Al la enhavo
Respondi

Bloody Hell and God Damn(ed)

de Nile, 2013-oktobro-18

Mesaĝoj: 12

Lingvo: English

Nile (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-18 01:05:10

Which phrase is more intense/vulgar/offensive?
I'm aware that "bloody" is only mildly vulgar, more than "stupid", less than "damn".

Kristal (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-18 03:06:40

Nile:Which phrase is more intense/vulgar/offensive?
That's a good question. I'm wondering that, also, ever since I'd heard that "bloody" refers to the denoument of a virgin.

noelekim (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-18 05:26:20

Nile:Which phrase is more intense/vulgar/offensive?
I'm aware that "bloody" is only mildly vulgar, more than "stupid", less than "damn".
In New Zealand, where we speak a variety of British English, "bloody hell" is so commonplace, it is - as you say - "mildly vulgar". It's hardly likely to offend anyone at all.

As for, "God Damn(ed)" I think we picked that up from American TV and films. There are people for whom it's blasphemous, and they would be offended; and there are people for whom it's not, and would not. What's the attitude in the U.S.?

ludomastro (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-18 06:59:09

Speaking as a resident of the US, I would prefer not to hear God Damn(ed) as I find it mildly to moderately offensive. Depending on the circumstances, I may take a higher level of offense if you said it with a certain purpose (dare I say blasphemous intent) behind the words. However, say it anywhere near my wife and expect to be kicked out of our home and unlikely to ever be invited to return. That said, I work with people who use it as everyday language. Thus, I suspect it depends entirely on the hearer.

erinja (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-18 15:03:35

I don't think that bloody is all that mild. In the US it is, but in the UK it is less mild than it is here.

I saw some advertising in a US shop, for some products made by FCUK (French Connection UK) and the signs were covered with union flags and British slang, trying to make the display look very "British" or something. One of the signs said something to the effect of "A bloody good deal!".

I was mildly offended, I thought that this word is stronger in the UK than it is in the US, and though the advertising was in the US, I didn't really think it was appropriate to use. You wouldn't see a similarly strong American expression on department store advertising materials, so I didn't think it appropriate to use this British expression. I would not expect to see, for example, "A damn good deal" in a mainstream department store, though "damn" is relatively mild as modern standards go.

Nile (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-18 16:16:07

noelekim:As for, "God Damn(ed)" I think we picked that up from American TV and films. There are people for whom it's blasphemous, and they would be offended; and there are people for whom it's not, and would not. What's the attitude in the U.S.?
Some people(i guess mostly Southerners, since they're the most religious/Christian) take offense to it, and such people often take some offense to phrases like "My god!".
The "god" part of "goddamn" is sometimes bleeped on daytime television.
But then, so is the "hole" part of "asshole". . . .

pdenisowski (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-20 03:57:20

Nile:Some people(i guess mostly Southerners, since they're the most religious/Christian) take offense to it, and such people often take some offense to phrases like "My god!".
As someone who fits your stereotype (southerner and religious), I'm not particularly offended by "god-damn(ed)" -- it's just another medium-to-strong swear word down here and there are PLENTY of people (myself included) who use it on a regular basis.

In fact, I strongly doubt almost anyone even hears anything "religious" in "god-damn(ed)" at all -- it's no different than saying something like "(Oh my) God!", "Lord!", "Jesus!", "Holy ...!", etc.

Of course, there are situations in which certain levels of profanity are not acceptable (or, conversely, are expected). It also depends strongly on HOW one says it: there's a big difference between me quietly muttering to myself "Why won't this god-damned lawn mower start?" vs. me shouting at someone "I'm so tired of your god-damned excuses!"

Amike,
Paul

And speaking of southerners and swearing, there's a great Jeff Foxsworthy (the redneck comedian) line about how Southerners would do the hammer toss in the Olympics: "You hit yourself in the thumb with the hammer and then chuck it as far as you can -- if you don't cuss, it don't count." ridulo.gif

mjdh1957 (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-20 10:26:56

'Bloody' in Britain is very, very mild - presumably similar to the New Zealand usage mentioned above.

When she was about eight, my sister used it all the time, and if it was criticised by anyone, she'd just say '"bloody" isn't swearing'.

sudanglo (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-20 11:18:01

'Bloody' in Britain is very, very mild
Agreed. How offensive an expression is with 'bloody' depends rather on whether what follows is an expression of approval or the reverse. It augments what follows.

mjdh1957 (Montri la profilon) 2013-oktobro-20 12:21:51

I believe that 'bloody' is a corruption of 'by our lady' so actually has no connection with blood at all.

Various Shakesperian-era insults and swear words are actually slightly altered religious phrases. So 'zounds' is 'by god's wounds', 'gor blimey' is 'may god blind me', and so on

Reen al la supro