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Science Fictional Swear Words -- CAUTION! THIS THREAD MAY CORRUPT YOUNG ALIEN MINDS!

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Captain Infinity

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Jan 15, 2003, 4:05:10 PM1/15/03
to
I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
of Science Fiction.

Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
(There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
"Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.

After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?


**
Captain Infinity
..."I looked Death in the face last night
I saw him in a mirror
And he simply smiled
He told me not to worry
He told me just to take my time"
--Oingo Boingo, "We Close Our Eyes"

Walter R. Strapps

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Jan 15, 2003, 4:23:55 PM1/15/03
to

Captain Infinity wrote:
> I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
> Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
> series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
> live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
> words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
> wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
> of Science Fiction.
>
> Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
> Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
> (There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
> mumbling of "Merde" every now and then.

I hate to have to point it out, but the French language isn't exactly
sf-nal.

Cheers,

Walter R. Strapps

Mike Schilling

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Jan 15, 2003, 4:26:16 PM1/15/03
to

"Captain Infinity" <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote in message
news:laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com...

> I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
> Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
> series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
> live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
> words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
> wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
> of Science Fiction.
>
> Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
> Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
> (There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
> mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
> "Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>
> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

Ga-LAX-y, man! (wossname, the professor from _Foundation and Empire_)


Stayka deyAvemta

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Jan 15, 2003, 4:32:36 PM1/15/03
to
In rec.arts.sf.written Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:
: Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".

: Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
: (There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
: mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
: "Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.

Starbuck, "Battlestar Galactica". He also uttered "Frak!" IIRC

: After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

"khest" (Klingon...) in the Star Trek novels comes to mind.

I'm sure I read more, but they hide successfully in the deep
reaches of my brain ^_^

Clear Ether!
Stayka


Stayka deyAvemta

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Jan 15, 2003, 4:33:35 PM1/15/03
to
In rec.arts.sf.written Stayka deyAvemta <sta...@saint-seiya.de> wrote:
: I'm sure I read more, but they hide successfully in the deep
: reaches of my brain ^_^

"Smeg!" (Red Dwarf) - How could I forget *that*...

Clear Ether!
Stayka

Giles

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Jan 15, 2003, 4:35:23 PM1/15/03
to

"Captain Infinity" <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote in message
news:laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com...

> Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".


> Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
> (There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
> mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
> "Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.

Battlestar Galactica?

> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

Judge Dredd: Drokk and Grud
Red Dwarf: Smeg, Smeghead
HHGTTG: Belgium
Heinlein: Door into Summer: Kink
Bill the Galactic Hero: Bowb

I think I got some of these from everything2

-Giles


Lori

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Jan 15, 2003, 5:03:17 PM1/15/03
to
Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:

>I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
>Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
>series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
>live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
>words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
>wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
>of Science Fiction.
>
>Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
>Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
>(There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
>mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
>"Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>
>After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

Farscape: Frell=Fuck, Dren=Shit (those are the only two I remember offhand)


--
"No group of black guys (even if most of them were freed slaves)
would ever follow Matthew Broderick into battle."
- Mr. Hole, on the movie "Glory"

Dorothy J Heydt

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Jan 15, 2003, 5:14:27 PM1/15/03
to
In article <laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com>,

Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:
>I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
>Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
>series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
>live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
>words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
>wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
>of Science Fiction.
>
>Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
>Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
>(There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
>mumbling of "Merde" every now and then.

But that isn't made up, of course, that's real French.


Someone, somewhere, states
>"Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.

That was used in _Battlestar Galactica_, ever so forgettable.


>
>After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

Well, there's always "Belgium."

In _The Door Into Summer_ Daniel discovers to his surprise that
"kink" has become a dirty word in his future.

Dorothy J. Heydt
Albany, California
djh...@kithrup.com
http://www.kithrup.com/~djheydt

Dorothy J Heydt

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Jan 15, 2003, 5:15:04 PM1/15/03
to
In article <YlkV9.158$sN7.82...@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com>,

Mike Schilling <mscotts...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>Ga-LAX-y, man! (wossname, the professor from _Foundation and Empire_)

Oh, Ebling Mis. But he didn't add "man."

Geoduck

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Jan 15, 2003, 5:57:20 PM1/15/03
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On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 16:05:10 -0500, Captain Infinity
<Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:

>I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
>Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
>series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
>live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
>words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
>wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
>of Science Fiction.
>
>Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
>Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
>(There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
>mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
>"Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>
>After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

I think it was Niven and Barnes's novel _Dream Park_ that had 'drown'
become an obscene word after southern California gets totalled by a
massive earthquake, ie, "Drown it! We're not leaving a single man
behind!"


--
Geoduck
http://www.olywa.net/cook


Mike Schilling

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Jan 15, 2003, 6:16:01 PM1/15/03
to

"Dorothy J Heydt" <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote in message
news:H8s0G...@kithrup.com...

>
> In _The Door Into Summer_ Daniel discovers to his surprise that
> "kink" has become a dirty word in his future.

In _I Will Fear No Evil_, "kark" was the universal swear word.


Jaime M. de Castellvi

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Jan 15, 2003, 6:26:28 PM1/15/03
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On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 16:05:10 -0500, Captain Infinity
<Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:

The opposable thumb is highly overrated. To my mind, an opposable
biffid-ending penis with a prehensil stem is the way to go, but does
evolution ever listen to me?

Cheers,

Jaime

Dammit

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Jan 15, 2003, 6:47:50 PM1/15/03
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80s_...@bigmailbox.net (Lori) wrote:

>Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:

>>,,,This got me to wondering what other types of expletives had been

>>created in the field of Science Fiction.
>>

>>Only a few came imeediately to mind....
>>
>>...Know any others?


>
>Farscape: Frell=Fuck, Dren=Shit (those are the only two I remember offhand)

Getting forgetful, you trelk?

(I mean that in the nicest possible way.)

-----
38 bottle of beer on the wall
38 bottles of beer
If one of those bottles
should happen to fall
37 bottles of beer on the wall!

Arthur Levesque

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Jan 15, 2003, 7:53:41 PM1/15/03
to
In Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" -- "Mother"
--
/\ Arthur Levesque <fnord?> http://boog.org & http://DammitJa.net __
\B\ack King of the Potato People & shanana-Cobain <*> Urban Spaceman (oO)
\S\lash Sweet transvestite and member of a vast right-wing conspiracy /||\
\/ I was a lesbian before it was fashionable! My work here is done...

Papatom

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Jan 15, 2003, 9:27:32 PM1/15/03
to

>>Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
>>Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
>>(There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
>>mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
>>"Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>>
Galactica

TANJ was in the "Moon is a harsh mistress." by Heinlein

Merde is French for s**t,

Firefly-Gorram

pops

Timothy McDaniel

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Jan 15, 2003, 9:54:16 PM1/15/03
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On _Firefly_, there was "gorram". It seemed to be used in exactly
those places you'd expect to hear "goddamn".

--
Tim McDaniel, tm...@panix.com; tm...@us.ibm.com is my work address

Arthur Levesque

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Jan 15, 2003, 10:01:26 PM1/15/03
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Papatom>TANJ was in the "Moon is a harsh mistress." by Heinlein

Nope, TANJ (There Ain't No Justice) was Niven's. Heinlein came up
with TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch).

