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I’m paraphrasing here, because this was eons ago, but I once read an interview with Gene Roddenberry in which he admitted that both Kirk and Spock had hard K names because hard consonants imply strength (and masculinity). The hard K sound is an ugly sound, for sure, which is why the Germans might have the ugliest language on the planet (Shut up. I’m like, one quarter German). The “kuh” sound is essentially spat out. Try it. Watch the saliva fly. Due to the mouth mechanics involved with this diction, in my opinion anyway, words involving that sound are very satisfying when angry.
Like “Fuck.”
Fuck is pretty much the most malleable profanity on the planet, because it can be used in so many wonderful ways. In my estimation, however, there is no more satisfying word to spit out than, “Cunt.”
I wasn’t much of a cusser in my teens beyond the usual “shit” or “damn” or occasional “fuck you.” I didn’t really start learning the ropes until I started working music retail. I’d estimate that 85% of all music retail employees (do such things exist anymore?) are frustrated musicians who require day jobs. The music industry is rife with creative profanity, and I learned it all. I don’t remember how old I was when I first uttered “cunt” aloud, but I do remember that when I let that word fly a warmth spread over me, and I knew I had selected the right word for the job. It’s an ugly word for ugly people. For some reason it’s horribly taboo, especially with women. I know chicks who will fling out the “fucktards” and “cock lickers,” but their voices will drop to a whisper when they say, “the C Word.” Literally. They don’t whisper, “cunt.” They whisper, “The C Word.”
What the fuck is that about? What the hell do they think the repercussions will be?
There are chicks who say that cunt is simply a degrading term for women, and it should be abolished. Shit all over that. Cunt is ABSOLUTELY gender indiscriminate. Frankly, it pisses me off far more to hear women referred to as “pussy” than it does to hear a woman referred to as a cunt. If a chick is a cunt you know she did something awful. As much as I love the word, and as gratifying as it is to spew it forth, it is saved for the most annoying or wretched of evildoers in my orbit. It is never flung about willy-nilly.
Ok, I lie. It’s been willy-nilly all over the place.
I’ll offer some examples.
In my humble opinion, in order to avoid libel suits:
Bernie Madoff could be called a cunt. Easily. Actually, he would get the assignation, “What a fucking cunt!” I mention dear Bernie, who is old news, because our fair state has the honor of hosting his stay in the penal system. Also, I saw interviews with elderly, retired people whom he fleeced. As far as I’m concerned, anyone who fucks over folks with limited incomes is a fucking cunt.
All pro athletes who whine for more money when they already make more than the Catholic Church in a good year are referred to as, “whiny cunts.”
A few people that my husband has worked with in the past have been called cunts on a regular basis. Generally this would be because they are freeloading losers who have no idea how to do the jobs they’re being paid to do, and they enjoy taking the credit for the successes of others. I’m pretty sure they got the prefix “fucking” before cunt as well.
My husband rarely uses the word cunt, so when he does I know he’s pissed as all get out.
I met my best friend when we both worked at The Formerly Well-Respected Giant Bookstore That Apparently Stopped Selling Books. One of our greatest joys in life is tossing insults back and forth, and we developed a game of sorts that works kind of like Tic-Tac-Toe. One of us will holler, “Bitch!” at the other. The next responds with, “Whore!” After that comes, “Twat!” This is followed by “Cunt!”
Whoever gets to yell cunt is the winner.
I almost always end up yelling twat. Pisses me the fuck off.
I’m of the opinion that words are only as powerful as we allow them to be. This is why it confuses me that there are whole organizations emerging to combat the use of the “R Word.” I haven’t heard the R Word used to describe someone who is legitimately challenged in decades. To me, at least, making an issue of the situation draws attention to a problem that didn’t really exist until these well meaning folks pointed it out.
Sticks and stones, right?
Or is it? Do words have powers of their own that defy the intentions of the people who speak them? Or are they simply words?
In my head while driving I still holler out “cunt.” My mouth, however, voices the words, “loser” or “dork” or even more lame, “you stooge!”
