" a deliberately derogatory and offensive word in Mark Twain's time, or was it just a normal word to describe an ethnicity in those days?
Background: I'm curious as to whether ...
11
votes
3answers
354 views
Is “Dutch wife” one of those “Dutch words”?
The term "Dutch wife" is listed as having several somewhat related meanings. Wiktionary describes it as meaning 1) a body-length pillow, 2) a wicker or bamboo tube that someone sleeps in (also called ...
10
votes
7answers
10k views
Is it true that “tuppence” refers to a woman's vagina in British English slang? If so, why?
I was looking up a definition online, as I often do, in this case the British slang word tuppence; I got the standard "a slang reference to a coin denomination" definition from Wikipedia, but stumbled ...
7
votes
6answers
6k 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 ...
7
votes
3answers
30k views
How offensive is it to call someone a “slag” in British English? (NSFW)
One more colorful slang term I gleaned from the British movie I recently watched is slag. In the movie, it was used in curses like, "Fuck-ing dogs! Slags." "Right slag, that one."
Now I know via ...
6
votes
2answers
262 views
Is it derogatory or offensive to call a detective a dick?
The word dick is generally considered offensive and is marked so in dictionaries. But there is also a meaning of detective that it carries. I usually find no derog indication for this meaning.
Is it ...
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 ...
5
votes
2answers
571 views
Why are the “donkey” and the “butt” both named “ass” the same? [closed]
Is there any similarity between them that they have the same name, or is the reason something different of having a physical similarity?
I found different meanings for both, but none of them ...
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 ...
5
votes
1answer
526 views
What does 'mothercanuckers' mean?
First of all, sorry if it is offensive (I think it somewhat is).
I was going through http://bleacherreport.com/articles/424590-the-funniest-promos-and-moments-in-wwe-history#page/20
The Rock ...
5
votes
3answers
509 views
Why do you suck at XYZ?
How bad is the usage of the word suck in English? Is this "bad boy" language or commonly used?
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 ...
4
votes
11answers
540 views
Substitute for F*** in emphasizing disbelief, anger, etc
How do I replace F*** while expressing fully my disbelief, anger, etc?
E.g.,
"I think Homer Simpson is incredibly sexy"
My reply "Get out of here! That's f***ing ridiculous."
2
votes
2answers
580 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, ...
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
358 views
How would you substitute English vulgar words in foreign phrases?
Subquestioning "Substitute for F*** in emphasizing disbelief, anger, etc":
How would you substitute the vulgar English word in foreign phrases like in:
1) brand name:
"Fucking beer"?
or
2)in ...
0
votes
1answer
487 views
Is f**kstick really an abusive word?
I have heard the word fuckstick in a lot of Hollywood movies, most notably in 'The Shawshank Redemption'.
What is this word even meant to convey? An insult? Is it even abusive? Or is just a ...