Jon Acheson

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Jan 15, 2003, 10:23:36 PM1/15/03
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"Giles" <gbo...@paradise.net.nz> wrote in message news:<vukV9.7370$j94.1...@news02.tsnz.net>...

> "Captain Infinity" <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote in message
> news:laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com...
>
> Red Dwarf: Smeg, Smeghead

"Smeg" is real-world blue language, actually. It's a refeence to
smegma, which is like x-rated toejam.

Somehow that doesn't seem enlightening, I know...

Jon Acheson

William December Starr

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Jan 15, 2003, 10:55:26 PM1/15/03
to
In article <laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com>,
Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> said:

> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

In the Doctor Who novels, and the Bernice Summerfield spinoff
series (or maybe only in the Benny S. books) "Cruck" and variations
thereupon are used a lot where you'd expect similar words that
start with an 'f' instead of 'cr'.

-- William December Starr <wds...@panix.com>

JXStern

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Jan 15, 2003, 10:55:43 PM1/15/03
to
On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 16:05:10 -0500, Captain Infinity
<Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:
>After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

"Hell's - Brazen - Hinges!" Kimball Kinnison, First Lensman,
Department Q.

"Holy Klono!" Kinnison, Galactic Patrol, Judge, Jury, and Executioner.

"KLONO's tungsten TEETH and CURVING CARBALLOY CLAWS!!!", Kinnison,
Children of the Lens, end of Kinnison and the Black Lensman.

I know I'm missing some more here ...

Also, "reverted" is used as a derogatory in Brin's uplift books.

Clear ether!
J.

Heck

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Jan 15, 2003, 11:09:36 PM1/15/03
to
Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> (Wed, 15 Jan 2003 16:05:10
-0500)


>After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

In Moorecock's Dancers at the End of Time series, the Lat have some
hilarious expletives, such as "ferkit" and "kroofrudi" and "hrunt mibbix".

Russell B. Goode

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Jan 15, 2003, 11:12:01 PM1/15/03
to
I hope Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> gets stung by bees.

>I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
>Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
>series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
>live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
>words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
>wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
>of Science Fiction.
>
>Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
>Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
>(There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
>mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
>"Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>
>After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

One of the characters (from the future) in Poul Anderson's _There Will Be
Time_ uses "jokin'" as an intensifier, seemingly in place of, or as a
euphemism for, "fuckin'".

Joe Mason

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Jan 15, 2003, 11:12:11 PM1/15/03
to
The two one-eyed aliens from the Simpsons Halloween Specials used 'Holy
Flurking Schnit!' once.

There's a lot in fantasy, of course, but I think that would open up a
can of worms.

(BTW, is this on-topic for alt.fan.tom-servo? I'm not familiar with
it.)

Joe

jere7my tho?rpe

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Jan 15, 2003, 11:17:28 PM1/15/03
to
In article <b04k3f$g6c$2...@a1-hrz.uni-duisburg.de>,
Stayka deyAvemta <sta...@saint-seiya.de> wrote:

> "Smeg!" (Red Dwarf) - How could I forget *that*...

It's a real word, I'm afraid. It has something to do with
improperly cleaned foreskins, but from there you're on your own.

----j7y

--
*************************************************************************
jere7my tho?rpe / 734-769-0913 "Homo sum: humani nihil a me
Remove *spamfilter* to reply via email alienum puto." ---Terentius

Stayka deyAvemta

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Jan 15, 2003, 11:58:33 PM1/15/03
to
In rec.arts.sf.written jere7my tho?rpe <j7y@swil*spamfilter*.org> wrote:

: Stayka deyAvemta <sta...@saint-seiya.de> wrote:
:> "Smeg!" (Red Dwarf) - How could I forget *that*...
: It's a real word, I'm afraid. It has something to do with
: improperly cleaned foreskins, but from there you're on your own.

Now we might ponder whether a derivation of an existing word
(I know the history ^_^) that in itself doesn't have a
dictionary entry already makes up a new word... After all, if
you use the word standing alone, it is indeed a new creation,
albeit not a proper word coinage.

Clear Ether!
Stayka

Steve Coltrin

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Jan 16, 2003, 12:03:36 AM1/16/03
to
tm...@panix.com (Timothy McDaniel) writes:

> On _Firefly_, there was "gorram". It seemed to be used in exactly
> those places you'd expect to hear "goddamn".

And 'rutting', which seemed to fill for 'fucking'. Also, I would be
very surprised if all of the Chinese was translatable in prime time.

Back to written but on the periphery of genre, Robert Anton Wilson's
third Schroedinger's Cat book used the names of censors and censor-friendly
judges in place of traditional anglosaxonisms.

--
Steve Coltrin spco...@omcl.org
ME's get the best stuff, naturally, but find me a man who has at some
point actually urinated on a human brain, and I'll guarantee it is a
tow-truck driver. - EMT420

Richard James

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Jan 16, 2003, 12:10:00 AM1/16/03
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Jon Acheson wrote:

I know in austalia you can buy smeg appliances. Quite a laught to any Red
Dwarf fans.

What the smeg is that? It's the stove.

http://www.smegappliances.com/

Richard :)


--
Will kill for Documentation.
A Vic 20 is faster than a C64: 8bit roxs
http://dogmilk.homelinux.com/

Mark Nobles

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Jan 16, 2003, 12:41:43 AM1/16/03
to
Joe Mason <j...@notcharles.ca> wrote:

> (BTW, is this on-topic for alt.fan.tom-servo? I'm not familiar with
> it.)

Isn't the derivation of cusswords always on topic in any Usenet group?

Russell B. Goode

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Jan 16, 2003, 12:39:09 AM1/16/03
to
I hope Joe Mason <j...@notcharles.ca> gets stung by bees.

>(BTW, is this on-topic for alt.fan.tom-servo?

No; therefore, yes.

> I'm not familiar with it.)

Please remain unfamiliar with it. You'll be a more interesting read that
way. Trust me on this one.

JXStern

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Jan 16, 2003, 12:52:43 AM1/16/03
to
On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 20:12:01 -0800, Russell B. Goode
<bigf...@databasix.com> wrote:
>One of the characters (from the future) in Poul Anderson's _There Will Be
>Time_ uses "jokin'" as an intensifier, seemingly in place of, or as a
>euphemism for, "fuckin'".

Ah yes, in Sterling's "Artificial Kid", they use "linking" the same
way. Also the word "death" as an expletive and various phrases
containing the word as curses.

J.

lewy

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Jan 16, 2003, 1:09:03 AM1/16/03
to

"Dorothy J Heydt" <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote in message
news:H8s0G...@kithrup.com...
> In article <laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com>,
> Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:
> >I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
> >Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
> >series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
> >live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
> >words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
> >wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
> >of Science Fiction.
> >
> >Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
> >Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
> >(There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
> >mumbling of "Merde" every now and then.
>
> But that isn't made up, of course, that's real French.
>
>
> Someone, somewhere, states
> >"Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>
> That was used in _Battlestar Galactica_, ever so forgettable.

If only that were true.


