It occurred to me last night that several good-hearted commenters were baffled by Vaxlady’s request to avoid a particular word. (I also learned some interesting information about the Queen’s use of slang. I haven’t met her, so I’ll take their word for it). For many people in the US, that word is as derogatory to women as the N word is to people of color. It’s rarely used, so it still has shock value - much as the F word had about 50 years ago.
Having commenters from every English-speaking country here, I thought SAVers might like to share some other words or phrases that surprise, offend or just stymie them. With global media, there may not be as misunderstandings now. But this might keep s few OT threads off the main pages, and may just help avoid a future flame-war.
I shared one last night: when I soent a semester at school in England, I couldn’t understand why people kept asking me - a female - to “knock them up.” It took a few weeks before I understood it meant “come knock on my door.” Caused me a lot of embarrassment.
Other words that have started to find their way into my vernacular is “bruh”
Typically used when someone has done something truly stupid and asinine. Example:
one of my pharmacy techs got lazy stacking supplies and a whole rack of vials, lids, and covid testing supplies spilled all over the place. Pharmacy tech #2 witnessing the event:
” BRUH!” Both were females.
I mostly work with people 20-30 years younger than me and it seems to be genderless, although I’m pretty sure it originally started out as a term for males.
Trump, with a small "t" means fart in the UK.
Words that are off limits in Australia.
Coon.
Boong.
Abo.
Gin.
All highly derogatory words for aborigines. Same as the N word in America.
To me language is all about context. How is Cunt derogatory to women when we are talking about a male who has just mutilated 19 children?
That's what I'm not understanding in this conversation.
Fruitfly went off his head the other night using this word in a targeted fashion and it was vile.
While I understand the pushback, I think it went too far. On the whole I think we moderate ourselves pretty well here.
I will not stand for vilification of others in any form though and I think that was the problem here.
Don't ask what a thong is in Aussie vernacular.
As a Brit, I use the cee word when I'm extremely cross, and it has become un-gendered here, as, it seems, in Australia. (Eg, applied to Trump or Johnson 👿)
Swearing can be therapeutic, and you need to retain something transgressive.
Does anyone know if Australians have words that still have shock-value?
The word period for full stop is startling to me as in the UK this means a menstrual period which were always kept completely secret and undiscussed in my day. So when someone says '...blah blah blah. PERIOD' it's like someone ran into the room and shouted something rude very loudly!