Colorful Cursing

DWSTXS · Apr 2, 2008

I am a big fan of slang, and arcane verbiage.

I also think that cursing, when used correctly, can really enhance a character.

My grandmother used to say (when us kids had exasperated the crap out of her) 'It's enough to make a preacher cuss!'

and a successful, sexy, eccentric woman I know has a special term for some people. She doesn't just call them cock-s****r, or mother-f***er.

She calls them 'cock-knocker!'

so, come on, AW'ers, let's hear some original, or rarely-used cursing that you've come across, or use...

Shweta · Apr 2, 2008

...For novel research purposes, or just for fun?

Cranky · Apr 2, 2008

"Shit fire and light a match" was my father's favorite.

As a companion curse, my mother would sometimes say, "Shit fire in a frying pan." What that means, I don't really know.

DWSTXS · Apr 2, 2008

Shweta said:
...For novel research purposes, or just for fun?

either way is fu***ng okay.

actually though, everyone hears cursing. I was thinking more along the lines of stuff you don't hear often. Which, in my opnion, makes it good enough to be in a story as something 'different'.

Of course, any plain old cursing could be used in a creative way that could make a character more interesting. I guess it would just depend upon the abilities of the author.

In fact, it might be just as interesting to see how a good writer could make a person MORE interesting by NOT cursing, or by coming up with more creative ways to curse in new ways.

A recent example, is on the HBO series, The Wire. One character, (Omar) a drug dealer, is well known for making his living ripping off other dealers, yet he is well-read and intelligent, and sets himself apart by NEVER cursing. He also walk the streets at night carrying a sawed-off shotgun while whistling 'The Farmer in the Dell'

Shweta · Apr 2, 2008

Thing is, either way Novels isn't the right place for it.
I'm wondering whether to move it to Office Party or to Story research

johnnysannie · Apr 2, 2008

In our family it was always "Shit fire and save matches"!

Other colorful gems I've heard over the years include:
"not worth shit or Shinola" Shinola being shoe polish
""Fuck you and the mule you rode in on"
"Jesus Christ on a crutch"
"Jesus, Mary, and her husband Joseph"
"nine fingered shite hawk" (Irish - English would be "shit hawk")
In the same vein as above "gobshite"
"Well, shit the bed!" (never heard this one till I moved to the Ozarks"
"Fuck me running"

There's some to play with; being of a profane nature, I could probably list many more :Ssh:

Cranky · Apr 2, 2008

johnnysannie said:
In our family it was always "Shit fire and save matches"!

Other colorful gems I've heard over the years include:
"not worth shit or Shinola" Shinola being shoe polish
""Fuck you and the mule you rode in on"
"Jesus Christ on a crutch"
"Jesus, Mary, and her husband Joseph"
"nine fingered shite hawk" (Irish - English would be "shit hawk")
In the same vein as above "gobshite"
"Well, shit the bed!" (never heard this one till I moved to the Ozarks"
"Fuck me running"

There's some to play with; being of a profane nature, I could probably list many more

*facepalm*

Yes, that's the correct way to say it! Obviously, this is not one I choose to employ myself.

DWSTXS · Apr 2, 2008

Shweta said:
Thing is, either way Novels isn't the right place for it.
I'm wondering whether to move it to Office Party or to Story research

IMO it's story research...or more accurately character research, but, you can decide where it belongs. I'll play along either way.

Shweta · Apr 2, 2008

I'm voting Office Party, since you'll get more hits there. *poof*!

benbradley · Apr 2, 2008

Frank Zappa was very creative with coming up with descriptions of a suggestive or flat-out "adult" nature without using hardly any of the usual "curse" words. Check out his lyrics online if you dare...

Jersey Chick · Apr 2, 2008

Hmmm... some of mine are:

Jesus Christ on a pogo stick - I don't get it, but it works for me
Jesus, Mary, and Henry - who the eff is Henry? I don't even know where I heard it, but I tend to use it a bit.
crap-ass - this gets a lot of use - ex. "More rain?? I'm sick of this crap-ass weather."

