Friday, January 7, 2011

Euphemistic Language

Reader Wil started it. Her comment yesterday about not saying 'shit' because it was vulgar has led me to this post. (For reasons that should be obvious, my photos have nothing to do with today's natterings. )
So anyway, I got to thinking about some  of the euphemisms that are employed rather than offend anyone's ears with the fine old Anglo-Saxon 'shit.'


There's crap and poop and poo poo,
 Doo dahs, squat, and shhiz,
Dookie and doodie and doo doo
And who doesn't know Number Two?

Whatever its name 
Call it crud, caca, or poo,

Vulgar or not, it's all still the same
When it sticks to the sole of your shoe.


Isn't language fun?
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26 comments:

Witch of Stitches said...

Wonderful shit!

Marilyn & Jeff said...

Ah great fun ...who would have thought that there are so many terms for faecal matter.

Jules said...

Love it!!!!!

Pat in east TN said...

Now that gave me a GOOD laugh first thing in the morning!

Reader Wil said...

Your photos are divine: clean and pure.Nothing to do with shit!
I noticed that my children call a spade a spade and never use the euphemistic language my mother wanted us to use.Therefore I love your post!
Thanks for visiting and commenting on the flood. In some parts of Australia they need water and in other parts they want dry weather badly.Strange....

KarenB said...

That sounds like an adult version of a Shel Silverstein poem! From what I remember of my History of the English language our short succinct Anglo-Saxon words were just words until the Norman invasion. Then, as the upper classes spoke Norman French, the peasantry spoke Anglo-Saxon, and those words became "words not to be used."

Tess Kincaid said...

Since I'm in a French mode, it will have to be merde.

tony said...

Winter Returned To My Corner Of England This Morning.The Snow Has Really Hit The Fan!

June said...

Seems that people who deal with shit a lot . . . farmers, I mean . . . have no qualms about calling it by its proper name. I wonder when the word became vulgar. Probably during Queen Victoria's reign. A lot of things became vulgar then.

BB said...

Hahahaha. Great post!

Tipper said...

What a hoot-I think I'll send it to my mother-n-law : )

Helen T in SC said...

Thank you KarenB for an explanation. It seems unfair that our "vulgar" words relate to bodily functions that we as living creatures all experience. I prefer the company of earthy words.

Louise said...

That was a fun entry. I never thought about all the alternative words for shit. Lordy! I'm such an old prude that it felt funny even writing that word.

Darla said...

LOL What a funny way to start my day! Love the telephoto of the birds on the top of the tree...

Elora said...

Oh, crap! I really missed a good day here yesterday on Vicki Lane Mysteries. Nevermind. Today is top of the(dung)heap! Love you all! :-))

Elora

Martin said...

Excreta...atingly funny!

Folkways Note Book said...

Vicki, Good job! (pun) -- barbara

Anonymous said...

When my sister and I were growing up our parents had substitute expletives
that they used when we were around.

Dad--blasted sac-arac, dirty bric-a-brac

Mom-schizzle dizzle dit

First one not related to today's topic but the second one may be...or maybe not.

Lynne in GA

Eliane Zimmermann said...

great poem, high literature!!!! love it! I am back online, the wires leading the bits and bytes (far from our property) were somehow corroded and after many, many calls the guy from the Irish telekom came to repair the damage. yeah, missed all of you! happy new year!

NCmountainwoman said...

Back when I was a home care nurse we had an elderly man who kept removing his colostomy bag. When I stopped using euphemisms about the contents he looked at me in surprise and said, "You mean that's DOOKEY?" After that final understanding he stopped removing the bag.

Vicki Lane said...

Well, I'm glad I didn't offend anyone too badly with this silly post! And what great and punny comments! You guys crack me up.

But what's really funny is as I was sitting with my feet up earlier, reading your comments, I caught a familiar odor . . . I'd gone out this morning to empty the ash pan from the fire place, crunching through the new fallen snow (yes, it's snowing again-- all day)and evidently I'd stepped in dog poop (my euphemism of choice) -- how fitting!

gayle said...

Cute post! Some of those words I like better than others!

joanna said...

Gorgeous photos, and well this story is going somewhere,,, ???


joanny

Deanna said...

Poopoo to you! You put a smile on my face with this one.

Anonymous said...

In the words of support for one of our Presidents: "Give 'em Hell Harry!"

Words, when appropriately used, are like forcing everyone to drink tea without sugar. If you want it sweet, look elsewhere.

Love your posts and so does WIL. It's just fun to poke fun, isn't it.

Crafty Green Poet said...

so true!