The phrse “making an ass (arse) of yourself” isn’t a UK thing?
I find this entire discussion fascinating. I never knew, for instance, that ‘arse’ was actually a different root than ass. I had always assumed that one was just a dialect/accent difference, like cuss/curse.
Because I’m American, I didn’t grow up with ‘arse’ at all. I only heard it very rarely in my teens and early 20’s if I encountered it in UK-centric media. So, to my ears, ‘arse’ sounds… quaint. As in, LESS vulgar than ‘ass’. I’m pretty sure that’s the American bias with British accents, esp. middle/upper class ones. Anything said in one sounds more sophisticated, so ‘arse’ must be the “polite” version… All the while you’ve all been being just shockingly vulgar!!
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Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
22
It is.
As for accents, they can be very localised in the UK. My friend, Paul, is in Lexington, KY. He has another friend in my metro area. I am middle class and live in the south of the area and Paul says he can understand me well, so long as I don’t speak too quickly. The other friend, working class from the north of the metro area, he struggles to understand.
‘C**t’ is just about the WORST single word you could utter in polite company. Calling a woman one is in the same league as busting out the hard r n-word.
It’s always been my impression that the UK (and CERTAINLY Australia/NZ) that the word could be used as a truly vulgar insult, yes, but there was a context where folks (mostly men) would refer to one another using the word as an affectionate dig. No such context exists stateside.
Similarly, ‘twat’, which is sort of the baby version of c**t, seems to have a similar split. There is a space in UK English where that word is just a way to call someone silly or foolish. In the US it is a quite personal and HIGHLY GENDERED insult. At least one coworker who was a recent arrival from the UK was pulled in HR had had to have it explained that it was different here and not to use it anymore in work emails, please.
I used to despise the C-word in both English and German… until I became friends with an Irishman who used the word frequently and with gusto, although mostly as a term of endearment. I guess it’s like with most things: regular exposure blunts the shock value. I even created my own personal swearword which is a combination of the German term and the English term for rooster
As with most things said, intent and context is everything.
In Canada, the c word and t word are both repugnant.
There are around 10 words I will never use and those are 2 of them.
I don’t think people who speak English as a second language always realize how awful the c word sounds to an English- speaking woman in Canada or in the States. An Argentinian told me I was being one, and we never spoke again after he uttered the word. Blocking before blocking was a thing.
Oh, I know exactly how the word sounds to most people. As I explained in my comment, my feelings about and reactions to the word used to be quite similar. They no longer are.
That doesn’t mean I throw the word out at everyone at any time. And twat to me is a pretty harmless insult.
Nope, there is more context, and it was said in anger because he wasn’t getting his way. He knew it was worse than calling me a bitch, but didn’t realize how much more weight it carried.
Even when people I know and like use the word, as well as the t word, the words bother me.
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Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
32
In my youth, both words were equally abusive, as they both were slang for the same part of the female anatomy. But, over time, British attitudes have softened towards the former and it will now regularly be used in, say, TV dramas in a relatively mild terms. I’m old enough (and perhaps old-fashioned enough) to prefer not to use it in “polite society” even though others may well. Just doesnt feel right.
A farmer who lived on a knoll
Thought his donkey was killed by a troll
He searched for the beast
Not deterred in the least
'Til at long last he found the ass, whole.
Does that mean I can call someone an “arsehole” in polite society?
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
37
Fascinating responses to my OP. And some great tangents we’ve gone off on - never thought I’d be contributing to a food forum and be discussing the C-word.
As for the linguistics, it was really interesting to see the observation that dropping the “r” from words has not been uncommon in American English. I hadnt thought of that. And my Canadian reference has brought the comments that “arse” is still in relatvely common use. Hadnt expected that at all. Thanks.
I guess that depends on your definition of “polite.” I believe there was another thread recently on which the consensus was if you think a world may offend, just avoid using it?
Ditto on this. And it’s because of reading @Harters posts on CH and HO that I’ve started to use “I couldn’t be arsed” if talking about preparing a food or dinner here on HO.
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Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
40
I’m honoured, Linda
As you’ll now know, to be “not arsed” about something to be be not bothered. As in, I couldnt be arsed to cook dinner, so got takeaway.
And similar can be used to express incredulity at something. As in “You couldnt be bothered to cook dinner. My arse”
More “my arse” examples from Brit comedy programme The Royle Family. Set near me in Manchester, the show popularised the expression and you hear it more often than a few years back.
