Swearing in another language
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
Rockingham, Australia
December 21, 2021 9:19pm CST
I’ve written a couple of posts recently about swearing and I have one more story to tell that involves the over-use of the ‘F’ word.
When we lived near Donnybrook, we often hosted couch-surfers. These were mostly young people who would stay a night or two for free then move on. We had a spare room so they didn’t have to sleep on the couch which is what they might have done if they’d stayed with other young people.
We had two South Korean ladies stay one night then they got jobs in the hotel in town. We bought them back out for a meal and one wore her National Dress. Her mother had packed it in her luggage without her knowledge.
We talked about the weather and one said ‘it is f**king hot today’. She saw our horrified looks and said ‘That is right, isn’t it? F**king hot? Isn’t that what you say? It’s f**king hot?’
Her companion was horrified but it turned out the young supervisor at the hotel had taught her the phrase and said it was what she should use. I doubt she ever used it again once the true meaning was explained.
25 people like this
22 responses
@wolfgirl569 (135770)
• Marion, Ohio
22 Dec 21
Poor girl. She didnt know any better
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174482)
• United States
22 Dec 21
What do you mean? She learned from an Australian. I'm betting he knows what is said in Australia. 
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174482)
• United States
22 Dec 21
But... maybe I'm not understanding something... I know that's exactly what Australians do say... I'm quite sure you've heard that said there before... 
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174482)
• United States
22 Dec 21
@JudyEv Dearheart, it would and does offend me if/when someone says that word under most circumstances. It's become so common here from the younger people that I rarely say anything about it when I hear it but I do try to remove myself from the area where it's being used.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec 21
@DaddyEvil That has happened here too. I inwardly cringe but half the time the person doesn't even realise they're saying it. And half the time THEY'D be the ones to get offended if you said anything. 
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208948)
• United States
22 Dec 21
@JudyEv It is like that thing Rufo posted the other day, about somebody saying they were a banana in English or something. That was cute.
2 people like this
Oh, my! I don't think that's quite the same thing! 
@LindaOHio (222417)
• United States
22 Dec 21
That was rude of the young supervisor to teach her that phrase.
2 people like this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
22 Dec 21
She must had sworn in her own language when she found out what the word meant.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86713)
• United States
22 Dec 21
Isn’t that a cruel joke to play on someone? I wonder if someone in Paris would teach an American “eat sh*t and die” in French as an “appropriate French greeting.”
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86713)
• United States
23 Dec 21
@JudyEv — I would be talking to the “higher-ups” in the hotel (especially if it’s a hotel chain like Holiday Inn or Marriott). The fact that a manager would do that is reprehensible.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Dec 21
@FourWalls It was the young guy in the bar. He would have been showing her the ropes, I guess.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
22 Dec 21
now people charge for that service (Airbnb) seems a million years ago but that has certainly changed the world of couch surfing.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
23 Dec 21
@JudyEv Airbnb ranges a lot now in the US. some are cheaper than hotels.
1 person likes this
@Fa_Maverick (9491)
• Australia
22 Dec 21
I remember the Japanese students being taught how to swear at my school. They thought it made them look cool because they could swear in English. One of the girls had quite the ego about her just because she could swear in English. Granted this was before I swore a lot I will admit to swearing like a sailor these days but only with people that I know won't be horrified by it I still have enough decorum to know when to not at least.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Dec 21
It was indeed. Her companion had a much better grasp of our idioms etc and she was horrified.
@hora_fugit (5859)
• India
22 Dec 21
I used to be quite enthusiastic about learning languages, while I stayed home. Then moved to other city for studies... once expressed desire to learn the local language. Maybe they thought whatever-they-thought and "taught" me few phrases.
Incidentally, I was aware enough by that time to know what phrases they taught. Didn't say anything to them. But since then, I have never trusted anyone to teach their languages. These jokes can have grave consequences.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98004)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 Dec 21
I think for people who do not know a certain language there should be a phrase book that explains about swearing and what to say and what to avoid,
1 person likes this
