kenbadoian
Cadet
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2020
Assistance Please - require information on the extent of and what profanity was used, not written but spoken during the CW. I have researched and have not found any definitive list, references, etc.
I've seen ample evidence that "f-bombs" in various versions were well-known and used.Assistance Please - require information on the extent of and what profanity was used, not written but spoken during the CW. I have researched and have not found any definitive list, references, etc.
True about the f-word - pretty widespread as the verb synonym but its expansion as an adjective, pejorative, etc must have started evolving not long after the war, because by WWI it was definitely part of the "arsenal", at least among the Canadians and the Americans. And I've seen references that an even more profane multi-syllable term was involved in some ACW courts-martial. When you see references to a few of the more reputed ACW swearers lacing the air with memorable profanity, my guess is that it was more artful than just "d--ned" or "h--l".A lot of swearing was still religiously based at that time, so you see profuse use of "d**n," "h*ll," and "godd*mn" in its many forms. Scatological words were popular (sh*t, p*ss) though not in their adjectival form. The f-bomb certainly was in use, but for the actual act, not as an adjective either. I think its use as a synonym for "fouled up" was not in use either. "Son of a b***h" was a popular insult or exclamation, often combined with a "d*mn" "d*mned," or "godd*mned" for good measure. It can also be used to address a group in the plural "sons of b***hes" which is rarely heard anymore. I would direct you to "The History of Swear Words" a Netflix documentary which in the main is accurate in discussing the progression of swearing in English. And is a lot of fun. There is a wonderful discussion about soldier swearing in the old Civil War Times special edition "The Common Soldier of the Civil War " that has some useful and colorful original quotes. When i was 12, it was my favorite part of the magazine.
@7thWisconsin you win the asterisk award for the day!A lot of swearing was still religiously based at that time, so you see profuse use of "d**n," "h*ll," and "godd*mn" in its many forms. Scatological words were popular (sh*t, p*ss) though not in their adjectival form. The f-bomb certainly was in use, but for the actual act, not as an adjective either. I think its use as a synonym for "fouled up" was not in use either. "Son of a b***h" was a popular insult or exclamation, often combined with a "d*mn" "d*mned," or "godd*mned" for good measure. It can also be used to address a group in the plural "sons of b***hes" which is rarely heard anymore. I would direct you to "The History of Swear Words" a Netflix documentary which in the main is accurate in discussing the progression of swearing in English. And is a lot of fun. There is a wonderful discussion about soldier swearing in the old Civil War Times special edition "The Common Soldier of the Civil War " that has some useful and colorful original quotes. When i was 12, it was my favorite part of the magazine.
I have noted references with many using the middle finger often. It's not so much as a word, but it held a strong message.Just a side bar here - but I wonder if they had any "curse words" that they used that we don't have in our vocabulary today?
4-letter old fashioned curse words. No. Insults? Yes. You could get in a fist fight back then by calling a man a ¨puppy¨ or a ¨d*mned puppy¨ to boot.Just a side bar here - but I wonder if they had any "curse words" that they used that we don't have in our vocabulary today?
A certain politician I knew was famous for being able to use the f word as every part if speech in a single sentence.4-letter old fashioned curse words. No. Insults? Yes. You could get in a fist fight back then by calling a man a ¨puppy¨ or a ¨d*mned puppy¨ to boot.
(Not a Civil War story, but one that was passed to me by my uncle, my Dad´s older brother. He was an AFS ambulance driver in WW2 and served with the British. When he was in Italy, he saw a Tommy standing on the hood of a jeep that was sunk so deep in the mud that the hood was level with the ground. Tommy Atkins assessment of the situation was ¨The f**kin´ f**ker´s f**ked.¨ My uncle was astounded that the same word could be used successively and simultaneously as an adjective, noun and verb - in order. The English should win an award for swearing.)