From: Ted.Bebenek@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Ted Bebenek)
Newsgroups: alt.comedy.british,connect.audit
Subject: Re: What's more vulgar to a Brit?
Date: 11 Apr 92 12:53:40 GMT
Organization: Extended Bulletin Board Service

In article <1992Apr04.115811.2773@ibmpcug.co.uk> hdrw@ibmpcug.co.uk (Howard Winter) writes:
>Sean asked about reltive 'strengths' of vulgarities in Britain...
>
>Vulgarities have rather a variable 'strength', depending on the situation
>and the tone of voice.  Most of them can be used in none-too-polite company
>in a joking way, without there being any offence implied or taken, but this
>depends on the people involved.  The language used in normal conversation
>in an Army squad room would be completely out of order at the Sunday dinner
>table with the family!!!  (This probably goes without saying, but it
>emphasises the fact that the words themselves don't have a particular
>vulgarity rating).
>
>Because of this, I would urge caution when trying to use these terms, as
>the sublety of acceptability may not be easy to fathom for a non-Brit.
>
>With the above in mind, I would give the following as my own assessment
>of vulgarity, in decreasing order:
>
>Fuck off!
>Dickhead!
>Wanker!
>Bastard!
>Prat!
>Berk!
>Get stuffed!
>Sod off!
>Up yours!
>Piss off!
>Git!
>
>I once heard a secretary say to a colleague of mine: "You can stick it up
>your arse if you're going to speak to me like that!"  This is about as far
>as I would expect to hear in an office environment, (in fact most people
>were taken aback by it) and is an indication of extreme annoyance.
>
>'Smeg' is an invented word (short for 'Smegma', I believe) to get round
>not being able to use any real swear words in what was after all a comedy
>programme.  As such it has no real meaning (so no actual vulgarity).
>
>There have been a number of words which I believe have been invented on
>British television for just this reason, and some of them have got into
>common usage.  Others I can remember:  'Naff' (from the Ronnie Barker
>series: 'Porridge') and 'Bonk', from a series whose name I can't remember,
>but it had Helen Atkinson-Wood (and Lenny Henry, I think) among others.
>Anyone remember what it was ?
>
>The single-finger sign isn't used in Britain, as it is in Europe,
>but the 'V-sign' is - that's the index & middle finger raised (apart), with
>the back of the hand towards the target person.  This shouldn't be confused
>with the Churchillian V-sign, with the hand the other way round (although
>he occasionally got it wrong!) which indicates 'Victory'.  The former
>has a strength which varies, depending on the vehemence of the movement -
>just raising the hand is about equivalent to 'Nyah!' (I've had this from
>someone who pushed in front of me in traffic), but a really violent
>up-thrust of the hand is about as offensive as you can get.

I remember seeing an episode of Red Dwarf (I think the title was 'Better
Than Life') where they were playing a video game that lets you do
anything you want.  In one part, they were on a beach, when Lister and
Cat got on a motorcycle, and both gave Rimmer the middle finger before
driving off.  Would a people in the UK consider the middle finger as a
vulgar gesture, even though it isn't used that much?


--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80