# Juno's cunt! What slang/swearing has historical/fantasy fiction taught you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 23, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360 "2008-05-23T14:31:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/1 "2008-05-23T14:31:36Z")
I’ve been watching HBO’s Rome, and hereby resolve that I will no longer use dull commonplace swear words like “shit” and “son of a bitch”, but instead “CAC!” and “JUNO’S CUNT!” The characters in that show say it with such feeling, it’s inspired me. Pluto’s thorny cock! (Pardon my Latin.) How 'bout you? What kind of ersatz ergot would you exchange with your droogs? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/2 "2008-05-23T14:35:38Z")
_Argot_, pardon me. Cac! ---
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/3 "2008-05-23T14:41:35Z")
I’ve a feeling it won’t be long before a mod changes your OP title… Anyrate, Nobody in TV history says cocksucker like Deadwoods Al Swearengen… If we were living in more impolite times, I’d probably say it to everyone I meet. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/4 "2008-05-23T14:43:09Z")
From Colleen McCullouch’s books, I learned the mild oaths (kinda like _heck_ and _darn_ today) used by Romans, especially Roman women: **Ecastor Edepol** These are thought to be invocations of Castor and Pollux, the Gemini, sons of god, and not gods themselves. It’s kinda like saying the name of a saint instead of God. I wonder/suspect that this might have something to do with the more modern use of “Gemini”, in the form “Jiminy!” as a mild oath. “Jiminy!” became “Jiminy cricket!” or “Jiminy Crickets!” to give it a bit more weight (and those all-powerful JC initials – this became, evidently, a euphemism for “Jesus Christ”). And, of course, from there it became the name of a character in Disney’s **Pinocchio** – in Carlo Collodi’s original stories and book, the character Cricket had no first name. (And Pinocchio squishes him – THAT would’ve made for an interesting animated scene!) I’ve always visualized Disney’s story-writing team taking this cue for naming the cricket from one of Disney’s Kansas City-bred stable of animators, perhaps from Disney himself. “Jiminy Cricket” has a Midwestern flavor – and it shows up in other Disney productions (Like **Peter Pan** ) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/5 "2008-05-23T15:20:34Z")
If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s those Gorram Reavers. I’m gonna be swearing in Chinese from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/6 "2008-05-23T15:26:47Z")
I have been known to say “frak” when saltier options are contraindicated by the social setting. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/7 "2008-05-23T15:31:35Z")
I don’t know if a movie made in [1938](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030696/) qualifies as “historical” or “fiction” - let alone historical fiction - but I am rather fond of the exclamation _ **“JUMPIN’ BUTTERBALLS!!1!”** _ ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/8 "2008-05-23T15:36:14Z")
I’ve developed a lifelong habit of saying “Ods balls!” thanks to Firesign Theatre’s Shakespeare parody. ---
**Author:** ![Elysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@Elysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysium)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/9 "2008-05-23T16:02:35Z")
[QUOTE=bubastis] I’ve a feeling it won’t be long before a mod changes your OP title… Anyrate, Nobody in TV history says cocksucker like Deadwoods Al Swearengen… If we were living in more impolite times, I’d probably say it to everyone I meet. [/QUOTE] Except for Wu, perhaps. My husband and I yell “Swegen!” at each other occasionally 'cause we love Wu so much. I liked using flash to describe something cool from the Difference Engine. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/10 "2008-05-23T16:13:39Z")
“Frak” is a regular part of my vocabulary these days, as is “gorram.” ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/11 "2008-05-23T17:21:54Z")
Am I the only one who’s relieved this has nothing to do with Ellen Page’s vagina? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/12 "2008-05-23T17:23:46Z")
What? No love for “frell”? Or “felgergarb”? ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/13 "2008-05-23T17:35:29Z")
“Frell!” or “Frelling!” seems to work quite nicely! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/14 "2008-05-23T17:43:12Z")
I’ve been trying to work into my vocabulary the terms “Someone is playing silly buggers with us” (someone is screwing with us) and “Bugger that for a game of soldiers” (fuck this). Picked them both up from the Discworld books. Also, trying to use “gor’ram” from Firefly more often. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/15 "2008-05-23T17:45:22Z")
I’ve been reading Georgette Heyer. The next time someone upsets me, I shall threaten to go into strong hysterics. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/16 "2008-05-23T17:47:40Z")
[QUOTE=Captain\_C] I’ve been trying to work into my vocabulary the terms “Someone is playing silly buggers with us” (someone is screwing with us) [/QUOTE] That may be a real Britishism, because I’m pretty sure that phrase pops up once in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy too. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/17 "2008-05-23T17:56:12Z")
One of my favorite (somewhat obscure) literary swears is “shendi-fleckin’”. It comes from Jacqueline Lichtenberg’s Sime-Gen series, and I’ve used it since I first discovered it back in the ‘70s. There’s something satisfying about saying "Get that shendi-fleckin’ thing off of there!" and having people look at you funny because it’s obscure even for sci-fi folks. I’ve even gotten friends who’ve never read the series to use it because it sounds so cool. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/18 "2008-05-23T18:01:17Z")
In the “bloopers” at the end of Anchorman, Will Ferrell says, “Great Odin’s Raven”. I’d never actually say it, not even ironically, but it’s pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/19 "2008-05-23T18:05:37Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] That may be a real Britishism, because I’m pretty sure that phrase pops up once in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy too. [/QUOTE] Both the quotes are genuine Britishisms, although I think “Fuck that for a game of soldiers!” is more common than “Bugger that…”. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360/20 "2008-05-23T18:17:32Z")
I also learned \*mentulum cacat \* (sp?) from Colleen McCullough, basically, “I shit on your prick.” From James Clavell I got \*dew neh loh moh \* (sp?) in Chinese, which from what I gathered in the books, is a very bad swear. I asked here once, and it’s something like “I fuck your old mother.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junos-cunt-what-slang-swearing-has-historical-fantasy-fiction-taught-you/450360.md?page=2)