# Favorite fictional swear words? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126 "2003-03-05T00:47:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/81 "2003-03-06T05:24:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shemem \* > In _A Wind in the Door_, Madeleine L’Engle tells us that “fewmets” are dragon droppings. Both Meg and Calvin use it as an explicative. > > I don’t know if L’Engle was making it up or if it’s a real word, but I’ve used it, too. She didn’t make it up out of whole cloth, although she did use it differently: [fewmet](http://machaut.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/WEBSTER.sh?WORD=fewmet) --\> [fumet](http://machaut.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/WEBSTER.sh?WORD=Fumet): “The dung of deer.” I believe it’s mainly a hunting term (“Aha! Fewmets! And we must be getting close–they’re still fresh! Loose the hounds!”) so one imagines it would most likely be used by dragon _hunters_. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/82 "2003-03-06T05:34:35Z")
I like, and have used, “fargin’ bastidge” and “Shazbot!” Also “furshlugginer” (from old MAD Magazines). “Anal bum cover” (as said by Sean Connery on Celebrity Jeopardy) makes a surprisingly good curse. From a James Thurber story: “Stop his squawking, or I’ll squuck his thrug till all he can whupple is geep!” ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/83 "2003-03-06T05:48:30Z")
dangergene: > [@](#): > > Grokk/ Grokk bokkin. I recall Garryn Bek from L.E.G.I.O.N. using this one. Are you misremembering the source as being Alien Legion, or did the L.E.G.I.O.N. writers borrow it from there? Chaim Mattis Keller ---
**Author:** ![Hazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Hazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazel)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/84 "2003-03-06T05:57:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sublight \* > \*\*Robert A. Wilson’s _Schroedinger’s Cat Trilogy_ contains a number of alternate-universe swear words, usually using people’s names. a Steinem was a blow job, while Bryanting (from anti-homosexual crusader Anita Bryant) was anal sex. I’ve meant to start a GQ thread to find out who Potter Stewart (fuck) was. \*\* I love Robert Anton Wilson! Especially the _Schrodenger’s Cat Trilogy._ Six other people have probably said this by now, but Potter Stewart was, I think, a Supreme Court Judge. Unsure why Wilson chose his name for “fuck” but presumably, he must have written a desision about “bad language”? ---
**Author:** ![Spiratu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@Spiratu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiratu)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/85 "2003-03-06T05:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Larry Mudd \* > **SolGrundy** , my favourite variant of that is “Cheese 'n Rice all Muddy!” I didn’t know it was fictional-- it’s an invocation that I call upon at least once a month. I don’t think it is fictional…I’d guess that the various Cheese 'n Rice curses have been around for as long as there’s been: a) Cheese b) Rice c) People who didn’t quite want to say Jesus Christ’s name in vain. I know my dad, at least, has been using it long before _Honey I Shrunk the Kids_ ever came into being.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Hazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazel)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/86 "2003-03-06T06:16:22Z")
In several Larry Niven stories, people use “blank” and “bleep” and suchlike as curses. Only very old (or, presumably, very erudite) people know that these were once substitues for actual cures. I always liked that: bleep and such evolving into real cures. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/87 "2003-03-06T11:58:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shodan \* > \*\*Szronified = “descended from countless generations of dwellers in stinking, unflowering mud”. > > Betcha there’s gonna be a Doper who recognizes the reference in less than four hours. > > Regards, > Shodan \*\* Tomingan curse word, from _The Vortex Blasters_, aka _Masters of the Vortex_, “Doc” Smith. Is this the first mention of “Doc” Smith in this thread? Klono’s tungsten teeth and curving carballoy claws! Oh … and for the _true_ cognoscenti … “Mrifk!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/88 "2003-03-06T13:13:20Z")
Harry Enfield’s sketch about overdubbing of swearwords with milder alternates was pretty good. “Ducksucker” is all I can remember, but it still makes me laugh. And, of course, Father Ted’s “Feck”. MRS.DOYLE: It was a bit much for me Father. Feck this, and feck that. FR.TED: Yes Mrs. Doyle. MRS.DOYLE: Ya big bastard, aw dreadful language. You big hairy arse, you big fecker. Fierce stuff. And of course the ‘F’ word Father. The BAD ‘F’ word. Worse than feck. You know the one I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Lenny\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9dc877/32.png) [@Lenny\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lenny_Carl)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/89 "2003-03-06T19:12:51Z")
