# "Right Bastard"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-bastard/101397>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 2, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-bastard/101397 "2002-04-02T15:57:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-bastard/101397/1 "2002-04-02T15:57:31Z")

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I was reading the letters section in my last issue of PCGamer and this guy wrote in asking them to tone their cussing because his kid asked him what a “right bastard” was.

What IS a “right bastard?”

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**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-bastard/101397/2 "2002-04-02T16:16:20Z")

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A bastard with a clockwise thread?  
😛

Actually, this seems to be a British/Aussie slang expression, the American equivalent of which would be a “real bastard”, or perhaps “real #&_@#}_ bastard”, as in “The Boss wouldn’t let me steal office supplies. That guy’s a right bastard!”

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**Author:** ![KXL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@KXL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KXL)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-bastard/101397/3 "2002-04-02T19:17:53Z")

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\*\* SavageNarce \*\* is correct, and has answered your question, but it’s interesting to note that “right” used for “very” or “truly” survived in the United States as well. How often have we heard cowboys (in movies) say, “She’s right darn pretty.”

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**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-bastard/101397/4 "2002-04-02T19:51:07Z")

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Huh. I can’t help but be slightly disappointed. Oh well.

I appreciate it.

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**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-bastard/101397/5 "2002-04-02T22:54:13Z")

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One might also hear “He’s a proper bastard” or “He’s a right proper bastard,” the point being he’s quite good at being one.