# Are "cunt" and "twat" less offensive terms in England? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 26, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151 "2012-11-26T14:22:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151/61 "2012-11-29T15:58:13Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > While I do swear with regularity, I absolutely never say the c-word. It’s just disgusting to me. I don’t always swear, but when I do… [QUOTE=minlokwat] Also I never realized that “twat” was considered a Britishism that rhymes with “hat” until -again from the movies- Emma Stone’s character in **Easy A** uses it to insult another female. [/QUOTE] How do Americans pronounce it/make it rhyme with ? ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151/62 "2012-11-29T16:13:25Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > How do Americans pronounce it/make it rhyme with ? Like it rhymes with “aught”. “tw-aught” US vs “tw-hat” UK I think that’s a softer A sound, if I am not mistaken. IANAL (Linguist, you twats) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151/63 "2012-11-29T16:29:03Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I don’t always swear, but when I do… > > How do Americans pronounce it/make it rhyme with ? > [@Tristan](#): > > Like it rhymes with “aught”. > > “tw-aught” US > > vs > > “tw-hat” UK > > I think that’s a softer A sound, if I am not mistaken. IANAL (Linguist, you twats) 😃 For me, it rhymes with “what.” It’s “what” with a T stuck on the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151/64 "2012-11-29T16:53:52Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > For me, it rhymes with “what.” It’s “what” with a T stuck on the beginning. But “what” rhymes with “hat”, right ? (This is starting to sound like Dr. Seuss…) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151/65 "2012-11-29T16:56:49Z")
No, what rhymes with butt. And I disagree twat rhymes with what. It rhymes with hot. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151/66 "2012-11-29T17:05:29Z")
> [@bup](#): > > No, what rhymes with butt. > > And I disagree twat rhymes with what. It rhymes with hot. In my universe, twat, what and hot all rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151/67 "2012-11-29T19:13:01Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > Or maybe just a personal thing? My granny would probably disapprove. She’s ok with “crap” or “shit” if it is warranted, but I don’t take it any further than that. But for example at uni mild swearing was fine, professor swore. “Twat” wouldn’t have been a problem (eg informal conversation: “Well, Camaron is a bit of twat, isn’t he?”), whereas “cunt” or “bitch” would not be acceptable. Quite possibly. Some people are offended by quite mild swearwords and I was drug up in Sarf-East London where _anything_ goes.. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cunt-and-twat-less-offensive-terms-in-england/642151.md?page=3)