Chris Camfield

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Jan 16, 2003, 1:35:29 AM1/16/03
to
On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 23:47:50 GMT, Dammit <lisabNOS...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>80s_...@bigmailbox.net (Lori) wrote:
>
>>Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:
>
>>>,,,This got me to wondering what other types of expletives had been
>>>created in the field of Science Fiction.
>>>
>>>Only a few came imeediately to mind....
>>>
>>>...Know any others?
>>
>>Farscape: Frell=Fuck, Dren=Shit (those are the only two I remember offhand)
>
>Getting forgetful, you trelk?
>
>(I mean that in the nicest possible way.)

There's also drannit, fahrbot, and others. The BBC website has a very funny
guide to Farscape swear words, including a recording of someone (with what to me
sounds like a very proper English voice) pronouncing the words and using them in
sentences.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/farscape/swearing/

Brandon Ray

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Jan 16, 2003, 2:43:07 AM1/16/03
to

Steve Coltrin wrote:

> tm...@panix.com (Timothy McDaniel) writes:
>
> > On _Firefly_, there was "gorram". It seemed to be used in exactly
> > those places you'd expect to hear "goddamn".
>
> And 'rutting', which seemed to fill for 'fucking'. Also, I would be
> very surprised if all of the Chinese was translatable in prime time.
>

That's within shouting distance of the standard dictionary definition,
though. To say that an animal is "in rut" is equivalent to saying it is "in
heat".

--
In this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics! -- Homer Simpson


Dan Tilque

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Jan 16, 2003, 1:55:11 AM1/16/03
to
Captain Infinity performed an arpeggio on a keyboard and
produced:

>
> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

The word 'codswallop', a British synonym for BS, originated as a
made up swear word on some radio show in the early 60s. The
dictionaries seem not to have heard of this, or perhaps they
don't buy the story, since they generally say "origin unknown".

--
Dan Tilque


JSwing

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Jan 16, 2003, 3:23:46 AM1/16/03
to
Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote in
news:laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com:

> I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
> Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
> series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
> live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear

> words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to


> wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
> of Science Fiction.
>

> Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
> Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
> (There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous

> mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states


> "Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>

> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?
>
>

Forgotten the name and author details, but one short story from the POV of
a grandmother? conversing with her grandson in the near future. The kid
used 'necrotic' and 'apocalyptic' as adjectives for good and bad things.
The way we use 'cool'. Not swear words, but more general slang. The
protagonist (and thus the reader) was never quite clear on which meant good
and which meant bad.

JSwing

Andrew Dennis

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Jan 16, 2003, 4:48:35 AM1/16/03
to
JXStern <JXSternC...@gte.net> wrote in message news:<6dac2vo4c9go82rgf...@4ax.com>...

> "Holy Klono!" Kinnison, Galactic Patrol, Judge, Jury, and Executioner.
>
> "KLONO's tungsten TEETH and CURVING CARBALLOY CLAWS!!!", Kinnison,
> Children of the Lens, end of Kinnison and the Black Lensman.
>
> I know I'm missing some more here ...
>
> Also, "reverted" is used as a derogatory in Brin's uplift books.
>
> Clear ether!
> J.

Apropos of Klono, GURPS Lensmen reduced me to helpless shaking
incoherence with "By Klono's Polyester Leisure Suit!"

Andrew D.

Clive Summerfield

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 4:49:59 AM1/16/03
to

"Captain Infinity" <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote in message
news:laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com...

> I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
> Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
> series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
> live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
> words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
> wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
> of Science Fiction.
>
> Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".
> Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
> (There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
> mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
> "Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>
> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?
>

In _Stand on Zanzibar_ Brunner's protagonists use "bleeder" as a derogatory
term, the intent being to imply that they harbour recessive genes and are
forbidden from having children.


--
Cheers
Clive

*** I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
***


Diane Duane

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 5:35:46 AM1/16/03
to
On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 23:17:28 -0500, "jere7my tho?rpe" <j7y@swil*spamfilter*.org>
wrote:

>> "Smeg!" (Red Dwarf) - How could I forget *that*...
>
> It's a real word, I'm afraid.

Also a European appliance manufacturer. They make truly beautiful stoves and
grills, but every time I think about having to see that word every time I go
into the kitchen, the concept gives me slight pause...

Best! D.

The Owl Springs Partnership / County Wicklow, Ireland
http://www.owlsprings.com / http://www.youngwizards.net

John H

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 8:00:46 AM1/16/03
to

"Captain Infinity" <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote in message
news:laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com...
>>
> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?
>
In _Doomstar_ the characters said "Taplinger Jones" a lot as a swear
word. I still find myself using that. Nothing like a loud "Taplinger
Jones!" to make people look at you funny.

Another one is from _Red Dwarf_, smeg. Used like the Smurfs use
"smurf."

how...@brazee.net

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 8:05:50 AM1/16/03
to

On 15-Jan-2003, Russell B. Goode <bigf...@databasix.com> wrote:

> One of the characters (from the future) in Poul Anderson's _There Will Be
> Time_ uses "jokin'" as an intensifier, seemingly in place of, or as a
> euphemism for, "fuckin'".

These replacements make at least as much sense as the original. With all
the effort people make to "get lucky", you wouldn't think that being told to
be successful is an insult.

Steve Taylor

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 8:15:15 AM1/16/03
to
Stayka deyAvemta wrote:

> Now we might ponder whether a derivation of an existing word
> (I know the history ^_^) that in itself doesn't have a
> dictionary entry already makes up a new word... After all, if
> you use the word standing alone, it is indeed a new creation,
> albeit not a proper word coinage.

I'd say in this case it's more of a (successful!) attempt to get some
rudeness past the show's producers.

> Clear Ether!
> Stayka


Steve

David Tate

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Jan 16, 2003, 8:53:13 AM1/16/03
to
"Giles" <gbo...@paradise.net.nz> wrote in message news:<vukV9.7370$j94.1...@news02.tsnz.net>...

> HHGTTG: Belgium

Also from The Hitchhiker's Guide:

Swut (swutting, etc.)
Terlingdrome (sp?)

I seem to recall that there was another, but I can't remember it
offhand. I'll have to check the radio scripts when I get a chance.

David Tate

Dorothy J Heydt

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 9:15:30 AM1/16/03
to
In article <Xns93053820B...@216.168.3.50>,

JSwing <JSw...@no.spam.wport.com> wrote:
>
>Forgotten the name and author details, but one short story from the POV of
>a grandmother? conversing with her grandson in the near future. The kid
>used 'necrotic' and 'apocalyptic' as adjectives for good and bad things.
>The way we use 'cool'.

I don't know the short story, but since the kid in _Doomsday
Book_ uses those same words, I suspect it was a Willis story. (I
*think* the kid used "necrotic" for "dull, boring, square" and
"apocalytpic" for "cool" more or less consistently, but I haven't
read the book in a while, must remedy that.)

Dorothy J. Heydt
Albany, California
djh...@kithrup.com
http://www.kithrup.com/~djheydt

Dorothy J Heydt

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 9:28:29 AM1/16/03
to
In article <bfvV9.5427$xy7.44...@news-text.cableinet.net>,

Clive Summerfield <cli...@batchtarget.com> wrote:
>
>In _Stand on Zanzibar_ Brunner's protagonists use "bleeder" as a derogatory
>term, the intent being to imply that they harbour recessive genes and are
>forbidden from having children.

