[Closed] Swearing at Americans

They don't understand British swearing. You'll be fine with "bollocks," everyone's favourite onanism euphemism, and possibly even the popular term for a ladygarden that isn't the c-bomb.

depends entirely on the environment and circumstances and people. I don't think there are hard and fast rules.

but if it's work, you wouldn't be effing and jeffing anyway, would you?

Nah ... don't worry

They'll think you're an Aussie and no harm will be done to the reputation of our green and pleasant land

possibly even the popular term for a ladygarden that isn't the c-bomb

I've heard that they're so popular over there that you can buy them in packs....

Yes, Americans really do say 'heck' and 'darn' and call people 'sir' at lot. Can be quite unnerving.
Just ask to borrow a rubber and tell them you're going out for a fag 🙂

My wife's American and drops way more f-bombs than anyone else I know.

but if it's work, you wouldn't be effing and jeffing anyway, would you?

I am from Scotland.

But being serious I was quite concerned that people think I swear a lot.
I live in Oxford now, so while I probably swear less than the average Scot, that's probably a lot more than the average person from Oxfordshire.

1) They don't understand the subtle usage of British swear words, so it'll end with confusion. They aren't generally able to deduce the intention of the word from its context and sound, and will often ask what it means and why you said it. Which is quite hard to explain really.

2) The use of the F word is different. It's used to make a point or else very ostentatiously to show off what a macho hard guy you are. This may present a different image to the one you intend. However whenever I've used the F word in an understated British style they've realised that it's a different usage.

3) Don't use the C word. They don't have the concept of swearing at your friends quite so openly, so stay away really. I'm not sure I've heard an American say it, and certainly not in normal conversation.

Stuff that doesn't get starred out on this forum is probably ok, but they often don't know the nuances of them either.

Spoze you can say Fanny as much as you want 🙂
Sit on your fanny or pack a fanny pack with items.

They don't like the C word anymore than we do here, but they can ef and blind with the best of us, depends like here wether you know them or not, it's really not much different from here, depending on which region you're in.

Having said that, there can be a bit more God bothering in certain places so swear back when sworn at would probably be the best counsell.

I had a few looks when I exclaimed "Jesus Christ" at my daughter, when we were in LA last year.

You know, I visited some Americans for work a year or so ago. Some of them were quiet, reserved, non-sweary types, some were friendly, brash, normal talkers, some were a bit "common" like what I is and swore like the veritable trooper.
There's a huge amount of em over there. And they, strangely enough, have all different personalities!
Hated em all though, me.

I am from Scotland.

ah, then try using odd ones, Bollocks, ****er, numpty, might even get away with cockwomble etc

I've heard that they're so popular over there that you can buy them in packs....

Ah, I didn't mean that one. I meant the one I tried to teach to an American colleague and the closest he managed was "twot."

tell them you're going out for a fag

Don't tell them you're going to smoke a fag, they'll call the police.

Just as long as you point, shout and throw some white plastic chairs around you should be fine.

HTH 🙂

I find liberally minded Americans to find British RP profanity twee and rather endearing.

Which is a bit irritating when you're genuinely cross and they look at you with a sense of charmed wonderment because as far as they're concerned it's like being bollocked by Professor Snape.

I find the use of "four funnelled, copper bottomed, ocean going, full orchestra playing on the poop deck, thunder c@*t" is universally accepted and applauded throughout the US of A.

but if it's work, you wouldn't be effing and jeffing anyway, would you?

He might be a builder, in which case it's practically compulsory 😀

Obviously there's quiet a few of them and they all have their own opinion on it, in my very limited experience the more honest ones don't mind it away from young ears and occasionally swear themselves.

It's the really fake ones you want to watch out for, plastered behind a thick veneer of conformity masquerading as respectability, they have that way of calling you a **** to your face, whilst smiling and never actually using the word.

Not unique to the US though, it's a 'western world' thing.

If said work requires writing in pencil (appreciate this is somewhat of a long shot nowadays), ask a colleague if you can borrow a rubber. They will lose their shit.

Just do it in a working class Boston accent and no one will notice 😀

Three things:

1. Americans tend to be more formally polite with strangers, hence the pretty standard use of "sir" and "ma'am". TBH it is preferable to "mate".

2. Swearing. Americans do swear, but see 1.

3. Blasphemy (e.g. tenfoot's "Jesus Christ" above) is really not on in the US. Way more serious than swearing. See 1.

I am from Scotland.

There are a plethora of good Scottish swear words which'll slip unnoticed into most conversations with Americans.

e.g You may safely refer to your friend as a fud, dobber, bawbag or boaby basher.

Just try not swearing, pottymouth.

They don't like the C word anymore than we do here

Never been to Glasgow, then? 😀

I can't believe nobody has posted this up yet. The master at work, not being appreciated by American philistines...

😆

They've never met Wayne kerr either

This is very true in my experience.

I met lots of different people in Oklahoma, most of whom thought they had offended me at some point during the evening.

This was entirely due to my increasing casual use of swear words as I got more drunk.

What they really love is being told that we are basically a majority Muslim country by default, as no one else acknowledges religion.

Makes them really angry without giving them any reason to be angry at you directly.

Actually don't do this.

Was watching Veep last night. The one where she is trying to find the person who called her a c-word in the office. I think they were just going for the record of using it the most in a single programme.

http://betterwithpopcorn.com/blog/george-prax/tv-reviews/veep-s05e06-recap-most-brutal-lines-cgate

So I think it depends on which American you're talking to.

