Acceptable words

[blas87]

Ok, so we all know it's not very smart nor mature to call someone a "fag" or a "queer", it's disgusting to call someone a "retard" and it's not very polite to call a woman a "bitch" or a "dyke", and the like......(I'm a poet and I didn't even know it....)

But what kinds of names are "ok" to call others as insults? And I don't mean people of certain sexual orientations or mental disabilities.....and I don't mean our beloved CS insults like "fucktrumpet" or any other names with curse words in them.

These are words reserved only for people who are naturally stupid/ignorant and mean.

Is "moron" that offensive? "Idiot"? Is "yutz" offensive (my favorite word from the Golden Girls, I call lots of men "yutz"). "Floozy"? "Bimbo?"

Let's discuss.

[Amethyst Hunter]

"Wanker" has a nice ring to it, and it's just obscene enough for those who know what its real meaning is. :D

"Scumbag" works well too.

I also employ the following: snotweed, twit, gasbag, or, if I'm feeling particularly self-amusing, I resort to good 'ol anime for having taught me some colorful-sounding insults. Observe:

Baka - idiot
Bakayaro - stupid asshole
Bakemono - monster
Hebiyaro - snake bastard

Ahh, the fine art of insult-making. XD

[DexX]

I have a love/hate relationship with "wanker". I think it's a great word with a well-established meaning when used as an insult ( a "wanker" is usually self-congratulatory, self-aggrandising, arrogant, egocentric, etc.). On the other hand, much like the word "cunt", I don't like using a positive word in a negative way. Masturbation is a good thing, but our religion-shackled sex-negative society keeps telling us it's bad, funny, embarrassing, or shameful. Imagine how much more happy and sex-positive kids would grow up to be if their parents told them there is nothing wrong with a bit of "self-love".

I really struggle with "cunt" though. Long ago I hardly ever used it, only ever saying it when extremely angry. It gradually crept more and more into my lexicon and ended up being fairly everyday in its usage. One day, though, a very frank female friend of mine used the word while we were driving, and I flinched. Thing is, she used it correctly, referring to her own body. I realised that my reaction was stupid - she was quite rightly referring to her own cunt, in a totally positive and empowered way.

From that day on, I promised to work on using the word "cunt" only in its positive, literal sense. I struggle, though, and I still use it negatively, especially when I'm angry. Ah well, I'm working on it.

[Greenday]

and it's not very polite to call a woman a "bitch"

Wait, what? I hear girls everywhere I go calling each other bitches. Wtf mate?

[Norton]

Wait, what? I here girls everywhere I go calling each other bitches. Wtf mate?


The point is that they call eachother bitches in a playful banter. If some stranger were to call one of those girls a bitch, you can bet she and her friends would be in an uproar.

My female friends and I would always call eachother terrible names. Someone would walk in a room and say "What up, sluts?" Bitch, whore and cunt were all perfectly acceptable as well. It was all in good fun, though.


As for acceptable words, I see no one has listed "jerk". That's the one I most commonly use. Sort of like the American version of wanker.

[DesignFox]

Wait, what? I hear girls everywhere I go calling each other bitches. Wtf mate?

My friends and I do not refer to each other as "bitches." Although occasionally we will take the word and empower it rather than using it as an insult.

With some words, it all depends on context...sort of like what black people have done with the N-word.

I still cringe when I hear the word cunt....not a big fan of that one, although when I hear it I try to desensitize myself to it. I have never heard that one used in a positive context before, and I just don't like the way it sounds. In and of itself, I think it's a harsh word.

So now, I have to ask...what is offensive about the word moron? Or idiot?

[Seshat]

So now, I have to ask...what is offensive about the word moron? Or idiot?

id·i·ot noun
1. A foolish or stupid person.
2. A person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below three years and generally being unable to learn connected speech or guard against common dangers. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

mo·ron noun
1. A stupid person; a dolt.
2. A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

Cretin also has a former medical definition. Dolt, however, does not.

Pejoratives tend to be medical, religious, sexual or scatalogical, with a few others which denote personality traits. Which words are safe to use depends on what types of offense you're willing to give.

[Saydrah]

My recommendation:

If you're wanting to use a word and not sure if it could offend, do a google search for "word origins (term)." It has surprised me several times.

I like "jerk" and "scumbag" myself, but more creative insults like "douchenozzle" and "jizzmop" are both interesting and appropriate.

[claidhmore]

My friends and I do not refer to each other as "bitches." Although occasionally we will take the word and empower it rather than using it as an insult.