Is it made clear that's the implication? I mean, "bleeder" is a
British swear-word now. By derivation from "bloody," which was
originally a *blasphemous* swear-word, short for "by our Lady."
Compare "Od's bodkins," "God's little body," the Host.

Some professor of mine once said that Protestants used obscene
swearing and Catholics used blasphemous swearing. I've found
many many exceptions to that generalization, but it does seem
that some cultures use obscenity and others use blasphemy, and
each doesn't see why the other finds its own kind objectionable.

I was told of a time when an Icelandic professor gave a lecture
series in New York or someplace and gently twitted his audience
for reacting to passages in the sagas on the order of "So the
householder and his wife bade their guest good night, and went
off to their bedroom to fuck." An American professor who spoke
Icelandic told him that it was all cultural, and started saying
something in Icelandic that the audience couldn't understand, and
the Icelander turned bright red and finally said, "Stop, stop!"

And when I was in high school we had a Swedish exchange student
whom I asked one day if he could translate some of the Danish
swearing in Anderson's _A Bicycle Built for Brew._ He turned
bright red (he was very fair-skinned) and said, "Well, I can't
tell. It's not nice." Later on I learned (from Poul) that the
unspeakable stuff meant things like "Devil and hell! The devil
take you! What the hell?"

So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
with blasphemous swearing in it. Someone really ought to
construct a society with a structured and recognized religion and
show the characters swearing in it. "By Anghrad's milk!" "Hush,
you shameless man, the children are listening!"

Mike Schilling

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 9:57:08 AM1/16/03
to

"Dorothy J Heydt" <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote in message
news:H8t9J...@kithrup.com...

> In article <bfvV9.5427$xy7.44...@news-text.cableinet.net>,
> Clive Summerfield <cli...@batchtarget.com> wrote:
> >
> >In _Stand on Zanzibar_ Brunner's protagonists use "bleeder" as a
derogatory
> >term, the intent being to imply that they harbour recessive genes and are
> >forbidden from having children.
>
> Is it made clear that's the implication? I mean, "bleeder" is a
> British swear-word now. By derivation from "bloody," which was
> originally a *blasphemous* swear-word, short for "by our Lady."
> Compare "Od's bodkins," "God's little body," the Host.


IIRC Chad Mulligan (_SoZ_'s version of Basil Exposition) states this in so
many words.


Lynne Hardy

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Jan 16, 2003, 10:19:17 AM1/16/03
to

jere7my tho?rpe <j7y@swil*spamfilter*.org> wrote in article
<j7y-35884D.2...@visonmassif.rs.itd.umich.edu>...


> In article <b04k3f$g6c$2...@a1-hrz.uni-duisburg.de>,
> Stayka deyAvemta <sta...@saint-seiya.de> wrote:
>
> > "Smeg!" (Red Dwarf) - How could I forget *that*...
>
> It's a real word, I'm afraid. It has something to do with
> improperly cleaned foreskins, but from there you're on your own.
>

Its also (rather unfortunately) a brand name for household appliances from
Scandinavia and an embroidery group in Scotland.


Lynne

David Cornette

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 10:23:37 AM1/16/03
to
Dorothy J Heydt <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
> So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
> with blasphemous swearing in it. Someone really ought to
> construct a society with a structured and recognized religion and
> show the characters swearing in it. "By Anghrad's milk!" "Hush,
> you shameless man, the children are listening!"

In the Hitchhiker's books, they use the name of the Great Prophet Zarquon.
For example, toward the end of Restaurant, Chapter 6: "'Frogstar Fighters!'
muttered Zaphod. 'Zarquon!'" They also "Zark", which seems to be a
shortenned form. Also unmentioned so far in this thread is "joojooflop".

There is a long list of swear words from science fiction at
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=497833

--
David Cornette da...@davidcornette.com
Baseball Pythagorean Projections http://www.davidcornette.com/projection/
An Izzy Alcantara Fan Site http://www.davidcornette.com/izzy/
Selig Sucks T-Shirts http://www.cafeshops.com/seligsucks

Elf M. Sternberg

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 11:38:00 AM1/16/03
to
Stayka deyAvemta <sta...@saint-seiya.de> writes:

> In rec.arts.sf.written Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:
> : Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".


> : Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
> : (There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
> : mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states
> : "Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>

> Starbuck, "Battlestar Galactica". He also uttered "Frak!" IIRC

Apollo used "Felgercarb" a lot. Usually when dressing someone
down. (Weird thought experiment: How different would Battlestar
Galactica have been if Adama had had a Brooklyn accent?)

My favorite (sufficiently such that I stole it for one of my own
stories) was "Prag!" from the role playing game _Space Master_. It was
used by the gengineered to refer to mere mortals: a Product of RAndom
Genetics

How about SFnal cheers? I can't think of any off the top of my
head, but I've managed to get most of the people in my office to use
"Huzzah!" instead of "Hooray!"

Elf

Jon Acheson

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Jan 16, 2003, 12:12:21 PM1/16/03
to
Richard James <this.email...@all.will.it> wrote in message news:<gje50b...@server.techdrive.foo>...

>
> I know in austalia you can buy smeg appliances. Quite a laught to any Red
> Dwarf fans.
>
> What the smeg is that? It's the stove.
>
> http://www.smegappliances.com/

That is TRULY unfortunate!:)

Jon Acheson

Brandon Ray

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:49:10 PM1/16/03
to

David Tate wrote:

There was also, from the same source, "Zarkwan's flying fish!"

Brandon Ray

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:53:11 PM1/16/03
to

David Cornette wrote:

>
> There is a long list of swear words from science fiction at
> http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=497833

Oh, of course there is. Why am I not surprised to find that someone on the
Internet has already compiled this?

Web surfing on the net is like rooting through the collective attics and
garages of the population of the planet. If you keep looking long enough, you
will find *something* of interest. Probably not what you started out looking
for, but still ....

Peter D. Tillman

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 12:56:42 PM1/16/03
to
In article <67018fe1.03011...@posting.google.com>,
jonac...@fast.net (Jon Acheson) wrote:

> Richard James <this.email...@all.will.it> wrote in message
> news:<gje50b...@server.techdrive.foo>...
> >

> > I know in austalia you can buy smeg appliances. Quite a laugh to any Red


> > Dwarf fans.
> >
> > What the smeg is that? It's the stove.
> >
> > http://www.smegappliances.com/
>
> That is TRULY unfortunate!:)
>

"Honey, could you clean the Smeg?"
[obvious followon line omitted, to save tender sensibilites...]

Heh. Possibly an even worse choice than the Chevy Nova, as marketed in
Spanish-speaking countries -- No va = won't go, which was Truth in
Advertising, AL for my sister's car...

Cheers -- Pete Tillman

--
The history of the World, my sweet,
is who gets eaten, and who gets to eat.
-Sweeney Todd

J Greely

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Jan 16, 2003, 12:19:34 PM1/16/03
to
Diane Duane <owls...@iol.ie> writes:
>Also a European appliance manufacturer.

