Insults that never made an impact this side of the pond

[Ginger Tea]

I have no idea if this is the right forum or not, but as its about American insults that either never made it across to the UK or never got taken up in our already vulgar vocabulary, "clash of cultures" made sence.

There are two main words that I either never heard growing up or so infrequent I might not have heard them, but as they are prevelant in the states song lines like "they used a club to beat a spade" makes sense if you know of the derogatory meaning, which I tbh, didn't, not untill re watching (for the music) Streets of fire (Willem Defoe lookes super gay in the leather dungarees) and it wasn't untill a cop refered to the band whos bus they were escaping in as said term did the RATM line really make more sense (I got the rest of the song though)

Another was one of the Dirty Harry movies (the one with the hit out on him I think) I re watched it around the same time as Streets of fire and thought a character's name was Samual Bowe, sam for short.

I did watch some blacksploitation growing up, but was too young to see it as such, most were good unintentionally funny shoot/beat the shit out of the bad guys whilst being badly dubed, so I probably heard the term alot then but forgot about it. Although one film had a character saying "Sidneys a broad." and I took it to mean out of the country

So, as terms fall out of use, the context of what is said is lost on some (like me) and I have to learn a new derogatory term to understand the lyric ... thanks? It's also irksom when its a politician that only American's or the state of the singer/TV show might know, too many jokes are lost on me on shows like friends due to "this guy I've never heard of and isn't relevant by the time we get the show anyway."

On a totally different note, I knew white rabbit was about drugs early on, I was 20odd when I realised it was about Alice in Wonderland

[AdminAssistant]

Well, it works the other way as well. I've picked up a lot of British-isms from the works of Eddie Izzard, Ricky Gervais, etc. As far as TV shows go...while there certainly is an international market, I'm sure that most screenwriters don't worry whether or not folks from England or Australia will get all the jokes.

Fun Fact: NCIS became really popular in Australia long before it hit #1 in the states.

[Ginger Tea]

Aye my brother had to explain that Barney meant fight to his JK2 clan and wasn't anything to do with any purple dinosaurs
We smoke our Fag's
And be careful with the word fanny (we call fanny packs bum bags over here btw), my old sig on another site used to be "I'm an anglo-american fanny, sometimes I'm being an arse others im a C***"

[Andara Bledin]

On a totally different note, I knew white rabbit was about drugs early on, I was 20odd when I realised it was about Alice in Wonderland

So you caught the subtext and totally missed the framework itself? That takes some talent.

Honestly, most of what you mentioned would be lost on most Americans these days, as well. Language moves on and evolves, and a lot of 50's and older terminology is far enough out of use as to be obscure.

And be careful with the word fanny (we call fanny packs bum bags over here btw), my old sig on another site used to be "I'm an anglo-american fanny, sometimes I'm being an arse others im a C***"

Now there's a word that can get a person in trouble. It seems the old country uses C*** as a generic moderate-level term for any old F***er, while over here it's reserved almost exclusively as one of the most vile pejoratives against women.

^-.-^

[Mishi]

It seems the old country uses C*** as a generic moderate-level term for any old F***er, while over here it's reserved almost exclusively as one of the most vile pejoratives against women.

Over here in Australia, it changes depending on where you are. People in the state capitals seem to take it as being worse than 'F***' whereas the country areas seem to have forgotten the original meaning and use it as frequently as or in conjunction with 'F***'.
Example (Approval): "Oi man, he's a f***ing mad c***, hey!?!"
Example (Dislike): "Get in there you f***ing c*** of a bitch!" (standard mechanic and computer tech phrasing.)

[Hyena Dandy]

Where I'm from, I usually here 'cunt' used as the highest form of 'asshole'

Personally, my foul language actually decreases based on how upset I am.

Yesterday I stubbed my toe and said "Fucking hell..."

Today I slipped and pulled a groin muscle and yelled "DAGNABBIT"

[Eisa]

This isn't used so much as an insult, but its very creation and usage is an insult in and of itself. "Santorum" anyone?



I've noticed most people do not use c***. But I do...with unsettling frequency.



Oh, I did not know until recently that "wank" had another meaning in the U.S.!

[Andara Bledin]

Now I'm curious as to what you knew wank meant and what you've learned it means.

^-.-^

[Eisa]

I knew wank was slang for masturbation.

Now I also know it can be used in the context of, say, fanwank. And doesn't always mean masturbation. :P

[Ginger Tea]

So you caught the subtext and totally missed the framework itself? That takes some talent.

I've done it many a time, when pet sitting for my brother oop norf I visited a mate and he wanted me to record something about Christmas, being white and English it was just assumed I was a Christian and had read the bible, but for me I thought Jesus had to be the son of god as he was born at Christmas and died at Easter, no one bothered to tell me about the 30 odd years in between, I just saw it like the intro to starman with the rapid timelapsed aging.
The tale is still online afaik

Also helps that I can't recall watching alice or ever reading it, I knew of it, but didn't know the character Hooka [sp] the smoking catterpillar, just the cat mad hatter tweedle dee and dum and the odd few others.
And the closest to the bible I've ever been is the movie.

Now there's a word that can get a person in trouble. It seems the old country uses C*** as a generic moderate-level term for any old F***er, while over here it's reserved almost exclusively as one of the most vile pejoratives against women.

That can be the case over here too, depending on who you say it too.

[Andara Bledin]

Now I also know it can be used in the context of, say, fanwank. And doesn't always mean masturbation. :P

I'm not certain, not having run into that term much, if at all, but I'd think the root meaning is still the same.

^-.-^

[Gravekeeper]

A friend of mine from the UK had to explain a few days ago why the name "Green Bay Packers" made him raise an eyebrow. He then pointed out they didn't have cheerleaders and played American football. -.-

[BigGiant]

I've always found it interesting how "bird" somehow changed to "chick" over here.

"Cheeky" is another one that I love. Really doesn't have much meaning over here, except to those that know its meaning abroad.

A "tart" is something you eat over here, like a pop tart...well I guess tarts get eaten over there too..

[Hyena Dandy]

Now I also know it can be used in the context of, say, fanwank. And doesn't always mean masturbation. :P

Although it is very much related. Though in fandom-type terms I guess it means any sort of self-indulgent behavior.

[Lace Neil Singer]

The best one is "ass"; if I want to be facetious, I'll point out that you're actually calling people a "donkeyhole" or "donkeyhat". XD