Since we're on the subject of coarse language (those of you with delicate ears may wish to skip this article), I've long noticed that "the C word" is considered the most crass and vulgar of all English swear words. At least, it seems to be considered as such by females of the species. Not all, of course; my wife lets fly with it without hesitation (that's my baby), along with a few other women I know (including more than one popular female blogger). But usually, in everyday conversation, it's the one word I know will drive women into a tizzy. So much so that I always hesitate to use it myself--as in, almost never.
But as Michael McNeil notes is is a word with a long and storied history, beloved of such authors even of Chaucer. Only I think Michael may be mistaken in one thing: I'm pretty sure its ultimate roots are from the Latin word cunnus, although etymologists are doubtful about that from what I understand.
Wha? Conservative? Centrist? Cooking?
"Coolio." Isn't that obvious? :-)
I reserve it for special use.
Kim, being the damn ferriner and all, grew up with its use describing men, not women. Until he came to the states he'd never heard it used for a woman.
Since women tend to get a little crabby once a month, I think it's obvious what Dean is referring to...
CLEANING!!!
While I'm no prude (ref: the eels), I'm drawing the line here. Understanding that it's just a word, three consonants and a vowel, this word is completely different than "fuck" which is used is so many different situations, whilest the "C" word is exclusively used (outside of porn) as a vile and degrading adjective used to describe a woman that you probably aren't happy with at the time or in general.
Using that word in EXCESS is a true mark of an angry person who must be seriously pissed off (or pissed on). Are some people probably deserving of that label? Probably yes. I've only met a few in my lifetime, and I don't think that we can make that statement about a celebrity or pundit (even Ann Coulter) unless we know them personally.
And knowing a person who heard from some people that know this guy who used to work on her staff doesn't count for credibility.
That word is such a strong word (like hate) I'd have to keep it in reserve (like a nuclear weapon) to use at just the right time.
Rosemary, I'd hate to see you as commander in chief, we'd run out of nuclear weapons during your first 100 days in office.
Whatever the alphabet word, it's always been my opinion that it takes more thought and effort NOT to use them. Limited vocabularly - limited thinking.
That said, because I rarely use them myself, when the rare instance happens when I let one fly, my point (and often anger) is crystal clear. Friends and family KNOW I'm serious. When foul language is simply habitual, it loses its effectiveness and simply sounds boorish and ignorant.
I've also found that most (but not all) people resort to uncouth language to help back an illogical debate. It's fast, easy, and is effective in derailing a losing argument. My wife and I call it "fighting unfair."
Simply my two-*&^%$-cents.
I love that word CUNT, and if I were a woman I'd love it even more. A strong word redolent of power, of might, like a clenched fist. The POWER of her FLOWER. Her CUNT, encircling, embracing, enveloping, engulfing. Captivating.
And -- her Holy of Holies -- her Clitoris, her Clit. Her CLIT. Her Divine ecstasy, her Womanhood, her Essence. I love the look of that holiest of all words. Conservative Lesbian Individualist Theology. The Goddess. Her Holy Clit.
4 letters. 4. 4 is my favorite number. E.g., so many ideological spectrums have 4 quadrants. I notice that, in English, "FOUR" is the one number that has as many letters in the word itself as the number it stands for. 4. 4. 4. 4. HOLY. HOLY. HOLY. HOLY. CLIT. CLIT. CLIT. CLIT.
Her HOLY CLIT. Her BODY. Her LEGS. Her ARMS. Her TITS. Her NECK. Her HAIR. Her EARS. Her FACE. Her LIPS. Her NOSE. Her EYES. Her MIND. Her SOUL. Her HATE. Her LUST. Her LOVE. Her GODS. Her SELF. HOLY. HOLY. HOLY. HOLY.
Rosemary, I'd hate to see you as commander in chief, we'd run out of nuclear weapons during your first 100 days in office.
Ah, that is not at all true. You are just being silly now. I'm so NOT that bitchy.
While I have let the c-word fly on occasion, it is not a part of my daily vocabulary.
I reserve that word for people that have earned my complete irreversable contempt. I also feel, and it may sound very hypocritical, that women alone should be allowed to use that word.
That is our word, we own it. In the same sense that the N-word belongs to blacks only.
If Rosemary were President, we would only have to worry about nuclear warfare about once per month or so.
[ducking and running VERY FAST....]
Oh, here's one I remember from way back in high school: "What's the difference between a tribe of pygmies, and the girls' track team?"
A: "One's a bunch of cunning runts. The other's a bunch of running cunts."
(No, I haven't figured how to work that one into a sermon yet...)
The British band Caravan once issued an album called Cunning Stunts, and I recall a quarter-page trade ad for it that read simply "Stunning."
This would have been about 1975, or four years after their seminal LP If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You.
"As the now banished minister Paul Burgess sat down to write the LAST sermon he would be allowed to give before a congregation before the authorities took him away, he comtemplated sprinting pygmies."
That's how my book is going to start. It's going to end with Rosemary's finger pressing the big red button on the right.
