Society & Culture Meanings of insulting swear words

[Summer Nights]

Had a discussion once with some mates about the finer meanings of insults and it was pretty interesting the subtle differences and usage that people have for cursing insults. It came up because someone said something like "he's not a campaigner, he's a w***er" or something like that, and someone was like "what's the difference", etc. Here's my take on a few. Feel free to add to the list or dispute/clarify your understanding of them.

Mods, I've deliberately avoided the swear filter here for the sake of the topic. Hope this is okay within the walls of this thread?

W_anker = inconsiderate by nature, but usually as a subconscious personality trait rather than deliberately taking enjoyment out of it.
F_uckhead = deliberately inconsiderate to the detriment of others. Gets enjoyment out of it.
C_unt/A_rsehole = extreme version of ****head.
Loser = someone doomed to be a failure, generally no major competencies (obvious).
Tosser = mild w_anker. Usually has some likable traits along with some minor bad ones.
Twat = generally of low intelligence, regularly fails.

Heaps of versions for women too, but will leave that for someone else . The point is not to promote or glamorise these derogatory words or to build an arsenal, but to see what others think they mean and if there are specific ones for specific types of people.

 

[Gibbsy]

I've actually started calling people "Moo's" in real life now

 

[chargers 09]

Had a discussion once with some mates about the finer meanings of insults and it was pretty interesting the subtle differences and usage that people have for cursing insults. It came up because someone said something like "he's not a silly, he's a Moo" or something like that, and someone was like "what's the difference", etc. Here's my take on a few. Feel free to add to the list or dispute/clarify your understanding of them.

Mods, I've deliberately avoided the swear filter here for the sake of the topic. Hope this is okay within the walls of this thread?

W_anker = inconsiderate by nature, but usually as a subconscious personality trait rather than deliberately taking enjoyment out of it.
F_uckhead = deliberately inconsiderate to the detriment of others. Gets enjoyment out of it.
C_unt/A_rsehole = extreme version of ****head.
Loser = someone doomed to be a failure, generally no major competencies (obvious).
Tosser = mild w_anker. Usually has some likable traits along with some minor bad ones.
Twat = generally of low intelligence, regularly fails.

Heaps of versions for women too, but will leave that for someone else . The point is not to promote or glamorise these derogatory words or to build an arsenal, but to see what others think they mean and if there are specific ones for specific types of people.

Excellent thread, My mates have conversations like this all the time.

IMO, A D'ickhead can be a good bloke, however he has some bad perfomances which tend to bring him down, whereas a d'ouchebag is almost impossible to get along with.

Disagree with your defintion of a w'anker. My definition of a w'anker would be someone who is a lair-riser, and a bit arrogant. They can be good blokes as well.

These terms change dramatically when referring to a woman IMO.

 

[Gibbsy]

IMO, A D'ickhead can be a good bloke, however he has some bad perfomances which tend to bring him down, whereas a d'ouchebag is almost impossible to get along with.

I can agree with that definitely, a dickhead is a bit of a larrikin who makes some poor choices at times but is generally a good and funny bloke. never call anyone douchebags though, not my thing

 

[Summer Nights]

Fair calls. Douchebag is pretty much a try-hard, for mine.

 

[chargers 09]

I can agree with that definitely, a dickhead is a bit of a larrikin who makes some poor choices at times but is generally a good and funny bloke. never call anyone douchebags though, not my thing

F'uckwits can be similar to dickheads, just a bit more extreme. For example good blokes, who become aggressive drunks when pissed.

 

[chargers 09]

Fair calls. Douchebag is pretty much a try-hard, for mine.

Do you ever use the term goose to describe someone? excellent descriptive word.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Do you ever use the term goose to describe someone? excellent descriptive word.

Goose is for the inoffensive bloke continually making blunders.

 

[Summer Nights]

Do you ever use the term goose to describe someone? excellent descriptive word.

I've heard it used a couple of times in previous generation-circles and it seems to actually carry a fair bit of weight. Like it seemed when an old man called another man a goose, he was saying he had no respect for him and that he was a complete moron. Pretty funny actually.

