# Cocks and asses: do you get flustered when using words that have a secondary profane meaning? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 3, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896 "2013-03-03T05:35:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/1 "2013-03-03T05:35:06Z")
A few days ago I was tutoring a little girl using her notebook from school. She had started a list of farm animals and needed to come up with their plurals. I was working down the list, trying to explain why the plural of moose was moose, but the plural of goose was geese, and turned the page to see: [http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1473/5747827/15966180/405845373.jpg](http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1473/5747827/15966180/405845373.jpg) For those not wanting to click, the next page in the child’s notebook shows items 6 and 7 on the list are: > [@](#): > > 1. ass > 2. cock Now I realize that for some, this is purely a personal hangup that we just have to deal with. But as an American, I almost never hear these words in anything other than a profane or sexual context. So it was a bit of a shock turning the page and seeing them right there. The close proximity of the two words made the situation even more awkward. Now I realize that, perhaps owing to American isolationism, British English dominates in Thailand and perhaps most developing countries. It may be perfectly okay to have a discussion about cocks and asses when all of the participants have grown up using these words in non-profane and nonsexual contexts. But it was amazing to me that the child’s English teacher (who is Thai, but surely has a good grasp of English that was probably learned in a native English speaking country) didn’t provide these words to the child along with a caution flag, and supply the alternate American words. I suppose a parallel situation might be if a British person had to give a lecture about fanny packs to a room filled with american businessmen. So what did I do? Of course I had to suck it up (har!) and entertain a short discussion about cocks and asses. I also provided the American alternates, as the child may some day encounter Americans and might benefit from this bit of information. If she were an older student, I might try to explain the awkwardness of the situation and provide the alternate, more Americanized versions of donkey\* and rooster. I realize that donkey is technically a subset of the ass classification and therefore imprecise, but in my experience that is what most Americans prefer to use. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/2 "2013-03-03T06:25:37Z")
1. ass 2. cock [8. tits](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tit_%28bird%29) ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/3 "2013-03-03T06:29:29Z")
I don’t get flustered, stymied, or any other thing (though depending on context it may be prime for a few really lame jokes). However, in a capacity acting as a language instructor, I do think it’s at the very least **responsible** to note to the student that in certain contexts and cultures the words may not be appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/4 "2013-03-03T06:33:38Z")
The problem appears to be that, to you, the meaning that you call “secondary” in the title is actually the primary one. I wouldn’t be able to talk about food in Spanish if I was going to get flustered every time a word with a dirty meaning came up; some are shared with English but not all: eat, omelette, egg(s), sausage, meat, fish, bun, rabbit, cow, bull, colt, mare… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/5 "2013-03-03T06:40:57Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > 1. ass > 2. cock > [8. tits](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tit_%28bird%29) 1. [boobies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booby) ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/6 "2013-03-03T08:40:32Z")
1. ass 2. cock 3. tits 4. boobies 5. pussy ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/7 "2013-03-03T09:34:46Z")
1. ass 2. cock 3. tits 4. boobies 5. pussy 6. root I will never forgive my 5th grade teacher for trying to make me read the word ‘root’ out loud in front of the class. I must have had a dirty mind, because all I could think was root = fuck. There was no way I could bring myself to say it. I stood there and acted like I had brain damage. - I said rot. - She said no, try again. - I said route (to rhyme with spout). - She said no, try and sound it out. - I said rrrrrr-o-teeee…wrote? - She said ‘Snerky! What’s wrong with you?! It’s root. Root!’ And that is when I got the uncontrolable giggles and was sent to sit in the corner for a 10 minute time out. How on earth could a teacher not know root is slang for fuck? I’m sure she was messing with me. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/8 "2013-03-03T10:02:40Z")