I have a three year old in the back seat now. My invectives became curtailed when she began to speak English. Most of my cussing used to occur while driving, and because I’m the primary driver of my kids this simply doesn’t happen anymore. I don’t even get to utter a simple, “Dammit!” when someone does something stupid that might kill us. Now from the back seat I hear, “Be careful, Car!” when I have to stop suddenly because some moron pulled in front of me when there’s no traffic behind me for miles.
Banter with my husband that used to end with me saying, “You dick,” often ends now with me calling him a dork.
Or worse, a goober.
I’ve had to pull out the Substitution Brigade now that she understands English. The words “Sugarfoot” and “Fiddlesticks” have re-entered my lexicon. Learned at the feet of an old coworker almost 15 years ago, they’re coming in handy now. I’m interjecting them into adult conversation as well.
I’m not often embarrassed by it.
The most recent person I referred to as a cunt really, truly deserved it. In my eyes at least. However, it was via email, so it wasn’t nearly as satisfying.
Am I finally growing up? I don’t know. I know that some nights at 8pm my husband suddenly asks me, “What the fuck??” and I tell him I’ve been holding it in all day. It has to come out.
Maybe someday it won’t. Maybe someday “sugarfoot” will suffice nicely.
Fine. Just one more.
Cunt.
(This post has essentially burned off an entire year’s worth of driving aggression, and for that I need to say thank you).
About The Author
ChuckWendig
Chuck Wendig is equal parts novelist, screenwriter, and game designer. He is the author of the novels DOUBLE DEAD, BLACKBIRDS, and MOCKINGBIRD. In addition, he's got a metric boatload of writing-related e-books available, including the popular 500 WAYS TO BE A BETTER WRITER. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with wife, dog, and newborn progeny.
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I’m sorry, but “cunt” is not nearly a good enough swearsword for me. That’s because it does not have the indignant “ee” sound combined with the explosive stop of a “dh” sound. I am of course referring to “cunt’s” Polish equivalent: “pizda”.
Believe me, I could talk about profanity in different languages for a long, long time. The phonetics, the grammar of verb prefixes in German and Polish, the non-discriminatory insults in Spanish (I get a “son of whore” AND “a daughter of whore” for the same low, low price of zip? YES!), all kinds of things. Wax poetic I could.
One of the best lines in Snatch uses this versatile word to stick an exclamation point on a sentence spoken at a completely calm & conversational level.
“D’you know what ‘nemesis’ means? ‘A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent.’ Personified, in this case, by a ‘orrible cunt: Me.”
Brick Top’s malevolence reaches it’s apex with this delivery, and it wouldn’t have worked quite as well without the word “cunt.”
I loved every fucking word of this cunt of a post.
I am of the school that believes words are innocent, intentions are the culprit. How anyone can disagree with that amazes me, but I can respect they do. Like stated, words only have the power we give them. Take the power away, they are just words with stronger consonants.
Best cussing in a movie comes from Blade Trinity, though I agree Snatch was a good choice. But I present you the scene where Parker Posey has Ryan Reynolds strapped to a chair:
“It’s being pumped through the building’s air conditioning system, you cock-juggling thundercunt!”
This word game just isn’t an all or nothing game, is it? We get to use any of them that we want – no one’s going to punish us under any legal statute, well, I think.
So what you’re talking about is social stigma, or the consequences of our actions interpersonally. I try to live by the rule that “only the offended party gets to decide if they are offended”. I can’t tell someone not to be offended.
So following that – if I care about the feelings of that offended person, which is really the question – how far you’re willing to extend that care – I won’t use that word or phrase or whatever around them, or perhaps anymore at all. It’s all about showing respect for your fellows on this giant water ball.
I went through the whole thing where I read Inga Muscio’s book about reclaiming “cunt” for ladies everywhere but in the end, I found that wasn’t for me. I’m not going to use it in a positive way because, well, that’s just swimming upstream. I’m not going to use it in a negative way because it feels gendered to me, though if that gets washed out of it then great. But in my ears it’s not that different from “pussy” – a word I will tolerate far, far less. If someone can please explain to me how the pejorative use of “pussy” is not a dig on ladies, I have yet to hear a good argument.