Veep is great, started off quite cautious but is now probably more profane than Thick of It.

everyone's favourite onanism euphemism, and possibly even the popular term for a ladygarden that isn't the c-bomb.

Am I the only one who has no idea which words he's on about?

Am I the only one who has no idea which words he's on about?

Am I the only one who has no idea which words he's on about?

** or maybe -**

the popular term for a ladygarden that isn't the c-bomb.

Am I the only one who has no idea which words he's on about?

certainly isn't "twit"

/edited for context

Just returned from the west coast and wasn't aware of any particular swearing, although cycling along the ocean front in San Diego, one Fisherman said to another something about being a bull shitter, saw us and immediately apologised for swearing.

Contrast that to the completely unrestrained use of offensive language in public places by so many people in the UK, totally oblivious of any offence they may cause.

or maybe ***-**

Monkey-fumbler?

But instead they have guns...

Just ask to borrow a rubber

I understand mother ****er is worse than the cpeanut word there.

And don't mention you smoke fags.

four funnelled, copper bottomed, ocean going, full orchestra playing on the poop deck, thunder c@*t

You owe me a cup of tea.

Just adopt the above approach of stringing words together with the desired intonation. I once dated an Italian girl who could say the nicest things, but in a tone that left you in no doubt that your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries and had probably had inappropriate relations with donkeys.

I am from Scotland.

Shove your boaby up to the bawbag in a jobby you tally-washing clawbaw.

Just go full Tucker

rosscore - Member

They don't like the C word anymore than we do here

For me here is Scotland, so I'm interpreting that as meaning that they *s like the c word as much as us *s do.

I had an American friend who could only be described as a bad man. I remember the look of shock and horror on his face when I used the c-word. I think he actually gasped. I can only conclude that if he was shocked and horrified by the c-word 98-99% of Muricans must be too...

My only experience of Americans is through podcasts, if i can generalise from what i listen to then you'll be fine dropping as many f-bombs as you like.

[url= http://thechurchofwhatshappeningnow.libsyn.com ]Example here - Joey "coco" Diaz podcast[/url]

The last time I used the C word in a converstion, with an American at work, he was stunned into silence (I didn't call him it either) I had to stop and explain that in NE England it was perfectly OK to talk like that. He was one of a lot of people from the US I've met who never say anything worse than fricking or freaking and think that thats bad language.

Is there any truth in this? will I need to curtail my almost casual use of the F and C words?

Not really. You'll just appear ignorant and ill-mannered. Same as when you swear here.

I remember once sitting in a cafe in a town just outside of Washington. 3 young lads around 18 - 20yrs old came and sat down behind me. One of them swore in a mild way like saying damn or something and the other 2 just ripped him apart for being so rude. Really gave him a telling off. I just couldn't believe it.

I've been living here for nearly 10 yrs and my usage of the 'c' word dropped right off. At home it was used as a general greeting, here even my closest friends, who have a lot of experience with my sweary drunken ranting, get a little pale when I use it. On the west coast I would say f ing is generally ok, but I've met people who look at me like I just killed their cat for saying crap.

cpeanut

Wasn't that a film about a horse?

Some mercans chatting at work earlier....

My better half is American and she said when she first came to the UK it wasn't the swearing that surprised here but the way friends take the piss and call each other names without trying to offend.

She's white and strangely (to my mind) the casual racism surprised her as well, but then this is Cornwall, place is chock full of honkies..

friends take the piss and call each other names without trying to offend.

Surely this happens in loads of countries? If an Ozzie calls you a cpeanut (?what?) he's being friendly - if he calls you 'mate' then you might just be in trouble. 😆

I recently went to Greece, and 'yasu malaka' is about as bad an insult as you can give to a stranger, but is a regular greeting among friends. Well, the kind of people I make friends with.

My better half is American and she said when she first came to the UK it wasn't the swearing that surprised here but the way friends take the piss and call each other names without trying to offend.

This. Even without the ribald p!ss taking. About 7 or 8 yrs ago we had a senior US colleague over to deliver a couple of days training. IIRC I think she was somewhere around / not much below VP level, and most of the audience were fairly senior. For the first day I think she was really troubled / didn't understand what the hell was going on. As she got her bearings she made reference that the language (normal banter, not swearing) really was a barrier - took her a while to work out that what we were saying wasn't anger, or disgust, or hostility - but just British joshing around, which she had taken literally.

And that word summed up a trip to N Carolina a few years ago. They really do tend to take things literally 🙄

I remember the look of shock and horror on his face when I used the c-word. I think he actually gasped. I can only conclude that if he was shocked and horrified by the c-word 98-99% of Muricans must be too...

The funny thing is - when americans do drop the C-bomb it sounds ridiculous - it just doesn't work with american vowels and intonation, They sound like they're trying to swallow the word back up before anyone hears it.

Twot amuses me no end.

We got some mileage out of it, believe me. (-:

when americans do drop the C-bomb it sounds ridiculous

I always find it strange / amusing delivered by Londoners. You can't what exactly?

They've never met Wayne kerr either

Agree with comments about C-word; just don't.
Apart from that, if you accentuate your English accent you'll be amazed at what you can get away with.
You could show some empathy with the cousins by using frickin'; no-one knows what it means and you will get brownie points.
Ah yes, comments above about fanny - same word, meanings just a small distance apart but.....be careful.

At least one American I've met when he is saying 't*at' made it sound like 'twot'. He did mean it in the same way though. Although when I told him to 't*at it' as in hit it hard, he didn't get it.