Edit: depends a lot on the context, actually. Could be a friendly bit of banter, especially in modern times.

 

[Summer Nights]

A few more (non-swearing insults):

Nerd: very book-smart but poor social skills. Has morphed into less of an insult and more of a term of endearment this century.
Dork: not necessarily book-smart but also lacking social skills and/or fashion sense.
Dweeb: Similar to a nerd, but particularly ugly and/or tiny like a runt.

 

[chargers 09]

Knob is another one. For me it means someone who continually "crosses the line"

I could write a large book on these words I reckon.

 

[Hand]

Battler- to be used when someone battles at something..

e.g. John trips over a chair when leaving his uni lecture.

Bob: "Haha John you battler"

 

[Roobs321]

A few more (non-swearing insults):

Nerd: very book-smart but poor social skills. Has morphed into less of an insult and more of a term of endearment this century.
Dork: not necessarily book-smart but also lacking social skills and/or fashion sense.
Dweeb: Similar to a nerd, but particularly ugly and/or tiny like a runt.

My interpretation is that nerd is just someone abnormally smart, regardless of social skills. It is somewhat a term of endearment. There are lots of hidden or closet nerds out there (im one of them), who might not seem nerdy off the bat, but eventually you realise they have nerd qualities.

Geek, like dork, is not necessarily book-smart. I would include trekkies, star wars nuts, etc, in the geek column, sort of like unfashionable fanboyism. Dork is a broader term than geek though, can include almost anyone. I like to differentiate nerd and geek, because I personally feel they are rather different, but can correlate (ie. The Big Bang Theory foursome qualify as both).

C*nt is the only cuss word I never use or flinch when I hear it. It can be said in an endearing way, but it's definitly in that next tier beyond f*ck, and often rather aggresive in tone.

 

[Summer Nights]

Yeah the meaning of nerd is definitely changing to what you've described.

 

[Quivorir]

I've actually started calling people "Moo's" in real life now

Lmfao, thank **** im not the only one.

 

[Summer Nights]

Moo = w'anker?

 

[iGNITER]

Been using the word 'Peanut' a fair bit lately. A guy from work used it and it seems to have caught on...

Sometimes I even chuckle when I say it.

To me this basically means another word for 'Goose' or 'W-anker'

 

[chargers 09]

Been using the word 'Peanut' a fair bit lately. A guy from work used it and it seems to have caught on...

Sometimes I even chuckle when I say it.

To me this basically means another word for 'Goose' or 'W-anker'

SOunds like it would be a good substitution for battler I reckon.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

I love to banter and my sons and I, 16, 14 and 10, use the word "looser" on each other...yes, we say it like it has an extra "s" as it seems to takes on a more playful connotation.

Elsewhere, I reserve using the word f'uckhead on someone I dislike, to their face or otherwise...on the rare occasion it's called for (family member who needs to hear it, a mate who's done too many things to piss me and our group of friends off one too many times, and random heroes on the odd occasion I'm out). Never had too many problems using it.

* inb4internettoughguy

 

[Gough]

I find the phrase "waste of good white skin" to pretty much sum up the most severe end of the ****wittery spectrum. Generally saved for folk like Alan Jones or the entire Bush family.

 

[mojito]

The benefit of knowing another language is that I can swear out loud and no one (hopefully) will be the wiser as to what I'm actually saying haha

 

[Roobs321]

'Dingbat' belongs in this thread.

 

[Simple Jack]

Goose is for the inoffensive bloke continually making blunders.

Or even when someone makes a blunder. A mate of mine used to say 'haha *offenders name* you goose!' when someone would do something silly.

 

[CLUBMEDhurst]

Man, I love Yiddish slang. Examples:

Klutz, schmuck, schlemiel, schmendrik

 

[TheStinger]

I've taken to the word "muppet" while I have been here in the UK. It's just a very useful all purpose word for someone who has done something stupid.