In **Empire Strikes Back** , when 3-PO is walking around Cloud City, he runs into another 3-POish droid. 3-PO says, “Oh, nice to see a familiar face.” The other 3-PO says, “ **Echuta.** ” 3-PO says, “How rude!” So I take “Echuta” as a swear word and I try to use it with my Star Wars friends whenever possible. It’s quite fun and I recommend it to all of you! ---
**Author:** ![Caenis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Caenis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caenis)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/90 "2003-03-06T19:19:06Z")
I’m currently rereading _Maia_ by Richard Adams, and he uses _baste_ in place of f\*\*\*, and _tairth_ as a name for the female sex organ. I read this book initially in 9th grade, and now I can’t hear the word baste without thinking it’s naughty. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/91 "2003-03-06T20:59:38Z")
Speaking of _Star Wars_, there’s “poodu,” first used to mean “fodder” by Jabba in ROTJ, but used as an exclamation of disgust by Sebulba in TPM. Oh, and _Knights of the Dinner Table_ uses “Firk! Ding! Blast!” (blast of course is real, but the others didn’t look right without it.) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/92 "2003-03-06T21:43:36Z")
Crom! ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/93 "2003-03-06T23:16:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gonzoron \* > Speaking of _Star Wars_, there’s “poodu,” first used to mean “fodder” by Jabba in ROTJ, but used as an exclamation of disgust by Sebulba in TPM. Well, is it ever established just what banthas eat? It seems unlikely that they would be herbivores, given their size and the scarcity of vegetation in their environment. Maybe they’re omnivorous, and their diet includes carrion. That would fit both uses. Yes, I like retconning things. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/94 "2003-03-07T00:50:07Z")
Anyone remember an old Saturday morning live action science fiction show called Star Academy or some such thing? There was an alien kid who always used the expletive “Cameleopardus!” which is the name, I believe, of a constellation. (Free trivia points: cameleopardus is the ancient name for the giraffe.) ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/95 "2003-03-07T01:10:58Z")
[hijack] What is it with comic book publishers? Why is it that somehow you can sometimes have a \*%#@ uttered by your characther, yet you mainly have them cut off or use a made up word or "futurisitic" words such as the aforementioned shock? I'd rather "what the \*%#" than “What the shock”, it doesn’t sound as stupid. Gosh darn it. [/hijack] I actually like shock, if only because it makes me laugh at the idea of people using it as a curse word. ---
**Author:** ![FairyDust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@FairyDust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyDust)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/96 "2003-03-07T13:31:26Z")
“This is riGoddamndiculous!” Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movie ‘The Spy Who Shagged Me’ when he saw two Austin Powers in his moon space station. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/97 "2003-03-07T15:33:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fibber McGee \* > \*\*Semprini \*\* "OUT, OUT " _is dragged out by police officer_ ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/98 "2003-03-07T15:35:10Z")
“Sweet Christmas!” _Luke Cage_ ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/99 "2003-03-07T17:19:44Z")
Not really fictional, but a good one: **Motherbearin’** When I was growing up, I had a friend who’s family was from Alaska. His dad, Tom, was this real hard-nosed type, ex-marine, former football coach, with a rough gravelly voice. Shaved head, body like granite…picture Robin Williams as Popeye but no sailor suit. May have looked mean, but he was the nicest person you’d ever meet. His favorite cuss word was “Motherbear,” as in “I can’t find the motherbearin’ screwdriver,” and “Get that motherbearin’ cat outta here.” I once asked Tom how he came up with motherbear, and he said it came from a surveying job he did when he was in Alaska. He and his coworker stumbled across a bear’s den as they were surveying and the mother bear came out and chased them all the way back to their truck. He said his coworker was this really fat guy, but managed to outrun Tom back to the truck. They both got in, the fat guy was the driver, but couldn’t get his hand inside his pocket to get the keys. The mother bear had caught up with them and jumped on top of the truck. She was batting the truck with her paws and cracking the windshield. The fat guy finally ripped his pocket open, got the keys, started the truck, and sped off. Tom said he saw the mother bear fall off and roll a few times. So that’s why “Motherbear” became his cuss word. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126/100 "2003-03-07T18:01:52Z")
[hijack] A plexindectomy would probably be the _removal_ of a piece of plexiglass, not its implantation. [/hijack] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-swear-words/159126.md?page=6)