> [@Snerky\_Snerk](#): > > 1. ass > 2. cock > 3. tits > 4. boobies > 5. pussy > 6. root > > I will never forgive my 5th grade teacher for trying to make me read the word ‘root’ out loud in front of the class. I must have had a dirty mind, because all I could think was root = fuck. There was no way I could bring myself to say it. I stood there and acted like I had brain damage. > > - I said rot. > - She said no, try again. > - I said route (to rhyme with spout). > - She said no, try and sound it out. > - I said rrrrrr-o-teeee…wrote? > - She said ‘Snerky! What’s wrong with you?! It’s root. Root!’ > > And that is when I got the uncontrolable giggles and was sent to sit in the corner for a 10 minute time out. > > How on earth could a teacher not know root is slang for fuck? I’m sure she was messing with me. I never knew root was slang for fuck. First time I’ve ever heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/9 "2013-03-03T10:07:41Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I wouldn’t be able to talk about food in Spanish if I was going to get flustered every time a word with a dirty meaning came up; some are shared with English but not all: eat, omelette, egg(s), sausage, meat, fish, bun, rabbit, cow, bull, colt, mare… Huh? Are you saying that in Spain, “cow” is some kind of sexual euphemism? ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/10 "2013-03-03T10:45:00Z")
In Dutch “Cock” is an old-fashioned first name. I work with a guy called Cock, which can be awkward to explain to non-Dutch speakers. Years ago I had to text his name on an old Nokia phone, and I wondered if my dictionary would know the word. Imagine my surprise when I punched in the numbers, and the first option my innocent phone gave was “anal”, the second being “cock”. So I might feel a little flustered when I have to say his name, but mainly because it’s awkward and distracts from what I am saying. I am also reminded of the time my grandpa looked out of the window while we were having lunch and remarked: “Oh look, the tits are on the fat balls”. Clearly he wasn’t flustered in the slightest, but I had to silently scream with laughter and subtly wipe away my tears with a napkin. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/11 "2013-03-03T16:01:10Z")
I don’t know about the OP, but I enjoy watching _The Bank Dick._ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/12 "2013-03-03T16:15:37Z")
I was at a bird show (Like a dog show, but with birds) years ago. I couldn’t help laugh at two men I overheard discussing the enormous size of a particular cock. “Did you see Maury’s cock? It’s huge!” ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/13 "2013-03-03T17:03:43Z")
As a British British-English speaker, ass isn’t really used for either meaning. One is arse, the other is donkey. And a cock is normally a penis. Cocker, commonly used around these parts like “pal”. And couldn’t, which pronounced in the way c ommon here sounds very much like cunt. > [@gracer](#): > > In Dutch “Cock” is an old-fashioned first name. I work with a guy called Cock, which can be awkward to explain to non-Dutch speakers. Years ago I had to text his name on an old Nokia phone, and I wondered if my dictionary would know the word. Imagine my surprise when I punched in the numbers, and the first option my innocent phone gave was “anal”, the second being “cock”. > > So I might feel a little flustered when I have to say his name, but mainly because it’s awkward and distracts from what I am saying. > > I am also reminded of the time my grandpa looked out of the window while we were having lunch and remarked: “Oh look, the tits are on the fat balls”. Clearly he wasn’t flustered in the slightest, but I had to silently scream with laughter and subtly wipe away my tears with a napkin. You Dutch and your names. I’m still amused by Tiny Kocks. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/14 "2013-03-03T17:39:22Z")
There is a poem in a lot of children’s nursery rhyme books, _[I Love Little Pussy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_Little_Pussy)_. I couldn’t bring myself to say that to my kids, and substituted “kitty.” Similarly, I changed “Go down, dogs! Go down!” in _Go Dog Go_ to “Get down.” ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/15 "2013-03-03T17:45:20Z")
bitch = female dog ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/16 "2013-03-03T17:57:19Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I never knew root was slang for fuck. First time I’ve ever heard of it. It’s very Australian, I believe. Not a thing in America. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/17 "2013-03-04T05:05:00Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > bitch = female dog Also known as a dam, as in sire and dam. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/18 "2013-03-04T05:50:05Z")
When you load a Civil War era musket you pull back the cock and put a cap on the nipple. Most folks these days will call the cock a hammer and the nipple a cone just to avoid those terms. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/19 "2013-03-04T07:09:33Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I never knew root was slang for fuck. First time I’ve ever heard of it. As in the old mathematician’s chat-up line which goes: \* b 4i √u (ru/16) q t p\* ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896/20 "2013-03-04T12:59:47Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > When you load a Civil War era musket you pull back the cock and put a cap on the nipple. > > Most folks these days will call the cock a hammer and the nipple a cone just to avoid those terms. I have a sudden craving for an ice cream cone. Don’t know why. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocks-and-asses-do-you-get-flustered-when-using-words-that-have-a-secondary-profane-meaning/651896.md?page=2)