Frank Petrexa
Tribune
In American culture, it's just not terribly insulting to mock a woman's foot odor. In fact, if someone were to insult a woman based on that, she would probably just shrug it off. Maybe go buy herself some foot powder. No big deal. It would be considered kind of weird, or comical. It just doesn't translate.
It's really interesting to me how different cultures emphasize different aspects of female appearance or attributes either to appreciate or disparage. In China, the size of a woman's feet are important. I remember a documentary filmed in China in which a woman, a new bride, was humiliated by her in-laws because they joked that "her feet arrived in the village before she did." I know of a Japanese woman who was bullied in school because her hair was a very dark shade of brown, rather than black.
But tell an American woman that she has a fat ass, now you're getting to her. American women are more likely to be sensitive to weight issues. We have this whole "fat-shaming" thing in our culture, which is ironic because so many of us Americans are overweight.
Specific insults and words? In the U.S. calling a woman a "cunt" is the worst insult. Bar none. That's it. "Fuck" is a very bad word in the U.S. So "fat, fucking cunt," would be extremely insulting. Use "fucking" (pronounced "fuckin') in front of every noun. As in, "Check out the fuckin' beak (nose) on this bitch!" Not particularly imaginative, but certainly insulting. If you want to develop the theme you could say something to her like "You fat, smelly fuckin' cunt. Just look at the fat, droopy fuckin' udders (breasts) on you, you fuckin' pig." etc., etc. Calling a woman a pig, a cow, or a bitch, are all pretty bad, though "Bitch," is less insulting in current usage because it has a connotation of aggressiveness, which can be considered admirable.
I think in British usage, "cunt," and "fuck" aren't considered that bad. I think even men can be referred to as "cunts." But here in the U.S., them's fightin' words.
I know a little (nur ein bisschen) German, and would like to improve my vocabulary. Now I know the equivalent of "Suzy Rotten Crotch," so what's the German equivalent of "fucking cunt?"
Yes, Fuck seems to be overused. In the book Wartime, by Paul Fussel, military scatology is examined in its own chapter. An RAF mechanic reacts to a stripped screw. "Fuck! The fuckin' fukcer's fucked." Close to every part of speech.
Two conscientious objecters load corn onto a truck.
"This fucking lorry can hold a lot of corn."
"Quite. It's unexpectedly capacious."
"Aw, God! Aw God's truth!"
There are official forces for decorum in play. An RAF mechanic needed to cool an overheated machine gun before it started spraying bullets. He whipped out his dick and pissed on it. He was written up for "inappropriate behaviour".
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