A previous employer had a large diesel generator out back for
emergencies. The company's name is written on the side in large
letters: ONAN.

I always figured that if we ever told it to take over for the real
power, it would just spill fuel all over the ground.

-j

Mike Schilling

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Jan 16, 2003, 1:20:25 PM1/16/03
to

"David Cornette" <da...@davidcornette.com> wrote in message
news:nhi60b...@isilzha.ne.client2.attbi.com...

> Dorothy J Heydt <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
> > So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
> > with blasphemous swearing in it. Someone really ought to
> > construct a society with a structured and recognized religion and
> > show the characters swearing in it. "By Anghrad's milk!" "Hush,
> > you shameless man, the children are listening!"
>
> In the Hitchhiker's books, they use the name of the Great Prophet Zarquon.
> For example, toward the end of Restaurant, Chapter 6: "'Frogstar
Fighters!'
> muttered Zaphod. 'Zarquon!'" They also "Zark", which seems to be a
> shortenned form. Also unmentioned so far in this thread is "joojooflop".

Not to mention "Belgium".


Lois Tilton

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Jan 16, 2003, 1:24:07 PM1/16/03
to
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 00:43:07 -0700, Brandon Ray <pub...@avalon.net>
wrote:

>To say that an animal is "in rut" is equivalent to saying it is "in
>heat".


Not quite. Males do the rutting thing, females go into heat.

--
LT

Jerry Brown

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:26:21 PM1/16/03
to

Joojoo flop (sp?)

Not to mention Zaphod's anguished cry of 'Holy Zarquon's Singing
Fish!' in the same episode as the above.


Jerry Brown
--
A cat may look at a king
(but probably won't bother)

<http://www.jwbrown.co.uk>

Paul Vader

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:34:57 PM1/16/03
to
pub...@avalon.net writes:
>There was also, from the same source, "Zarkwan's flying fish!"

"Holy Zarquon's singing fish". Zaphod screams that (right before dire
provocation leads him to saying "Belgium", the worst curse word in
galspeak) while hanging from the lip of a giant cup 30 miles up in the air.
I think this is a radio-only thing. *
--
* PV something like badgers--something like lizards--and something
like corkscrews.

David Cornette

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:35:37 PM1/16/03
to
Mike Schilling <mscotts...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> "David Cornette" <da...@davidcornette.com> wrote in message
> news:nhi60b...@isilzha.ne.client2.attbi.com...

>> shortenned form. Also unmentioned so far in this thread is "joojooflop".

> Not to mention "B*****m".

Hey! Watch it!

Besides, someone had already mentioned that word, plus "swut" and
"turlingdrome", earlier in the thread.

Paul Vader

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:40:49 PM1/16/03
to
JSwing <JSw...@no.spam.wport.com> writes:
>Forgotten the name and author details, but one short story from the POV of
>a grandmother? conversing with her grandson in the near future. The kid
>used 'necrotic' and 'apocalyptic' as adjectives for good and bad things.

"Doomsday Book" By Connie Willis. And those are real words. *

Geoduck

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:42:31 PM1/16/03
to

I think it was George Carlin who commented that 'Unfuck you' is a far
more devastivating insult.
--
Geoduck
http://www.olywa.net/cook


Jerry Brown

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:41:55 PM1/16/03
to
On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 22:55:11 -0800, "Dan Tilque" <dti...@nwlink.com>
wrote:

>Captain Infinity performed an arpeggio on a keyboard and
>produced:


>
>>
>> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?
>

>The word 'codswallop', a British synonym for BS, originated as a
>made up swear word on some radio show in the early 60s. The
>dictionaries seem not to have heard of this, or perhaps they
>don't buy the story, since they generally say "origin unknown".

The late, lamented (by myself, at least) eighties UK computer
newspaper, Datalink, once headlined an article on database guru Ted
Codd's feelings on some new product with 'Codd Wallops New DB2' (or
whatever product it was).

There was also a reference to Datalink in the TV version of
Hitch-Hiker's Guide.

Geoduck

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 1:47:20 PM1/16/03
to
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 15:23:37 GMT, David Cornette
<da...@davidcornette.com> wrote:

>Dorothy J Heydt <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
>> So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
>> with blasphemous swearing in it. Someone really ought to
>> construct a society with a structured and recognized religion and
>> show the characters swearing in it. "By Anghrad's milk!" "Hush,
>> you shameless man, the children are listening!"
>
>In the Hitchhiker's books, they use the name of the Great Prophet Zarquon.
>For example, toward the end of Restaurant, Chapter 6: "'Frogstar Fighters!'
>muttered Zaphod. 'Zarquon!'" They also "Zark", which seems to be a
>shortenned form.

(snip)

The radio version also had "Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish!", followed by
an immediate on-air speculation about the origin of the phrase.
--
Geoduck
http://www.olywa.net/cook


Genevieve

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Jan 16, 2003, 1:54:59 PM1/16/03
to
JSwing <JSw...@no.spam.wport.com> wrote in message news:<Xns93053820B...@216.168.3.50>...

>
> Forgotten the name and author details, but one short story from the POV of
> a grandmother? conversing with her grandson in the near future. The kid
> used 'necrotic' and 'apocalyptic' as adjectives for good and bad things.
> The way we use 'cool'. Not swear words, but more general slang. The
> protagonist (and thus the reader) was never quite clear on which meant good
> and which meant bad.

Arrgh, this is ringing all sorts of bells, but I'm not positive. Was
it Willis' _Doomsday Book_, by chance? I remember the young boy
(Colin?) using some slangy terms that baffled the older professor.

Genevieve

**Genevieve Ellerbee**Andare, Partire, Tornare**
"We have wasted paradox and mystery on you
When all you ask for, is cause and effect! ---
A copy of your birth certificate is all you needed
To make you at peace with Creation. How uneconomical
The whole thing's been." - Christopher Fry

Bill Snyder

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 2:00:16 PM1/16/03
to
On 16 Jan 2003 09:19:34 -0800, J Greely <jgr...@corp.webtv.net>
wrote:

Cue the line about Dorothy Parker's parrot.

--
Bill Snyder [This space unintentionally left blank.]

Chuk Goodin

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 2:00:36 PM1/16/03
to
In article <laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com>,

Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:
>
>After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?

As a teenager, I read one of the _Spaceways_ books -- it was like an SF
porn series. ISTR it had a lot of made up swearing and references to
sexual acts. Most of them weren't that interesting, though.

--
chuk

Stewart Robert Hinsley

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 2:26:26 PM1/16/03
to
In article <H8t9J...@kithrup.com>, Dorothy J Heydt
<djh...@kithrup.com> writes

>So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
>with blasphemous swearing in it.

Chanur sequence?
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Trip the Space Parasite From:

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 2:31:23 PM1/16/03
to
djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) writes:

>In article <bfvV9.5427$xy7.44...@news-text.cableinet.net>,
>Clive Summerfield <cli...@batchtarget.com> wrote:
>>
>>In _Stand on Zanzibar_ Brunner's protagonists use "bleeder" as a derogatory
>>term, the intent being to imply that they harbour recessive genes and are
>>forbidden from having children.

