THE WORST WORDS you can say in a foreign language usually reflect the culture's phobias. The sacred and the profane are inextricabally tied together. So you can tell a lot about a country by the way it swears.
IN SWEDEN, for example, you say "777 Satans" when you're really pissed. Seven is an evil number, and three sevens together is the evilest number ever. When you say 777 Satans, you are pratically calling the devil himself.
I know it's hard to believe; but think how bizarre we sound when we say "Fuck!" To say "sexual intercourse!" when you're angry just doesn't make sense to most of the rest of the world. But it does reflect how the puritan roots of the U.S.-influenced sexual taboos.
When you think about it, 777 Satans just makes more sense. Sweden was once a very pagan culture and the Lutheran struggle of God vs. Satan really made an impact on the country. To even say the word "Satan" is considered somewhat of a sin. Say "fuck" in Sweden and they'll just nod happily and invite you to a smorgasbord.
IN TURKEY, to call someone "Infidel" is pratically the worst thing. While we in America barely ever say our one word for infidel, the Turks have a few variations to chose from. Among others, you could choose "Gavur" (merciless infidel) or "Kafir" (mere non-believer) or "Ihanet" (trecherous infidel).
However, in Turkey the absolute worst thing you could call someone is "without family," literally "red faced;" proving family is very important over there. If you meet a Turkish person, they will ask you all about your spouse and children, and probably will only yawn if you try to talk about your shitty American job.
IN TUNISIA, the worst thing you can say to someone is "Burn your God;" one of the more elaborate, effective curses I've ever heard. I think it implies they are not sharing the same (Muslim) God as you. It's like "Infidel," but with imagination.
IN GREAT BRITAIN they say "bloody," and it's considered pretty vulgar. No one knows exactly where it comes from; some say it goes as far back as the blood of Christ. I say that because us Americans go to England and try saying "bloody awful" and what we're actually saying is "fucking awful" but we have no idea.
Same thing happened with the movie title Austin Powers, The Spy Who Shagged Me. Apparently "shag" is just as vulgar as "fuck" there, so it was a problem.
In Britain, everything is vulgar. You're bound to offend our dainty forefathers just by calling their country Britain; but if you care, mostly try to avoid saying "Sod of." or "Wank off," variations of sodomy and masterbation respectively. I think it shows the famous British sexual repression we always hear about.
WHICH BRINGS US to our puritanical roots in America.
In America the worst thing you can say is "God damn it." What does it say about us? We're as religious and superstitious as the Swedish. It's taking the name of the Lord God in vain, breaking one of the commandments.
Some of my friends argue the worst thing you can say in the U.S. is "fuck." This would also speak about our weird Puritan upbringing. As I mentioned earlier, in most other countries it would be ridiculous to say the verb to have intercourse when you're angry.
Anal intercourse is not a problem, though. Apparently all over the world (except for here), "Butt-Fuck!" is a common explicative. Don't know if that implies homophobia or acceptance of homosexuality, ormaybe both. I do know we are the only country that's made anal intercourse illigal in some states.
IN ITALY, while anal intercourse ranks high in vulgarity, the absolute worst thing is "cornuto," which means a man whose wife is cheating on him. No, it doesn't apply to a woman whose husband is cheating on her. Same is true in Central and South America. I guess this speaks to a woman's faithfulness as sacred in those countries. More sacred than a man's, anyway.
Once we hit Italy, we also get into "Minchia," which means penis, and can be substituted for the word "fuck" in just about any American curse: "Ma che Minchia vuoi?" (literally, "But what the penis do you want?").
The Italians also use a lot of references to the Madonna and moms in general, (Mamma mia), showing the importance of Catholicism and the worship of the mother.
THE IRISH, also a really Catholic culture, will say an almost song-like string of words, which I always find poetic. Consider yourself lucky if you are ever around an Irish person who says, "Jesus, Joseph and Mary" or "Sweet Baby Jesus!" Although they have their fair share of wanking and sodding words from the British, the Irish tend to be more imaginative. Anyway, we like them better, don't we?
IN FRANCE, the worst thing you could scream is "Putain" (whore)--although prostitution is practically legal there, and most French men don't feel at all unusual about paying a visit to a prostitute. And what do French say when they are really angry? "Bordel!" (brothel).
The French also get kind of imaginative. One example: "Putain de bordel de merde!", literally, "Whore from a shit brothel!" Maybe the word "putain" is extra evil there, because women are so venerated. In France, chivalry is not dead. While other countries have forgotten the worship of women, the cult of the Virgin Mary was founded and still exists in France.
"Enculee" (butt fucked) is a close second. And "Va te faire voir chez les Grecs"--literally, "Go show yourself to the Greeks"--is a colorful French way of saying to go have anal intercourse. Apparently, the French think you just "show yourself" to the Greeks and they take you. I still have to go to Greece and see if they say, "Go show yourself to the French." This could be a fun trip.
SOME OTHERS:
- Thailand: "Monitor" (lizard)
- China "Damn your ancestors"
- Russia: "Mother fucker"
- Italy: "Vafanculo" (go get sodomized), stronza" (turd)
- Yiddish: "Mashuganeh" (crazy woman)
- Mexico: "Cono" (cunt)
- Japan: "Pervert"
AND THE WINNERS ARE...
- China: "Your ox vagina has become so big! Do you think it will explode?" (Said to a braggert)
- Japan: "Shit and go to sleep!" (Sounds more like a blessing to me)
- France: "Go to Greece to be sodomized and then have children with feathers."
- Russia:"I fucked your mother through seven gates while whistling."
(Apologies for the Eurocentricity of this article; I acknowlege that swear words from most of Asia and Africa are missing. Send comments, corrections, and suggestions to quinno99@hotmail.com. Thanks.)
MONDAY: Making glamour fun again.
IN OTHER NEWS: Donald Trump, that N.Y./N.J. real-estate guy sometimes mistaken for a national celebrity, now sez he won't run for President after all. Fine with me. The only Atlantic City casino owner I'd ever vote for is Merv Griffin.
OUR NEXT LIVE EVENT will be a reading Sunday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. at Titlewave Books on lower Queen Anne. It's part of a free, all-ages group lit-event including, among others, the fantastic Farm Pulp zine editor Gregory Hischack.
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