# Phil Foden's mum called a 's\*\*g' \[what is a 's\*\*g' (British English insult)\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 9, 2025, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818 "2025-04-09T04:21:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/21 "2025-04-09T18:00:58Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > metallurgy and volcanology groups as well (assuming you are sill talking about “slag”). Glass, too, which I guess is kind of between metal and stone. ‘Slag glass’ lamp shades, for example, are those milky offwhite panels that were probably manufacturing mistakes when first invented. Lumps of old melted glass bottles, windows from fires get called slag and lasts pretty much forever underwater, underground, where ever it gets dumped. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/22 "2025-04-09T19:17:37Z")
Brings to mind my favorite British insult. ‘She’s minging for England’. Minging is a verb to mean ‘to be ugly’. I love that it’s a verb. She is capable of competing in this _endeavour_ at the international level. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/23 "2025-04-09T20:49:01Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Ah yes, I remember the Fat Slags - a comic strip in the ‘lad’ mag Viz in the '90s. Yeah, they’re still there. And to add a little context, it’s hardly the only offensively titled strip in Viz. Eh, I’ll spoiler. (Very) Offensive and NSFW. currently Cockney Wanker The Real Ale Twats Meddlesome Ratbag Johnny Fartpants and historically Tranny Magnet The Thieving Gypsy Bastards (That one caused a question in the House Of Commons) Full disclosure: for some reason my son bought me a copy of the annual for Xmas. Viz is incredibly uneven - some of those are every bit as puerile and childish as you would imagine, living on a single weak joke for years; on the other hand (for example), one of the writers is a big fan of John Betjeman (the poet), and has produced a couple of pastiches which have made me literally cry with laughter. It is what it is. j ETA: it is actually of some relevance to this discussion, and Viz is, to some extent, satirizing the culture where the use of the word S\*\*\* would be the norm. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/24 "2025-04-09T20:52:49Z")
I forgot to add I wouldn’t have any idea slag was naughty. Beside the metal-volcano-glazier use, I thought it was made up for Simpsons. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/En-0NKZnJgA/hqdefault.jpg "Slag Off!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En-0NKZnJgA) ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/25 "2025-04-09T21:14:13Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > FWIW, “slut” is not a valid word in Words with Friends. I play various word games on my phone, and whether “rape” and its variations (“raping”, et al.) are allowed varies across games. When it’s disallowed, it makes Canola fans very unhappy. Disallowing perfectly valid words that a newspaper will happily publish seems pretty silly to me. Yeah, _maybe_ skip some/most/all of the Seven, but “slag” and “rape”?! ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/26 "2025-04-09T21:35:37Z")
_Slag_ is from the Proto-Germanic word for ‘hit’. Slag means ‘hit’ in Swedish; _slagverk_ (hit work) means ‘percussion’ in music. It’s related to slay, sley, slaughter, _Schlachthof Fünf_, and _Schlager_ (the last-named referring to “hit” songs). That’s an awfully violent background for that word. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/27 "2025-04-10T01:31:36Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > roto-Germanic word for ‘hit’. Slag means ‘hit’ in Swedish; _slagverk_ (hit work) means ‘percussion’ in music. It’s related to slay, sley, slaughter, _Schlachthof Fünf_, and _Schlager_ (the last-named referring to “hit” songs). > > That’s an awfully violent background for that word. The good people of the Australian mining centre of Broken Hill, where Slag Street sits at the middle of the town, are all aghast. To be fair, it borders the giant Line of Load - a 50 metre high, 7.5 km-long, and 1.6 km-deep mullock and slag heap, that is to the town what the Fuji is to the Japanese psyche. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/28 "2025-04-10T01:42:29Z")
I knew about “slag off” as a verb and have even used it. But I never heard of it as a derogatory noun applied to women until today. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/29 "2025-04-10T01:51:39Z")
I would be very surprised if “slag” was ever considered a prohibited word in a UK paper. Use of “s\*\*g” is more likely a form of dog whistle, where everyone knew what it meant, but papers directed at a lower intellect might simply use asterisks for effect. It makes a headline look more shocking. Shocking is the daily bread of such papers. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/30 "2025-04-10T02:03:03Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > Shocking is the daily bread of such papers. That would be my sense of this, as well. It’s about t\*tillation. ---
**Author:** ![SpicyDuckBillyHunt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@SpicyDuckBillyHunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpicyDuckBillyHunt)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/31 "2025-04-10T04:44:23Z")
Did you not look at the link? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/32 "2025-04-10T05:17:15Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > The Thieving Gypsy Bastards (That one caused a question in the House Of Commons) Cite? I never heard of that. I remember the strip. I thought it was attacking the stereotype, not the people. I still read the comic. [![](https://i.imgur.com/CHW4JNR.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/CHW4JNR.jpeg) IIRC there was a follow-up strip in the same, or next issue shoeing gypsies as very nice people. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/33 "2025-04-10T08:32:32Z")
What is a “gonic”? None of the Google hits make sense for something a cat can be made into. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/34 "2025-04-10T08:54:56Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Minging is a verb to mean ‘to be ugly’. It also means “stinking”, at least in some parts of the country. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/35 "2025-04-10T08:57:46Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > What is a “gonic”? You’ve misread “gonk” > **[Gonk](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonk)** > > Gonks are novelty toys and collectibles originating from the United Kingdom in the 1960s. > Created by English inventor Robert Benson, the toys gained popularity and were owned by celebrities including Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers. The Gonks' signature features include a small, spherical body, a furry texture and two googly eyes.\[citation needed\] Some Gonks had outfits such as those of Merseybeat rockers and were marketed as collectibles. They were popular with children and their success was attr... ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/36 "2025-04-10T14:00:42Z")
Brits use [shag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_shag) and tit as naughty terms for birds, when they could easily employ Latin names. Such puerile behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/37 "2025-04-10T18:50:11Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > > [@Treppenwitz](#): > > > > The Thieving Gypsy Bastards (That one caused a question in the House Of Commons) > > Cite? I never heard of that. My mistake - it was a complaint by the United Nations rather than the House of Commons - my failing memory, I’m afraid. Reported in The Times, which I would like to think was reasonably authoritative: > 4 Nov 2009 — On one infamous occasion Viz was taken to task by the _United Nations_ … _The Thieving Gypsy Bastards_ [Source, which surprisingly doesn’t seem to be paywalled](https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/viz-magazine-still-flirty-and-dirty-at-30-qn8x5prfx60) Other sources give more of the story. Google _“the thieving gypsy bastards” united nations_ j. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/38 "2025-04-11T06:20:46Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > a comic strip in the ‘lad’ mag Viz in the '90s. I would not characterize _Viz_ as a lad’s mag, it’s a satirical comic more in the vein of Mad Magazine except parodying UK comics and charaters. Lad’s mags are things like Nuts, FHM and Maxim. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/39 "2025-04-11T06:38:45Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Minging is a verb to mean ‘to be ugly’. I love that it’s a verb. I remember I was surprised to learn that minging and minge are unrelated. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818/40 "2025-04-11T08:18:50Z")
I assume such a thing as a minging minge exists, but I’ve never been close to one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-fodens-mum-called-a-s-g-what-is-a-s-g-british-english-insult/1016818.md?page=3)