>Is it made clear that's the implication? I mean, "bleeder" is a
>British swear-word now. By derivation from "bloody," which was
>originally a *blasphemous* swear-word, short for "by our Lady."

Huh, okay. I always thought it was from "God's blood" but I have no
source, so apparently I just made it up.

I have read. I have learned. I have evolved.

(Today I also found out where the phrase "jump the shark came from"! Looks
like a good day for random trivia! (Which is good, since I don't think
my brain is up to handling substantial information just now.))

Trip
--
I write of things which I have neither seen nor learned from another,
things which are not and never could have been, and therefore my readers
should by no means believe them. --Lucian of Samosata

David Tate

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 2:55:42 PM1/16/03
to
David Cornette <da...@davidcornette.com> wrote in message news:<nhi60b...@isilzha.ne.client2.attbi.com>...

> In the Hitchhiker's books, they use the name of the Great Prophet Zarquon.


> For example, toward the end of Restaurant, Chapter 6: "'Frogstar Fighters!'
> muttered Zaphod. 'Zarquon!'" They also "Zark", which seems to be a
> shortenned form.

And the unforgettable "Holy Zarquon Singing Fish!"

> Also unmentioned so far in this thread is "joojooflop".

THAT was the one I was forgetting up above...

David Tate

Beryllium

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 3:07:22 PM1/16/03
to

"Arthur Levesque" <b...@boog.orgy> wrote in message
news:b057a6$cuf$1...@bob.news.rcn.net...
> Papatom>TANJ was in the "Moon is a harsh mistress." by Heinlein
>
> Nope, TANJ (There Ain't No Justice) was Niven's. Heinlein came up
> with TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch).
> --
> /\ Arthur Levesque <fnord?> http://boog.org & http://DammitJa.net __
> \B\ack King of the Potato People & shanana-Cobain <*> Urban Spaceman
(oO)
> \S\lash Sweet transvestite and member of a vast right-wing conspiracy
/||\
> \/ I was a lesbian before it was fashionable! My work here is
done...
>

And then there's Babylon 5 ... it's a fun one: STROKE OFF. :)

Ooh, and Red Dwarf's "Smeg"

--
Beryllium


Nyrath the nearly wise

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 3:24:07 PM1/16/03
to
In Niven & Pournelle's THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE,
one character swears by saying "God's Navel!"
(which is a minor blasphemy if you think about it)

In David Drake's Hammer's Slammer novels, they use
the word "Cop" to mean, er, ah, "poop".
As in "you Cop-head", or "the sergeant is going to cop a
screaming worm when he sees what you did"

In the STEN novels, they use "Clot",
as in "oh, clot!" or "you clotting bastard"

rmtodd

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 4:05:03 PM1/16/03
to
Omixochitl <Omixoch...@yahoo.com> writes:

> Meanwhile, my favorite SF fictional swears are from _Dance for the Ivory
> Madonna_ by Don Sakers. Check it out:
>
> http://www.readersadvice.com/mmeade/scatwlds/IMsamp/imsamp00.html
>
> "AUTHOR'S NOTE:
>
> "In order that this novel may be stored and transmitted via the Internet
> without violating standards of decency, the text has been processed to
> render all improper terms harmless. To be specific, potentially
> objectionable words have been replaced by the names of some of the
> foremost fighters in the war against uncontrolled expression: men such as
> Senators Exon, Helms, Nunn, and Pell; Representatives Hyde, Bliley,
> Wyden, and Gorton; and their ilk."

Heh. It's been done before; one of the books in Robert Anton Wilson's
_Schroedinger's Cat_ trilogy did a similar substitution but with political
names current at the time (the only mapping I recall was "penis"->"Rhenquist").
I recall hearing somewhere that Gore Vidal did the same thing in one of his
novels, again picking "Rhenquist" for reference to the male organ.

Dorothy J Heydt

unread,
Jan 16, 2003, 4:56:43 PM1/16/03
to
In article <R+Uo5rAi...@meden.demon.co.uk>,

Stewart Robert Hinsley <{$news$}t...@meden.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>In article <H8t9J...@kithrup.com>, Dorothy J Heydt
><djh...@kithrup.com> writes
>>So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
>>with blasphemous swearing in it.
>
>Chanur sequence?

That's true, they do say "gods-rotted" a lot. Their favorite
epithet, however, appears to be "son."

Dorothy J. Heydt
Albany, California
djh...@kithrup.com
http://www.kithrup.com/~djheydt

Dorothy J Heydt

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Jan 16, 2003, 4:55:16 PM1/16/03
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In article <3384C9957E1FDBBF.8610E82A...@lp.airnews.net>,

Bill Snyder <bsn...@iadfw.net> wrote:
>On 16 Jan 2003 09:19:34 -0800, J Greely <jgr...@corp.webtv.net>
>wrote:
>
>>Diane Duane <owls...@iol.ie> writes:
>>>Also a European appliance manufacturer.
>>
>>A previous employer had a large diesel generator out back for
>>emergencies. The company's name is written on the side in large
>>letters: ONAN.
>>
>>I always figured that if we ever told it to take over for the real
>>power, it would just spill fuel all over the ground.
>
>Cue the line about Dorothy Parker's parrot.

Um, I think he was a canary, but it doesn't matter.

Jerry Brown

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Jan 16, 2003, 5:54:22 PM1/16/03
to

I remember 'frimp' and 'frimping' from some book I read in the
eighties, but I've no idea which one.

Unknown

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Jan 16, 2003, 6:15:12 PM1/16/03
to
>>Someone, somewhere, states "Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.

That's from "Battlestar Galactica", and was used as both an
exclamation and a derogatory noun, much like our "crap" or its
stronger synonym (as in "A real pilot doesn't need all that electronic
felgercarb."). The other from the same show was "frack", used as an
exclamation like Mork's "shazbot". ("Frack! I missed!")

"If winning is not important, then why keep score?"
--Lt. Worf

Paul Colquhoun

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Jan 16, 2003, 6:20:01 PM1/16/03
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On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 13:05:50 GMT, how...@brazee.net <how...@brazee.net> wrote:
|
| On 15-Jan-2003, Russell B. Goode <bigf...@databasix.com> wrote:
|
|> One of the characters (from the future) in Poul Anderson's _There Will Be
|> Time_ uses "jokin'" as an intensifier, seemingly in place of, or as a
|> euphemism for, "fuckin'".
|
| These replacements make at least as much sense as the original. With all
| the effort people make to "get lucky", you wouldn't think that being told to
| be successful is an insult.


In one of L. Neil Smith's alternate world books, there is a discussion
of the differnece in swear words between the Confederacy and the more
"normal" time lines. He mentions that, if you told a Confederate to "get
fucked" they would probably look at you a little oddly and reply "and
you have a good day as well".

The swear words that the Confederated did use were related to bodily
functions, political villains, and other famous persons.


--
Reverend Paul Colquhoun, ULC. http://andor.dropbear.id.au/~paulcol
Asking for technical help in newsgroups? Read this first:
http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Christian Weisgerber

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Jan 16, 2003, 5:30:40 PM1/16/03
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Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:

> Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while
> (There Ain't No Justice).

Also "beep".