Hey Tim,
If I'm ever CIC, I'll make sure you'll be Sec of Defense.
Steven, you may want to:
a. up the dosage
b. halve the dosage
C. yoU Next Tuesday
d. find out who has been posting to Dean's World using your name.
e. el
f. some of the above
CGHill reminded me of a dastardly horse breeder who once named one of his racehorses "Cunning Stunt."
If you've ever heard an announcer call a horse race, you realize one slip of the tongue (if you'll pardon the expression) could cause a career ending injury.
Tim,
I think Steven is begging you for a parody...
Rob,
UGH!
In Croata, their C-word is "pice" (pronounced "pizza"), like the Italo-American everyday food dish. A diminuitive one is "picka" (pronounced "peach-ka"). I think the usage is similar and maybe identical in Serbia and Bosna, where the languages are more less identical despite orthographic differences.
So if you are in a Croatian restaurant in any city where few American or other English-speaking tourists are seen, and you order Pizza, don't be surprised if they regard you with an all-knowing leer, of the kind bartenders reserve for whores who come out to play tennis, or whatever.
But the question is, how did you get on this weird trip into offensive everyday words, anyway?
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
Strange are the ways of the Esmays.
I guess you can call me a PRUDE! I don't like it, I think it is offensive and crude and disrespectful to throw the word out there not knowing who is reading it and you will turn off some real nice new readers to Dean's World.
What happened to good taste and respecting other people. Sure, I can cuss like a sailor-who can't? There are many people that have hurt inside them due to these words and sensitivity I feel is important when you are writing. It's alright to say it to someone who knows you and knows you don't mean anything by it, but writing a blog or column or anything like that where you are trying to build your business so to speak, this is bordering on ruining a good reputation.
I am the ole' lady here I know, but I have also been around enough people with dignity and class to know this is not appreciated.
I know, I know, many blogs say if you are bothered by offensive words...go away or don't let the door hit you on your way out!
The Prude Ole' Lady...don't do this too much and draw your lines. Some of these comments are funny some are very offensive.
I know...don't let the door hit you ole' lady! Nah, I will be back. My feelings here, I own them.
While I have always thought that descending into the realm of the profane meant generally that one had run out of valid argument or logic, there also remains the moment where the crude is really the only thing that will do in a given moment.
Far more interesting is the fact that one can bandy about dickhead, for instance, or something similiar without an eyelash batted, yet bring out all the blushing maidens and angry feminists when referencing the "C" word.
What's the difference?
Dean, you did preface your article with those with delicate ears may want to skip this. That was respecful and good of you.
Everybody, everybody has their own opinion when it comes to using offensive language and will label you if you don't apreciate it and of course you know that as well.
My thoughts on it. Thank you.
See I like it. I'm liking it more and more every day. As a matter of fact, I've made an effort to use it more often. And if you try real hard, "cunt" can be just as versatile as "fuck." I'm on a desensitizing mission. And I decided on all this months before I watched The Vagina Monologues for the first time (which was today).
Steven got me all worked up. *whew*
Paul Burgess:
"Oh, here's one I remember from way back in high school: 'What's the difference between a tribe of pygmies, and the girls' track team?'
"A: 'One's a bunch of cunning runts. The other's a bunch of running cunts.'"
See, Paul, to me, giving the second sentence of the punchline spoils it. My favorite joke of all time was delivered to me this way more than a decade ago (and yes, I'm sure it's made the rounds of famous women with loose reputations for years):
"Q: What's the difference between Madonna and the Panama Canal?
"A: The Panama Canal's a busy ditch."
There: naughty hilarity and respect for the intelligence of the audience.
Um, what was this thread about? Oh. Not a concept I commune with daily. I do think, though, that one problem when you're trying to get rid of curse words is that they're so sensually satisfying to say when you're angry or enthusiastic. No one who's worked up into a righteous lather wants to be saying words that roll from the mouth like lilac, or fawn, or even darn.
Tim the Soldier:
"find out who has been posting to Dean's World using your name."
I'm pretty sure it's Linda Blair.
Sean, I hear where you're coming from— I think I understand, and I do appreciate, your take on this issue.
However, as you may well have noticed, subtlety is not one of my strong suits. I tend to see the world as an explosion of bold primary colors.
Even (or perhaps especially) when I'm going off on a tirade about darn lilac fawns, and what the lilac do them darn fawning idjits think they're up to with their off-lilac jokes about darn hail-fellow-well-fawning-met fawn lilacs and their darn cunning stunts... ;-)
Just goes to show you:
The impact of a word is according to what society gives it.
I learned the hard way that you need to be extremely careful about using cusswords in another language because you have no shared cultural experience to tell you how the word is received.
A British comedian on a late night talk show said he could use the word "bugger" without getting beeped in the US because we don't know what it means.
Nope. We know exactly what it means. But it just doesn't have the ingrained cultural reaction in the US that it does in the UK. And even "anal rape" doesn't really carry the correct connotations.
Thus, the C-biscut, the P-word (similar to a word for a cat), and vagina all describe the same thing with various levels of acceptability....