I recently came across a couple of delightful expletive expressions in other languages. Parental Advisory Warning: this post contains swearwords. Wouldn’t be much point otherwise, would it?

Firstly, the phrase “dick in vinegar” occurs several times in Chris Stewart’s Driving Over Lemons,1 where I presume it’s a direct translation from Spanish. (I have vague recollections of “I shit in your milk” coming up in conversation with a Spanish friend at some point, and of course they have all sorts of repurposed Catholic imagery. Apparently French does too.)

The second oddity comes from Greek talkshow radio: an irate woman discussing politics let fly with “γαμώ το κέρατο μου” (gamo to kerato mou), literally meaning “fuck my horn”. “Horn” here is of course the horn an animal, not a car, has — the horns a cuckold grows, and just possibly the horn of Mary Davis of Saughall.

Finally, I can’t (or won’t) resist adding an expletive of my own, which I find has a particularly satisfying rhythm for expressing frustration. I have no idea where I picked it up, nor what it means — Google considers it a spelling error, but we know better — and I gift it freely and without reservation for your use: fucksnakes. You’re welcome.

Notes:

  1. Both my mother and Marijn recommended this; when two such different tastes triangulate the same book, I know there’s something worth checking out. Indeed, it’s lovely, and inspiring –in an idealistic and utopian fashion– for our Greeceward plans. [↪]