h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What really annoys me about the whole bad language and obscenity in English is that one particular word (four letters, starts with c) is considered the 'most obscene of all' by the vast majority of people. This word is descriptive of a part of a woman's body. Why should a word describing a part of a WOMAN'S body be considered the most disgusting of all, when names for the equivalent part of a MAN'S body are in common usage, and even considered funny?

Until the standards become even (either words like d*ck and c*ck become as rude as c*nt, or c*nt is no longer considered 'worst of all') language will remain a sexist discourse. People shouldn't be encouraging women to view a part of themselves as 'completely unspeakable' unless men are also encouraged to do so.

Have you seen The Vagina Monologues?

I have read excerpts from it - I live in Western Australia and no one has got around to perfoming it here yet. I enjoyed it very much.

You make an interesting point, Ami. I hadn't thought of this - I think the reason the word is considered obscene is the way in which it is employed (with extreme abuse) not the thing in itself...

hi Ami,

This same word in Spanish, which also starts with a c and has four letters, in not seen as being obscene here in Spain at all. As an expletive it ends up being the equivalent of 'damn!' or 'hell!' or can be used in expressions similar to 'what a pain!' and mostly where in English we would use the word hell or even simply heck. It isn't considered a strong swear word here and is even often used as a way of expressing mild surprise, kind of like 'you don't say!'

Still, doesn't make sense why this particular word is used.

az

I've often wondered what it is about words that make some rude/obscene whilst others are perfectly acceptable. So for example, 'pussy' is absolutely acceptable/homely, whilst c**t is regarded as obscene. But they are both just words! It must be something to do with the four-letterdness quality of the latter - but why?

Regarding the male equivalewnt as being regarded as funny, it must be because the same term is used for male poultry, thus leading to its use in humorous/risque folk songs such as 'The Farmer's Cock' ("....did very well please me, and after every farmer's cock did my cock crow"). i.e. there is no equivalent for the female equivalent anatomy.