Re: Swearing in other cultures (was Langmaker.com and...)

On 4 Mar 2005, at 3.33 am, Joe wrote:

> Tristan McLeay wrote:
>>
>> I've heard 'your mum' used as an offensive insult on more than one
>> occasion, usually from the mouths of (east) Asians, normally
>> Vietnamese
>> I think. I originally interpreted it as being abbreviated from the
>> non-offensive insults like 'Your mum's so fat, she got a parking
>> ticket
>> while waiting to cross the road!', but the degree to which it offends
>> suggested it probably came from something from their culture. The
>> Chinese did have a strong influence over the Vietnamese in the past,
>> so
>> it seems even more likely.
>
>
> No, it's quite common in Britain too.  Though not as an insult, but as
> an ironic non-witty riposte.
>
> ie.
> "What's the answer to this?"
> "Your[j@] mum"
No, that's quite different. I would interpret that as an ironic,
non-witty riposte. On the other hand, the aggression in 'Your mum'
["jo: "mam] as the response is quite obvious.

--
Tristan.