If you were around on Tuesday, you had the occasion to read the synopsis of Oil and Boiling Water, my NaNoWriMo project. If so, then you might remember that the story involves French air pirates. Who are bound to curse a bit, right? 😉
I live in Quebec city so French is my first language. Thus, I know quite a bit of French swear words, either unique to Quebec or usual in France. So finding ugly words isn’t the problem.
Nope.
My problem is: where to stop the cuss?
I trust you see my predicament; I likely know more French swear words than my intended public. So I need my intended public to tell me which swear words it knows so my characters can cuss in a no-subtitle-needed manner.
Because let’s face it, subtitles can seriously screw up a fit of rage.
So please, dear readers, would you be kind enough to curse in French in the comments? I’ll even read your ranting in exchange for the swear words.
So go ahead and unleash the rage!
For today, on this blog, French swear words will not be considered sins nor bring forth smiting of any kind.
Cuss away! 😉
The Writeaholic's Blog 
October 21st, 2010 at 1:02 pm
*laughs* Okay, I can’t do this. I know as many French swears as you do. I’m quite curious to see what the others will come up with, though. 🙂
October 21st, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Yeah. That promises to be interesting!
I hope some people will help me out. I guess I could make it clear that vocabulary you don’t understand in the dialog equals French swear words. But it would be richer if I could use some cussing English-speaking folks recognize.
October 21st, 2010 at 2:53 pm
The only French swear word I know is, “Merde!” So there you go. 🙂
October 21st, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Thanks! Every little bit helps! 😉
October 21st, 2010 at 2:58 pm
ostie de calisse de maudit de crisse de chienne de tabarnacle.
Oh and also putte
MERDE
(I am Quebec native too, but an english one)
October 21st, 2010 at 3:04 pm
*laughs* That explains a lot. I was reading the list with a cocked eyebrow thinking “I sure didn’t expect so much Quebec colors to show up!”
October 21st, 2010 at 3:01 pm
I’m pretty well tapped out at “merde!” myself. But if your character’s ticked off and wants to call somebody on his pirating team crazy, you can use “Tu est fou!”
I can also give you the words for sheep and fish, but I don’t think that will help ya much. 🙂
October 21st, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Thanks!
I guess he could say “Sale mouton!” to somebody or nickname a sailor “Le poisson”. 😉
October 21st, 2010 at 3:07 pm
“Merde” for me too. 😉 I’ll see what my Mom knows as she’s not a native speaker, but she’s spoken French to my sister and I since we were babies. 🙂
October 21st, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Thanks! As I said, as a native speaker it’s hard for me to tell how much English natives know about our swear words. Because French know quite a bit about English cussing. I now realise that it’s really not the same the other way around. 😉
October 21st, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Ivrogne! Merde de poulet! Fils de herrison! Merde d’enfant! Moule a gaufres! (And I probably botched the spelling in all these…)
October 21st, 2010 at 4:52 pm
It’s actually not bad at all!
October 21st, 2010 at 5:21 pm
I hesitate to say it, or write it, but you asked for it, so… Putain. Um, yeah, i know, lol.
October 21st, 2010 at 6:09 pm
I forgive you! *laughs*
October 21st, 2010 at 5:38 pm
The only french curse word I remember is “merde” and that was actually from ballet class and not from college french.
October 21st, 2010 at 6:10 pm
I guess they don’t teach cursing. At least not intentionally. 😉
October 21st, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Chez nous c’est ‘câlisse de tabarnak’ et ‘ostis’. 😀
October 21st, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Quand j’étais petite, la préférée de mon père c’était “Baratte à beurre de coltore de tourpinouche”. *shrugs* Ça ne sacre pas tellement dans ma famille. XD
October 22nd, 2010 at 12:45 am
C’est vraiment conneries! No, not your blog exercise, lol. I just wanted to add this swear word.
October 22nd, 2010 at 6:15 am
Tu es mieux de ne pas insulter mon blog. 😉
Good job on the spelling!
October 22nd, 2010 at 7:16 am
Hi, sorry it took me so long to get over here….the only ones that I can come up with are the standard Merde, Ta galle (not sure on the spelling of this one) & couchon. Hope it helps!
October 22nd, 2010 at 9:40 am
*laughs* It would be “Ta gueule” and “cochon”. 😉
Thanks for your input!
November 13th, 2010 at 9:13 am
Hi!
I would have a few suggestions that would trespass the limit of the improved “merde” and the more modern “putain !”
So, let’s go : Fait chier ! M’emmerde grave ! Face de pet ! Wah, putain, il est con çui-là ! J’en ai rien à foutre ! J’m’en balance ! Va te faire empapahouter chez les Grecs ! J’m’en tape ! Trouduc ! Enfoiré ! Tu (or : ça) me casse les couilles ! Connard ! Chiasse ! Chiottes ! Bordel ! (or Bordel de merde !)
You can also use some pictures like the classical “Bachy Bouzouk” of Capt’n Haddock, or “Autralopithèque”.
This all mainly depends on the situation, and whether you want them to insult another or just show that they are upset.
Want more ? You may contact me.
November 13th, 2010 at 9:23 am
Hi Lilith and welcome to my blog,
Thanks for your suggestions.
As I said, finding French cuss words isn’t a challenge for me since that is my first language (though I must say you have some colorful ones in there). The challenge is to know the extent of what I can use that will be understand by English-speaking readers. I think I found a way to make it work and my beta readers will hit me on the head if it doesn’t. *laughs*