Jacqueline Wilson falls out with Asda after spelling twit with an 'a'

[MmeLindt]

In the Times today.

The word "twat" was used as an alternative to idiot or twit in our house for years and noone batted an eyelid.

Is it a regional thing?

I think it is a swear word but I wouldn't be surprised to see it in a kids book if it was in context.

What age was the book aimed at?

Mind you. am PMSL at "I do not want my young niece to have to see this obscene slang.? accompanied by photograph of young niece posing holding offending book. If you really don't want her to see it, not handing her the book is surely more appropriate?

I'm a Glaswegian and have only ever that that Twat was another word for Twit - with connotations of "wanker", but only in the idiotic sense. Never associated it with female genitalia.

twat is a fabulous word (I'm down south fwiw and am not offended by it0

big swear word in the north east.....

not as bad as the c word but not far of the f word

I'm more offended by her books in general than the use of the word twat.

Ah this explains it. I too am a southerner. Now I know why I am not in the least offended by the word and had no idea of its connotations until last week.

This must be a regional thing. To some of us, it really is synonymous, and no more offensive, than twit.

I am in NEast too - tw* is a really offensive word - however occasionally someone would refer to being twatted (hit) and that wouldnt be so bad but to call someoen a tw is almost on a par with cu . I also know it as a name for a pregnant fish and i had a friend whos dad (southerner) use to refer to her and her brother as twit and tw* but i dont think he knew it as a womans rudey bits andused it in a way like twit iyswim.

I could say "you twit" at work and people would smile, I could say "you twat" at work and probably end up in diciplinary action!

I'm in Notts - definately not a word for a childrens book.

I was lucky my mum never screened what I read. I remember reading Judy Blume and there were other children whose parents ripped pages out etc when it came to the masterbation references. Like they couldn't go to the library and read the missing pages!

I loved Judy Blume, my Mum used to read her too!

Definitely a word not to be used in the north east

The dictionary definition is
twat

noun

obscene terms for female genitals [syn: cunt]
so I don't think it should be in books aimed at children (of any age)

I am from down south and it wasn;t until I moved to essex that I realised most people regarded twat as very rude

in sussex it is as harmless as twit - just another version of it, really

'Twat' fine in Ayrshire as far as I know

two discrete definitions here

I'd never even heard the word until I read the Female Eunuch aged about 16 or so. But then my mum practically washed my mouth out the first time I said 'Oh God', and her own favoured swear word was 'Oh Christmas'.

(to earlier poster - Please don't tell me your child asks a serious question about her biology and you answer, 'That's your Girl Bits darling'?)

I'm down south & twat is a proper swear word to me, not quite as bad as cunt, but about same level as fuck. Usually used in terms of stupid person, but occasionally hear it being used for 'fanjo'.

I'm a southerner married to a northerner and was surprised to discover he thought twat was a really bad word.. when I used to as a "twit" substitute although I was aware that it meant fanjo..

Bastard up North is much MUCH worse than it is down here.. even though it's not polite anytime.. but used much more casually in the south I feel

(Mind you we've had all sorts of langauge issues.. what with him and his barm cakes (bread ROLLS FFS! WHAT IS A BARM for crying out gently?), the "grid" in the back garden (DRAIN MAN DRAIN!) and 'brushing up with the brush' (sweeping up with the goddamn BROOM!) and running off down the ginnel... say WHAT??! It's not even in the dictionary.. it'a a sodding ALLEYWAY!

Also "mithered" (sp??!) for BOTHERED and "clempt" SP???!) for very hungry!! I don't even know how to spell these things and don't need to as they AREN'T WORDS!!)

He still uses these even though he's become fairly southernised in other ways..

You can take the man out of Wigan...

ShinyHappyPeopleHoldingHands it could be worse up here we call Barm cakes fadges

you see - my yorkshire nana used to call them fadges much to our amusements
whereas where i am in the north east, they are stotties//

....

I grew up south eastish/south and never really heard the word. We say it now to mean an idiot, and we know it means fanjo and is offensive but still say it. H wouldn't approve of me saying it infront of dc and he's south/south westy

@ fadges. Could quite put me off my picnic!

I am in the south-east, been here all my life.

have NEVER heard twat to mean twit.
it's always been a swear word afaik around here, and not a particularly nice one either.