# Why is there no standard English equivalent for the "f-word"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502 "2006-12-01T18:25:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/21 "2006-12-01T19:09:40Z")
[QUOTE=jebert] Unsatisfying. Most of the examples have single word equivalents: drop off -\> decline drop out -\> stop [/quote] Nope, those verb phrases have multiple meanings. Drop off as in “drop off my kids at school” and drop out as in “drop out of the Marine Corp”. Your question has basically been answered. IMHO you’re just being argumentative now. ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/22 "2006-12-01T19:09:50Z")
[QUOTE=alanak] I think you ignoring phrases is the trouble. Lots of things cannot be expressed in just one word. [/QUOTE] Lots of things, but not this one. Witness “fuck.” Obviously it can be expressed in one word. Just not in standard English apparently. That is, in a non-archaic, transitive verb. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/23 "2006-12-01T19:14:32Z")
[QUOTE=jebert] Lots of things, but not this one. Witness “fuck.” Obviously it can be expressed in one word. Just not in standard English apparently. That is, in a non-archaic, transitive verb. [/QUOTE] The point we’re trying to make is that there are many other concepts that can’t be expressed in one word either (in “standard English”). So what? There’s nothing special about “fuck”. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/24 "2006-12-01T20:37:48Z")
I think the word you’re looking for is _schtup_. Or maybe that isn’t standard English. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/25 "2006-12-01T20:52:42Z")
Bang. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/26 "2006-12-01T20:54:02Z")
What do you mean by “standard English” anyway? Why is "fuck"not a standard English word? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/27 "2006-12-01T21:00:25Z")
Personally, as a woman, I vote for “service”. “He went home and serviced his wife” That sounds like an afternoon well spent! ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/28 "2006-12-01T21:46:40Z")
[QUOTE=scr4] What do you mean by “standard English” anyway? Why is "fuck"not a standard English word? [/QUOTE] Are you kidding? It’s _enhanced_ English! ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/29 "2006-12-01T21:56:02Z")
[QUOTE=IvoryTowerDenizen] Personally, as a woman, I vote for “service”. “He went home and serviced his wife” That sounds like an afternoon well spent! [/QUOTE] That sounds like a tune-up and oil-change to me. And would the wife service her husband at the same time? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/30 "2006-12-01T21:58:31Z")
[QUOTE=jebert] Lots of things, but not this one. Witness “fuck.” Obviously it can be expressed in one word. Just not in standard English apparently. That is, in a non-archaic, transitive verb. [/QUOTE] Perhaps you could try to explain in a bit more detail why you seem to think this is something extraordinary, requiring some special explanation? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/31 "2006-12-01T22:38:13Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] That sounds like a tune-up and oil-change to me. And would the wife service her husband at the same time? [/QUOTE] Well, perhaps a lube job… 🙂 It’s usually more fun that way! :o (OK, I’m officially flashing back to high school now… giggle, he said “lube”) ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/32 "2006-12-01T22:39:45Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] That sounds like a tune-up and oil-change to me. [/quote] Well, perhaps a lube job… 🙂 [QUOTE=Giles] And would the wife service her husband at the same time? [/QUOTE] Well, It’s usually more fun that way! :o (OK, I’m officially flashing back to high school now… giggle, he said “lube”) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/33 "2006-12-01T22:50:37Z")
“To bed” works. As does “to know.” As does “to love.” You can look them all up on [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) if you don’t believe me. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/34 "2006-12-01T23:07:07Z")
“to coit his wife”. Coitus. Coition. I coit, you coit, he/she/they coit. “Hey Babs, wanna coit?” ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/35 "2006-12-01T23:50:14Z")
The word you’re looking for is ‘fuck’. Nice standard English word. Transitive, even. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2006, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/36 "2006-12-02T07:55:56Z")
[QUOTE=jebert] Unsatisfying. Most of the examples have single word equivalents: drop off -\> decline drop out -\> stop I did. It’s not in my Webster’s New Collegiate or American Heritage. I did find it on-line. Fortunately, it’s transitive. Unfortunately it’s archaic. [/QUOTE] Well it is in the latest edition of Chambers which is recognised as being the most comprehensive single-volume English Dictionary currently in print. Archaic or not, it’s still there. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2006, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/37 "2006-12-02T07:58:33Z")
“Roger” As in “I gave the wife a savage rogering last night” ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2006, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/38 "2006-12-02T08:44:01Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Coitus. Coition. I coit, you coit, he/she/they coit. “Hey Babs, wanna coit?” [/QUOTE] I’m not on birth control sugar, you’ll have to do me in the toit. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2006, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/39 "2006-12-02T09:31:32Z")
I think you are not asking quite the right question. What you really want to know is why, when most extremely common and much thought about activities have a simple polite and commonly used word for them, the usual word used for this particular very common human activity is considered impolite ie “fuck” and why all the other terms are archaic sounding, imprecise, euphemistic, ambiguous, not in common usage, or are phrases that dance around the subject matter. The short answer is that in Western society (and perhaps most others, I’m not sure) sex is [taboo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taboo). ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502/40 "2006-12-02T15:08:46Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] I’m not on birth control sugar… [/QUOTE] Birth control sugar? That accounts for the frosting on her cupcake. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-standard-english-equivalent-for-the-f-word/382502.md?page=3)