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I don't think vulgar goes along with basic, the four letter, Germanic versions of fornicate and defecate have a whole range of varied, nuanced, often contradict
by jrumbut 6y ago
I don't think vulgar goes along with basic, the four letter, Germanic versions of fornicate and defecate have a whole range of varied, nuanced, often contradictory meanings that capture the irreducible complexity of lived experience.
The Latin derived versions just make everything so bloodless, so focused on one particular aspect of the concept. They really are the simple words, even if they have more letters.
- sbarre 6y agoI meant basic in the lowbrow/highbrow sense, not with regards to complexity, but I understand your point.
- User23 6y agoWhat many people consider the strongest English vulgarity is derived from the Latin cunnus.
- jrumbut 6y agoThat's a good point!
- mirimir 6y agoBut not so much in the UK, right?
- dghughes 6y agoI'm amazed at British TV shows even whimsical gameshows where everyone swears like a sailor. But when someone dares to say the "c word" it's bleeped and everyone gasps.
- Chris2048 6y agoI recall that the c-word used to be common too, then the idea that it was "the female n-word" was imported from the US.
- IgorPartola 6y agoAs someone who has an Australian friend, the avoidance of that word is definitely not universal.