I get real colorful when I'm angry - those just pop out and I can't recall them right now...

johnnysannie · Apr 2, 2008

Told you I'd have more....the damn things are popping into my head now and it's all your fault for asking.....

Shit or get off the pot (make up your mind)
don't know their ass from a hole in the ground
Jesus Christ on a piece of toast
she's built like a brick shithouse (this is supposed to a compliment meaning a girl has a great figure!)

Cranky · Apr 2, 2008

He think's he's King Shit of Turd Mountain (borrowed from Stephen King). Use that one a lot.

Also, shit on a shingle.

Fucktastic.

The list goes on.

DWSTXS · Apr 2, 2008

in my 60's novel, I have characters saying:

absofuckinglutely

fan-fucking-tastic

I can also remember hearing 'booger-eating moron!'

dingleberry
ass-licker
turd-taster

also
c-rag
cunt-rag

Jersey Chick · Apr 2, 2008

Ohhh! I forgot one of my favorite favorites!

Craptastic! - It's so bad it's good!

rhymegirl · Apr 2, 2008

You mean when we're writing or when we're driving?

When I'm driving I use a whole bunch of bad words I never use the rest of the time.

DWSTXS · Apr 2, 2008

was that you yelling at me this morning in traffic? LOL that wasn't very nice, what you called me!

rhymegirl said:
You mean when we're writing or when we're driving?

When I'm driving I use a whole bunch of bad words I never use the rest of the time.

Jersey Chick · Apr 2, 2008

Road rage! I've said things that made my husband (a construction worker, BTW) look at me like he's never seen me before. Then he'll say, "I didn't know you could use those words together..."

Ahhh... a fine tapestry of obscenities - I am a master weaver

rhymegirl · Apr 2, 2008

DWSTXS said:
was that you yelling at me this morning in traffic? LOL that wasn't very nice, what you called me!

You mean when I called you a big fat c8ck-sucking, f*ckwad?

DWSTXS · Apr 2, 2008

Jersey Chick said:
Road rage! I've said things that made my husband (a construction worker, BTW) look at me like he's never seen me before. Then he'll say, "I didn't know you could use those words together..."

Ahhh... a fine tapestry of obscenities - I am a master weaver

staying in the genre of this thread, shouldn't that be masterbater? LOL

of course, since you're a woman, we would just say that you were 'jilling off'

DWSTXS · Apr 2, 2008

rhymegirl said:
You mean when I called you a big fat c8ck-sucking, f*ckwad?

so that was you!

did you hear me yell at you that you sucked ass, and that if we put your brain in a bird it would fly backwards? LOL

rhymegirl · Apr 2, 2008

My curses aren't very creative. They're just obscenities I don't use the rest of the time.

It's those stupid, moronic, rude, f*ckwads that get me hot under the collar.

rhymegirl · Apr 2, 2008

DWSTXS said:
did you hear me yell at you that you sucked ass, and that if we put your brain in a bird it would fly backwards? LOL

Ha ha! I like that.

Jersey Chick · Apr 2, 2008

DWSTXS said:
staying in the genre of this thread, shouldn't that be masterbater? LOL

of course, since you're a woman, we would just say that you were 'jilling off'

I'm keeping quiet here....

quickWit · Apr 2, 2008

F*ckNuts is good. I use it all the time when addressing my colleagues. Really gets their attention.

Colorful Cursing

Mr Mojo Risin...

Sick and absent

Mr Mojo Risin...

Sick and absent

Mr Mojo Risin...

Sick and absent

It's a doggy dog world

Up all night to get Loki

Mr Mojo Risin...

Up all night to get Loki

It's a New Year!

Mr Mojo Risin...

Up all night to get Loki

It's a New Year!

Mr Mojo Risin...

Mr Mojo Risin...

It's a New Year!

It's a New Year!

Up all night to get Loki

Totally Ninja!