Which again brings me back to the “ear of the beholder” thing. If you’re hurting someone with your words, maybe it’s not that hard to stop hurting them!
Anyways, I’m not the language police, you won’t find me ranting on the subject (even when my favorite blogs might call someone a “pussy” in text) because I’m too tired to stir up drama. But you asked! So soapbox ascended, and descended.
I know this comment will make me super popular!
I fucking love the word cunt – it’s Chaucerian! Raging cunt bag, nickel-plated cunt, stupid cunt… I love that the word is kind of one of the last taboo words. I do use it regardless of gender, but that’s me. HOWEVER: I respect that it’s not for everyone and try to use it in company that would appreciate the gesture. Obviously I run with a bizarre crowd…
Excellent post!
I’m of the opinion that there are no inappropriate words, only inappropriate times to use them. I grew up with a mother who had a mouth like a sailor, and it’s reflected in my current vocabulary. I’m pretty free with my “fucks” and “shits” and “asshats”, and I try not to verbally castrate myself too much around the kids.
The argument can be made that no parent should teach their kids to swear, and I can see the value in that logic… but society is inundated with “vulgar” language; they’re going to pick it up whether it comes from me or not. I feel that using replacement words like “fudge” or “shoot” or “aitch-ee-double-hockey-sticks” isn’t good, because the intent behind the language is still present, no matter what word you actually use.
And if my kids are going to learn about language, then it should be me, the parent, who teaches them appropriate usage. Not Eminem or Metallica or whatever Hollywood icon’s the current flavour of the week.
Just my opinion on it.
This post has found a good home here. Good showing.
Are you fucking kidding me? I had to go first???
Ok.
Well, this DOES seem to be one of the last taboo words. It’s an ancient word, absolutely. I find that when I use it I do feel a bit free-er, although I couldn’t REALLY tell you why. I don’t use any words around people if they have told me they make them uncomfortable. An example is that while I’m not a Christian, I have many friends who are, as well as my mother, and while “Jesus Christ” flies out of my mouth fairly regularly, or even more often, “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” due to having been raised Catholic, I will never use that phrase around these people.
*pants after run on sentence*
Apparently I forgot to remove “wanker” from my vocabulary, because my 3 year old daughter said, “Youuuuuuu wanker,” to the cable box the other day when it fritzed out.
At least she used it properly.
Thank you, everyone. It’ll be interesting to see where this goes.
I fall somewhere in line with Kim and Maggie; there’s a time and place for everything, but offense is most definitely in the ears of the beholder. Certain words have been given way more power than will ever be taken away from them and are off limits.
I can be as foul-mouthed as any stereotypical sailor, but I’ve always avoided the “c” and “p” words myself, while quietly admiring those who can pull off its usage with flair.
All that to say, if you told me a post about a taboo word that rhymes with punt could be thought-provoking, I wouldn’t have believed you.
Happy to be proven wrong. Kudos!
Lol. Your last line was precious. Heh heh heh. Guess Chuck is inadvertently doing civil service.
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I’m Romany and as such I grew up with the word Cunt being used as a fairly normal and every day word. It is, to pretty much every British Gypsy I know, about as strong as damn or blast and there is certainly no feeling that it didn’t ought to be said in front of the kids. Because of this I’ve spent a lot of tiem defending me using it – as a term of endearment, as an every day expresion of exasperation or annoyance. When I have kids (and much to my wifes annoyance) I am going to use it it just as much as I do now.
My defence (on the odd days I accept that I need one) is that despite all the bollocks you hear about its true meaning, it is in fact a sanskrit word used a lot in the Tantric circles and it means… font/fount. As in Font of life or font of wisdom. Seems a bloody outrage to assume it is menat as something nasty when it is spoken, and incredibly mysogonistic.
Of course, I usually mean exactly what these idiots assume when I do say it, but fuck ‘em.