--
Christian "naddy" Weisgerber na...@mips.inka.de

Tyson Patterson

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Jan 16, 2003, 6:40:58 PM1/16/03
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"Elf M. Sternberg" <e...@drizzle.com> wrote in message
news:m37kd5c...@drizzle.com...
>
> My favorite (sufficiently such that I stole it for one of my own
> stories) was "Prag!" from the role playing game _Space Master_. It was
> used by the gengineered to refer to mere mortals: a Product of RAndom
> Genetics

That just reminded me of "var" (for variant) as a term of denigration in
_Glory Season_. Not to mention the insult of telling someone she had a
father :)

Tyson Patterson


Lois Tilton

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Jan 16, 2003, 6:45:21 PM1/16/03
to
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 21:56:43 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

>>Chanur sequence?
>
>That's true, they do say "gods-rotted" a lot. Their favorite
>epithet, however, appears to be "son."


Also references to feathers.

--
LT

how...@brazee.net

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Jan 16, 2003, 6:53:29 PM1/16/03
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On 16-Jan-2003, Trip the Space Parasite From: <tr...@idiom.com> wrote:

> >Is it made clear that's the implication? I mean, "bleeder" is a
> >British swear-word now. By derivation from "bloody," which was
> >originally a *blasphemous* swear-word, short for "by our Lady."
>
> Huh, okay. I always thought it was from "God's blood" but I have no
> source, so apparently I just made it up.
>
> I have read. I have learned. I have evolved.

An English friend of mine told me it was because of the "bloody tower of
London". Just because she was English didn't mean she knew.

Arthur Levesque

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Jan 16, 2003, 6:54:58 PM1/16/03
to
In addition to "Belgium", HHGTTG used "joojooflop" and "turlingdrome"
as expletives.

Elf M. Sternberg

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Jan 16, 2003, 7:30:53 PM1/16/03
to
J Greely <jgr...@corp.webtv.net> writes:

> A previous employer had a large diesel generator out back for
> emergencies. The company's name is written on the side in large
> letters: ONAN.

When Seattle had a dome, the area to the south of it became
known as the SODO region. Every time I passed one of their signs I
resisted the urge to vandalize with the letters "MY".

Elf

Lisa Virmigle

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Jan 16, 2003, 7:54:07 PM1/16/03
to
The Meshe-based swears in _Left Hand of Darkess_, although it is
difficult to tell if they are the equivalent of "God's Blood!" or not
(are they blasphemous or reverential?).

Yours,
LV

Andrew Wheeler

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Jan 16, 2003, 8:05:32 PM1/16/03
to
"Elf M. Sternberg" wrote:
>
> How about SFnal cheers? I can't think of any off the top of my
> head, but I've managed to get most of the people in my office to use
> "Huzzah!" instead of "Hooray!"

If you can say "Huzzah!" with a straight face, you're a better man than
I. I go all _Dork Tower_-y just thinking about the word.

--
Andrew Wheeler
--
"Hey, Marcie! Come see the Satanist!"

Arthur Levesque

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Jan 16, 2003, 8:34:49 PM1/16/03
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Nyrath>In David Drake's Hammer's Slammer novels, they use the word "Cop"
Nyrath>to mean, er, ah, "poop".

Like "smeg", this is derived from a real word. A "coprophage" is a
creature who eats shit.

JSwing

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Jan 16, 2003, 8:49:56 PM1/16/03
to
djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) wrote in
news:H8t8x...@kithrup.com:

> In article <Xns93053820B...@216.168.3.50>,


> JSwing <JSw...@no.spam.wport.com> wrote:
>>
>>Forgotten the name and author details, but one short story from the
>>POV of a grandmother? conversing with her grandson in the near
>>future. The kid used 'necrotic' and 'apocalyptic' as adjectives for
>>good and bad things. The way we use 'cool'.
>

> I don't know the short story, but since the kid in _Doomsday
> Book_ uses those same words, I suspect it was a Willis story. (I
> *think* the kid used "necrotic" for "dull, boring, square" and
> "apocalytpic" for "cool" more or less consistently, but I haven't
> read the book in a while, must remedy that.)
>

That was probably it. Dunno why I thought it was a short story. Memory
must be going.

JSwing

William December Starr

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Jan 16, 2003, 8:58:55 PM1/16/03
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In article <b07bqg$2eq9$1...@kemoauc.mips.inka.de>,
na...@mips.inka.de (Christian Weisgerber) said:

>> Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a
>> while (There Ain't No Justice).
>
> Also "beep".

I thought it was "bleep."

-- William December Starr <wds...@panix.com>

William December Starr

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Jan 16, 2003, 9:10:33 PM1/16/03
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In article <H8t9J...@kithrup.com>,
djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) said:

> Some professor of mine once said that Protestants used obscene
> swearing and Catholics used blasphemous swearing. I've found many
> many exceptions to that generalization, but it does seem that some
> cultures use obscenity and others use blasphemy, and each doesn't
> see why the other finds its own kind objectionable.


With the fusion motor pushing us smoothly along, Elephant went
back to the scope, and I started checking the other instruments.
One thing stood out like a beacon.

"Elephant. Have you noticed in me a tendency to use profanity
for emphasis?"

"Not really. Why?"

"It's goddam radioactive out there."


From Larry Niven's "Flatlander," of course. For some reason I was
just reminded of it. One of my favorite bits of dialog in sf.

Craig Richardson

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Jan 16, 2003, 9:14:07 PM1/16/03
to
On 16 Jan 2003 09:19:34 -0800, J Greely <jgr...@corp.webtv.net>
wrote:

>Diane Duane <owls...@iol.ie> writes:
>>Also a European appliance manufacturer.
>

>A previous employer had a large diesel generator out back for
>emergencies. The company's name is written on the side in large
>letters: ONAN.

I used to pass one of their distributors on I-5 a little closer to
Portland than to Seattle.

>I always figured that if we ever told it to take over for the real
>power, it would just spill fuel all over the ground.

The Dodgers had a pitcher a couple of years ago named Onan Masaoka.
Predictably, he had pretty bad control.

--Craig


--
Managing the Devil Rays is something like competing on "Iron Chef",
and having Chairman Kaga reveal a huge ziggurat of lint.
Gary Huckabay, Baseball Prospectus Online, August 21, 2002

Craig Richardson

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Jan 16, 2003, 9:14:07 PM1/16/03
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On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 05:03:36 GMT, Steve Coltrin <spco...@omcl.org>
wrote:

>tm...@panix.com (Timothy McDaniel) writes:
>
>> On _Firefly_, there was "gorram". It seemed to be used in exactly
>> those places you'd expect to hear "goddamn".
>
>And 'rutting', which seemed to fill for 'fucking'.

Quite understandably so, as that's what it means.

Also, why is it censor-friendly to substitute "frigging", considering
the literal meaning of the word?

> Also, I would be
>very surprised if all of the Chinese was translatable in prime time.
>
>Back to written but on the periphery of genre, Robert Anton Wilson's
>third Schroedinger's Cat book used the names of censors and censor-friendly
>judges in place of traditional anglosaxonisms.

"Potter Stewart! Potter Stewart! Take it in your Feinstein!"

