I don't know ... I think it's acceptable in most contexts when used to address male people. I call everyone a cunt (and pronounce the T very strongly), quite often an f-in' cunt. Friends and people I know don't seem to mind. Twat, on the other hand I can't think of non-derogatory use. I think it's the combination of the two T's but it is just about the harshest putdown I can think of.
When callin a woman a cunt I think most would not think it was acceptable.
I don't know if there are rules about this, it's just how i've come to understand it empirically but it depends from place to place and person to person I think
Cunt is the new mate with a broader meaning. It can refer to groups of people in a positive and negative light or be completely neutral. Perhaps man is a better comparison for people not in Australia, though its use in Australia seems to be bigger than elsewhere.
I have observed an uncomfortability when it comes to cunt and women, though, even in Australia. It's still got a little ways to go yet until we're all saying to our grandmothers: "hurry up cunt."
Twat is a minor insult, bugsy. It's pretty much the same as calling someone an idiot or stupid, what's going on in Greece? They must be twats to think it's something major!
Personally I think it's a rather boring swear word, though. I don't understand the appeal. Not to mention it's bad rhyming slang for "son"* and is often used in exactly the same context, but "cunt" just doesn't have the same patronising connotations as "son" so it's boring. Meh.
*With an extreme Australian accent.
CAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT. SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN.
In greece they wouldn't know a twat from a hole in the ground. In the UK calling someone a guy a twat is a putdown
It seems to be a little more acceptible in England and Australia to say it. It's usually a little more playful I guess. In America though, 9 out of 10 women will either kill you or start praying for your death. It is definitely the last resort word.
I always go with "fetid meat flap" if I feel like busting the c word out. It's actually more harsh, but if you use it most women are so shocked they won't know what to do or they'll at least laugh after they've had a second or two to soak it in.
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Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobileNah, menstruation is still reasonably taboo here.
Also racial slurs aren't really a big deal most of the time either.
Because I never use the word perjoratively I don't think I'd direct it at a woman. It's more of a term of endearment, at least how I use it.
Foolz said:...
Also racial slurs aren't really a big deal most of the time either.
I hear a lot of them here, I've never gotten use to the casual racism. At least it is out in the open I guess, unlike in the States where it's still there, just not as openly expressed.
aspro said:It's more of a term of endearment
definite cultural difference
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Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobileI don't get why it's offensive, it's just another word for vagina yet for some reason you can say the F-word all you want, but not cunt. It's pretty stupid but women in particular get really offended by it. I pretty much never use the c-word but I think it a lot like "What a stupid cunt"
'Cunt' derives from 'Kunda' or 'Cunti, the Oriental Great Goddess. She was the Great Yoni (vagina) of the Universe, where all life came from and to where all life returned for renewal. From this same name the words country, kin and kind came from.
So it's actually a compliment.
robio said:'Cunt' derives from 'Kunda' or 'Cunti, the Oriental Great Goddess. She was the Great Yoni (vagina) of the Universe, where all life came from and to where all life returned for renewal. From this same name the words country, kin and kind came from.
So it's actually a compliment.
Australia ahead of the times as always.
robio said:'Cunt' derives from 'Kunda' or 'Cunti, the Oriental Great Goddess. She was the Great Yoni (vagina) of the Universe.
I thought I was the Great Vagina of the Universe?
I've heard that it's used all the time in Europe. Yet the word "bloody" is considered a pretty harsh swear over there. Language is funny like this. In 15 years or less "cunt" will be said on cable TV in America like it was damn. The same thing has been happening with the word "shit." "Bitch" is even more acceptable than "shit" these days. Words that were considered swears in the 70's and even 80's are almost laughed at these days. Language changes. "Cunt" just happens to be considered one of the major no-no's at the moment.
In Australia we can say bloody cunt, though perhaps it's best not to? See above about menstruation.
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isntchrisl said:I've heard that it's used all the time in Europe. Yet the word "bloody" is considered a pretty harsh swear over there. Language is funny like this. In 15 years or less "cunt" will be said on cable TV in America like it was damn. The same thing has been happening with the word "shit." "Bitch" is even more acceptable than "shit" these days. Words that were considered swears in the 70's and even 80's are almost laughed at these days. Language changes. "Cunt" just happens to be considered one of the major no-no's at the moment.
Bloody is a pretty commonly used word in the UK. Not really offensive unless paired with swearing words.
gamingeek said:Bloody is a pretty commonly used word in the UK. Not really offensive unless paired with swearing words.
I've only ever seen its offensiveness mentioned in the context of Australia bashing.
Sadly it's not used much here anymore.
While writing my blog entry it occurred to me that the use of the C word and it's acceptability among dignified company may not be acceptable.
This was first brought to my attention from an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. In the episode, during a game of poker, Larry David refers to one of the players (in a friendly manner) as being a c****. The game is immediately dismissed, and everyone leaves disgusted by the language used.
Then I read (hearsay) that Twitter frowns on the usage of the word (though I wasn't able to find any stories on this).
When can and cannot the C word be used? I think it is an non-offensive as calling some the male genitalia equivalent (like prick, or dick).