With some words, it all depends on context...sort of like what black people have done with the N-word.


I had a discussion with a black gentleman back when I worked at McDonalds about that. It's all about familiarity, I think. It's like if someone else called you a pet name that your significant other gave you, except a little larger in scope. There isn't any malice associated with it when it's someone you know saying it.

[AFPheonix]

I typically use permutations of "Shit" like shithead, shit-for-brains, etc.

I have a small fecal fixation, apparently.

[Boozy]

Cretin also has a former medical definition. Dolt, however, does not.

I've always liked "dolt" as an insult. It has a vague onomatopoeic sense to it.

[DesignFox]

Thank you for those definitions Seshat.

I had never heard either of those words used in that context before. I didn't realize they initially had a medical context.

[IDrinkaRum]

I still like backside beret. :D

[Seshat]

I had never heard either of those words used in that context before. I didn't realize they initially had a medical context.

You're most welcome.

Sometime when you're bored, google or hit your local library and learn some stuff about the history of mental health care. It's weird and fascinating.

Of course, my own interest in it is affected by family and friends: my best friend's primary disability is mental, and I have mentally ill family. But once I got started - fascinating! Also somewhat shameful, and in some cases horrific. Historic rubbernecking at trainwrecks sometimes. But there are also some truly dedicated and inspiring people.

[myswtghst]

I still like backside beret. :D

I taught my uncle/godfather asshat. He was overjoyed, and loves to use it around me to this day. I'm just glad my family has such a good sense of humor. :D

Oh, and the big one that gets disputed around our house is douchebag. Mom HATES it when my brother says it, so we've forced him into saying D-bag if he absolutely must use the term around mom.

[Seshat]

Well, when you think about it, using douchebag as an insult is declaring a tool for vaginal cleansing to be equivalent to the behaviour or personality you're insulting.

As in phrases like "I'd call her a bitch, but that's an insult to dogs."

Since there is no actual thing that is an asshat, go ahead and use it without fear of insult. Unintentional insult, that is. ;)

[TheRoo]

A little bit off topic, but when I got my new phone, one of the default pictures on it was a donkey wearing a sombrero.

[DesignFox]

A little bit off topic, but when I got my new phone, one of the default pictures on it was a donkey wearing a sombrero.

Roo, that's hilarious!

[Seshat]

Okay, so there are hats for asses.

Make it arsehat, and pronounce the r. ;)

[DexX]

Maybe it't the Red Dwarf fan in me, but I quite like "git".

[Lace Neil Singer]

Maybe it't the Red Dwarf fan in me, but I quite like "git".

Git is a great word. XD As is "smeg".

[Sylvia727]

I like to use British slang--bint, git, chit, bloody. Most twits can't pull their heads out of their arses far enough to see other cultures, so it works well. I also like saying random words in Japanese or German. Gives the wrong (right?) impression.

I've used bitch, cunt, twat, etc. in both positive and negative ways. *shrugs* I never have any trouble figuring out if it's empowerment or insult, and neither bothers me. I guess I'm special.

"Special", by the way, has also become an insult. I anticipate the day when it is as offensive as "idiot", detached from the former meaning.

[Boozy]

I've used bitch, cunt, twat, etc. in both positive and negative ways. *shrugs* I never have any trouble figuring out if it's empowerment or insult, and neither bothers me. I guess I'm special.

I guess I must be special, too.

Seriously, though - human beings have the ability to figure out context and intent when speaking to someone. There are certain neurological conditions such as Aspergers that cause some people to have problems with this, but those conditions are fairly rare. Most communication is non-verbal, and most people understand it just fine.

But there are people who still say, "I don't see the difference between a white person using the N-word and a black person using the word." I think people who say this are lying. The differences in tone and intent is so vast that a child could understand.

You still may not like it, but to say that you don't even see a difference is glib and simplistic.

[Sylvia727]

But there are people who still say, "I don't see the difference between a white person using the N-word and a black person using the word." I think people who say this are lying. The differences in tone and intent is so vast that a child could understand.



http://youtube.com/watch?v=VXrLnshM_ME

This link shows an interview with Bill Cosby about a variety of issues surrounding black youth today, but at 3:30 he makes the argument that when black rap artists use the n-word in a certain way, they are giving their audience permission to use that word as well. When white youth buy cds and hear that word, why shouldn't they use it?

Obviously a racist and a mall rat are using different tones and body language to give context, but does their skin color add context as well? Consensus seems to be yes.