Craig Richardson

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Jan 16, 2003, 9:14:08 PM1/16/03
to
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 14:28:29 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

>In article <bfvV9.5427$xy7.44...@news-text.cableinet.net>,
>Clive Summerfield <cli...@batchtarget.com> wrote:
>>
>>In _Stand on Zanzibar_ Brunner's protagonists use "bleeder" as a derogatory
>>term, the intent being to imply that they harbour recessive genes and are
>>forbidden from having children.
>

>Is it made clear that's the implication? I mean, "bleeder" is a
>British swear-word now. By derivation from "bloody," which was
>originally a *blasphemous* swear-word, short for "by our Lady."

In Diane Duane's _My Enemy, My Ally_, Scotty, given reason to swear,
says "Bloody". Then apologizes to the nearby Uhura.

[snip]


>So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF

>with blasphemous swearing in it. Someone really ought to
>construct a society with a structured and recognized religion and
>show the characters swearing in it. "By Anghrad's milk!" "Hush,
>you shameless man, the children are listening!"

I know I've seen this somewhere. Dave Duncan?

Craig Richardson

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Jan 16, 2003, 9:14:09 PM1/16/03
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On 16 Jan 2003 19:00:36 GMT, cgo...@sfu.ca (Chuk Goodin) wrote:

>In article <laib2voslm3re0nqr...@4ax.com>,
>Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:
>>
>>After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?
>
>As a teenager, I read one of the _Spaceways_ books -- it was like an SF
>porn series. ISTR it had a lot of made up swearing and references to
>sexual acts. Most of them weren't that interesting, though.

The only actual term I remember from that series isn't a swear word,
it's "Forty-percent City". Basically, the space drive required
extremely involved calculations, taking a lot of time even for a
properly calibrated computer. If you just set the coordinates and hit
"Go", you had a slightly less than 61% chance of arriving at your
destination. Kind of like the "wormhole jump to hell" from the
Vorkosigan series.

Rank Tyro

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Jan 16, 2003, 9:54:50 PM1/16/03
to
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 05:03:36 GMT, Steve Coltrin <spco...@omcl.org>
wrote:

>tm...@panix.com (Timothy McDaniel) writes:
>
>> On _Firefly_, there was "gorram". It seemed to be used in exactly
>> those places you'd expect to hear "goddamn".

I've heard gorram used before Firefly.

> Also, I would be
>very surprised if all of the Chinese was translatable in prime time.

Absolutely unallowed. Hopefully badly enough pronounced to get past
native speakers.


Dorothy J Heydt

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Jan 16, 2003, 9:56:08 PM1/16/03
to
In article <3E2756DF...@optonline.com>,

Andrew Wheeler <acwh...@optonline.com> wrote:
>"Elf M. Sternberg" wrote:
>>
>> How about SFnal cheers? I can't think of any off the top of my
>> head, but I've managed to get most of the people in my office to use
>> "Huzzah!" instead of "Hooray!"
>
>If you can say "Huzzah!" with a straight face, you're a better man than
>I. I go all _Dork Tower_-y just thinking about the word.

In the SCA there are different schools of thought as to whether
to say "Hurrah" or "Huzzah" after the herald has said, "Hip,
hip!"

And some Kingdoms avoid the issue altogether by saying, "Vivat!"

Dorothy J Heydt

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Jan 16, 2003, 9:58:09 PM1/16/03
to
In article <80pe2v8fvt3cnmsck...@4ax.com>,

Craig Richardson <crichar...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 14:28:29 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>Heydt) wrote:
>
>>So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
>>with blasphemous swearing in it. Someone really ought to
>>construct a society with a structured and recognized religion and
>>show the characters swearing in it. "By Anghrad's milk!" "Hush,
>>you shameless man, the children are listening!"
>
>I know I've seen this somewhere. Dave Duncan?

I have read very little Duncan, and as far as I know I just made
that up.

Walter Bushell

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Jan 16, 2003, 10:06:27 PM1/16/03
to
Captain Infinity <Infi...@world.std.com> wrote:

> I was reading some of the comics that Jim Shooter published after
> Valiant kicked him out and he created Defiant, the "Warriors of Plasm"
> series specifically, and I noticed that characters in the story, who
> live in/on a giant biomass named the Org, used biological-related swear
> words like "Phlegm!" to voice their disgust with things. This got me to
> wondering what other types of expletives had been created in the field
> of Science Fiction.
>
> Only a few came imeediately to mind. There's Mork's cry of "Shazbot!".


> Larry Niven has people in his stories shouting "TANJ!" once in a while

> (There Ain't No Justice). And, of course, Captain Picard's famous
> mumbling of "Merde" every now and then. Someone, somewhere, states


> "Felgercarb" but I forget who it is.
>

> After that, I'm stumped. Know any others?
>

"Finagle" used in (Lary Niven's) Known Space, sign of a Belter.

"Ifni" in Brin's Uplift series.
--
Sartre was an optimist. He thought Hell was _other_ people.

Walter

Maureen O'Brien

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Jan 16, 2003, 10:16:48 PM1/16/03
to
Zenna Henderson. The People. "Adonday veeah!"

Maureen O'Brien

Jack Love

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Jan 16, 2003, 11:02:50 PM1/16/03
to
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 15:24:07 -0500, Nyrath the nearly wise
<nyr...@projectrho.com.invalid> wrote:

>In Niven & Pournelle's THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE,
>one character swears by saying "God's Navel!"
>(which is a minor blasphemy if you think about it)
>

>In David Drake's Hammer's Slammer novels, they use

>the word "Cop" to mean, er, ah, "poop".
>As in "you Cop-head", or "the sergeant is going to cop a
>screaming worm when he sees what you did"
>
>In the STEN novels, they use "Clot",
>as in "oh, clot!" or "you clotting bastard"

Or, my favorite: clot, clot, clot.

Jim Battista

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Jan 16, 2003, 11:15:33 PM1/16/03
to
>>On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 14:28:29 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>>Heydt) wrote:
>>
>>>So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
>>>with blasphemous swearing in it. Someone really ought to
>>>construct a society with a structured and recognized religion and
>>>show the characters swearing in it. "By Anghrad's milk!" "Hush,
>>>you shameless man, the children are listening!"

The various Lensman books. Klono (?) who exists to have his body parts
used in oaths and cussing.

--
Jim Battista
A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.

Bill Snyder

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Jan 16, 2003, 11:42:33 PM1/16/03
to
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 18:14:08 -0800, Craig Richardson
<crichar...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:

>On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 14:28:29 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>Heydt) wrote:
>
>[snip]
>>So except for the story I just mentioned, I have not read any SF
>>with blasphemous swearing in it. Someone really ought to
>>construct a society with a structured and recognized religion and
>>show the characters swearing in it. "By Anghrad's milk!" "Hush,
>>you shameless man, the children are listening!"
>
>I know I've seen this somewhere. Dave Duncan?

Not religious, AFAIK, but there's an exchange along those general
lines in Cordwainer Smith's _Norstrilia_.

"How do you know so mucking much?" said Bill, speaking up. "And
why waste our time with all this crutting glubb?"
"Watcfh your language, man," said John Fisher. "There are some
mucking ladies present."

--
Bill Snyder [This space unintentionally left blank.]

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