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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not see why 'cunt' is a worse insult than many others?

195 replies

HeathcliffMoorland · 19/12/2010 15:30

I never hear anyone outraged at someone being called a cock/dick/scrotum...

If there's something I'm missing and someone can tell me why I'm BU, I will happily change my ways.

OP posts:
MakeYerOwnDamnDinner · 19/12/2010 16:28

For me it depends on the context. When cunt is used as an insult I find it offensive. However I will happily use it to describe my own genitalia.

As in: I have a cunt. It is a thing of rare beauty.

Alouiseg · 19/12/2010 16:29

We call them "Jeremy" now. Good old radio 4!

MillyR · 19/12/2010 16:29

My parents are very religious and dislike blasphemy. In fact, my mother would not even use the word 'Jesus' to refer to Jesus. They had no issue with swear words connected to sex or body parts though. So it isn't universally the most offensive insult to everyone. Even though I am not religious at all, due to my upbringing I still flinched when Ron repeatedly said 'bloody' in the HP films - which are children's films.

I'm not sure that sheds any light on why many people are offended by 'cunt.' I do think there is a big difference between calling someone a cunt and saying 'that cunting door' if you hit your foot on it.

Original poster
HeathcliffMoorland · 19/12/2010 16:30

lol at MakeYerOwn.

OP posts:
ShanahansRevenge · 19/12/2010 16:31

Claig...I miss nothing. YOU in fact miss everything....when you talk of the "force" of a word, are you speaking in terms of it's hard edged sound...the explosive C combined with the T?

Or the force of using a word for genitalia as an insult?

Because if you are speaking of the force with regards to the sound then you have totally lost the plot.

Pussy, Twat, cunt and fanny.

Words for genitalia...used in differing situations...you can't pick and choose.

RevoltingPeasant · 19/12/2010 16:32

MakeYerOwn Grin

Exactly! We all have cunts, and referring to another as person as a cunt is insulting as it debases our bodies.

claig · 19/12/2010 16:33

'So it isn't universally the most offensive insult to everyone.'

it may not be for everyone. But on the whole, most people would say the word Jesus in front of the Queen, but they wouldn't use the word cunt.

ShanahansRevenge · 19/12/2010 16:33

We could also say that Cock is a hard sounding word..especially when spat out with venom...but men don't get in a tizzy about it do they?

Original poster
HeathcliffMoorland · 19/12/2010 16:33

'cunt is insulting as it debases our bodies.'

I'm genuinely interested - not trying to be inflammatory. Would you say the same thing about cock/bollix? Why/why not?

OP posts:
ShanahansRevenge · 19/12/2010 16:34

Who give a crap about the Queen? She's not a benchamrk!

ShanahansRevenge · 19/12/2010 16:35

x posts Heath....but exactly!

claig · 19/12/2010 16:36

I'm not talking about the sound. All languages have different sounds, hard and soft. But cunt in any language is a universal insult.

I'm talking about the force of the word as an insult, which is how society sees the use of that word.

'Pussy, Twat, cunt and fanny.
Words for genitalia...used in differing situations...you can't pick and choose.'

Of course you can choose. That's why the Two Ronnies use all of those words, except for cunt.

Original poster
HeathcliffMoorland · 19/12/2010 16:38

On a side note, if I were to start calling my friends 'fanny' by way of insult, would people be equally incensed?

Not that I plan to, but...

OP posts:
tethersjinglebellend · 19/12/2010 16:38

"It's a word...for vaginas...to relate it to hate is so wrong."

It's not about relating it to hate, the word itself signifies hate (in some contexts).

It's like the word 'cake'. When I say the word cake, it signifies a round thing made of sugar, butter, flour and eggs with candles in it. Even though it may signify a cheesecake to you, you will know what I mean when I ask for 'cake'.

You can't say that you've decided that cake means Victoria Sponge and nothing else- it signifies what it signifies; this is subject to change, but this change is organic and happens over time.

Cunt means a bad person, you can't decide that it doesn't. Well, you can, but you'd be wrong. It does.

MillyR · 19/12/2010 16:38

I agree that it is to do with the sound of the word. Different slang words for the same body parts have different meanings. To call someone a cunt is to call someone a bad person but also somehow shows some level of respect for the power of their badness. To call some a twat suggests they're beneath your contempt, while to call someone a knob is lower still - you are saying they are ridiculous.

ShanahansRevenge · 19/12/2010 16:39

The two Ronnies are no longer highly paid and current comedians....I think you will find that the ones who are these days...such as Russel Brand will say cunt quite happily.

claig · 19/12/2010 16:39

'Who give a crap about the Queen? She's not a benchamrk!'

In the presence of the Queen, most people conform to society's rules about etiquette. That is what cunt is not, it goes against society's rules for etiquette and that is why it has such force.

victoriascrumptious · 19/12/2010 16:40

Cunt is my favourite word

ShanahansRevenge · 19/12/2010 16:42

No Tethers...women can decide that it does not need to mean a bad thing. If they want to that is...and I want to...as do many others.

SO I suspect this is the begining of the end for cunt being unacceptabe. It may take some years for it to loose it's potency as an insult. But it will.

LaWeaselMys · 19/12/2010 16:42

But you haven't given a reason WHY cunt is more insulting than say - twat which means exactly the same.

So if it's not the sound, and it's not the meaning, that only leaves us with historical use.

And historical's not good enough unless there's a specific reason cnnected to it.

So for example in terms of very offensive racist words, n- is offensive because of it's historical connection to slavery and it's use to demean a huge group of people. Paki is very offensive as a catch-all for Asians because it's lumping everyone in together.

So I understand the taboo around those words, I don't understand it around cunt.

ISNT · 19/12/2010 16:42

Shock you couldn't say Jesus in front of the queen!

Gosh
Darn
Whoops

May be acceptable.

Cunt a definite no-no Grin

ShanahansRevenge · 19/12/2010 16:43

Claig....i you don't mind me asking...are you a man? Of the older generation? Not that your opinions would be worth any less...but it would explain to me some of your ideas and ideals.

Of course...it's rude of me to ask....and feel free to ignore my question. Just interested.

ShanahansRevenge · 19/12/2010 16:45

I agree LaWeas...nobody has said WHY it's so wrong to say it...more so than twat or fanny.

LaWeaselMys · 19/12/2010 16:45

Ah, x-post with tethers.

Yes, I understand that I suppose. But I'm not sure that it's level of 'badness' is the same for everyone. And I think as well that cunt has a sort of deviousness behind it.

AllOverIt · 19/12/2010 16:46

I love it, rarely say in except in exceptional circumstances. I think it is one of the most powerful words in the English language...

I read while studying that the word vagina is actually more offensive as it means 'sword sheath'. Whereas cunt just means 'triangle'. I suppose I'd rather triangle than just a redundant object unless sheathing a man's sword....

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