Things you were shockingly old when you learned

(Still trying to popularize 'nipple' as a pejorative but can't seem to get off the runway with that one.)

I worry about Americans visiting the UK and thinking that they can freely use the word 'cunt'. You can't, and its still the strongest swear word. It can be used in different ways among friends, but calling someonw a cunt (especially in anger) is still offensive.

Not to mention that either way it's still a misogynistic slur - from women being reduced to their genitals, to men being insulted by being called the word for a woman, it's a gendered word, whether people will admit it or not.

speak for yourself buddy, i have previously established on ilx that i had a cloaca installed a while back and i'm v happy with it xxp

xxps dunno.. i get what you mean but calling someone a 'cunt' in the UK is just that. in towns like Glasgow it's used so often it's a borderline term of endearment. it's become so removed from the original meaning (like 'fuck or whatever) that I don't really think it has the same implication as 'pussy', which is definitely sexually implicit

And a man callng another man a 'cunt' is very different from calling a women that. xp

The way it's used in Scotland is sort of ridiculous, but it's by no means a term of endearment, it's more neutral:

Alan McGee: "How did the last album sell?"
Boaby Gillespite: "Shite. Nae cunt boaght it."

like, saying 'that guy's a cunt', 'that guy's a dick' 'that guy's an arsehole' or a twat or anything like that - depending on the context and intention pretty much denotes that the subject is either a silly or insalubrious person as opposed to literally a body part.

... I mean it's neutral when used as above, I wouldn't recommend slapping someone heartily on the shoulder in a bar in Glasgow and saying, "How the hell are you, you cunt."

And you shouldn't hit on a woman by saying 'Hey, cunt - do you want a drink?'. The gendered nature of it persists.

And the reason it's used as a term of endearment is because of it's offensiveness, not because it's a neutral term.

It's very commonly used in construction site speak, and often not meant with offensive intent eg "ask that cunt over there, he knows".

But not in anger, and not to women.

i've hardly ever heard it used to describe a woman, unless it's by another woman. it sounds a bit weird. the first time i came across it used by US people was the episode of Curb where Larry accidentally spits it out and offends everyone at the dinner party; later it's explained that it's a term to describe someone who is effeminate, which is not the UK reading at all

(or else it resumses it's offensive state) xp

darragh's going to get very cross at us as soon as he gets home from wrok

And the reason it's used as a term of endearment is because of it's offensiveness, not because it's a neutral term.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IfoUM6a4bA

(I'm really just annoyed by people elsewhere who defend attacking women with that word by saying that it's not offensive in Scotland or Australia, when it is. Was especially common during the gamergate harassment period)

It's generally a safe bet to trust the utterer's opinion as to whether or not their gendered pejorative of choice is offensive. They tend to be pretty impartial about it, I find.

Possibly interesting to compare perception of misogyny, harshness/taboo of insult of cunt compared to twat, is there an etymological reason for that? Don't think I've ever heard anyone complain about twat being misogynistic.

Thinking of the gendered aspect, curiously I think it feels more manly to be called a cunt than a prick. Not that I want to be called either.

I called the woman I work for a cunt while talking to our HR woman last week during a moment of extreme anger. Was very happy when I realized that she hadn't heard me.

annoyed by people elsewhere who defend attacking women with that word by saying that it's not offensive in Scotland or Australia, when it is.

fuck up cunce

It's a strong insult but when you're dealing with a really reprehensible asshole sometimes it is the most fitting and effective choice and yes obv it's gendered but for me that isn't really an issue when it's used by a woman describing another woman etc.

that 2001: a space odyssey was an allusion to the homeric odyssey.

Nick b - lazy is a synonym of feckless so that usage is correct

That's how it's mostly used in the UK.

that 2001: a space odyssey was an allusion to the homeric odyssey.

Dang. Layers upon layers here.

https://i.imgur.com/jqXyoJc.jpg?1

I was shockingly old when I opened the Samantha Bee thread just now and suddenly discovered why we were discussing gendered pejoratives all day itt.

the origin of the term "soap opera"

melodramatic show that was largely sponsored by soap company adverts innit

um yeah i just didn't know where the "soap" part came from

That “Rudy” was short for rude boy until like, uh, last year. I just thought that Rudy was a common old fashioned guy’s name in England.

... Jamaica, you mean.

probably thinking of the specials tbf

True. It is a cover of a Jamaican song, of course!

haha

Rudeboy Giuliani

Rudeboy and the dweebs

That Minnie Riperton's daughter is Maya Rudolph, whom she addresses at the end of Lovin' You ("Maya, Maya, Maya").

yes! I think I learned that via pop up video

The specials yeah but also the clash.

lol I was thinking about a certain clash song after reading comments about the word “feckless” on ilx this week

wait

ye were focusing on feckless

lolz

what did ye decide out of prurient interest

rudy. probably could fail

I also thought about it immediately because of the “feckless” convo.

I knew it!!

I was going to make a Rancid joke, but then I remembered that song was called "Ruby Soho".

Ruboy

I'm not sure if this is a "wha?" or a "how could you not know?".

My partner (Canadian) and I (British) were talking about hypothetical dog names for our hypothetical dog, and I suggested Toby after the dog in A Study in Scarlet, and then she told me Toby was a racist slave name, but she couldn't remember why. Is this a thing? All I could find online was a dialogue reference from Eastbound and Down, and, more pertinitently, that Toby was Levar B's slave name in Roots (I haven't seen it). Anyway - Toby: yes or monstrous?