Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 6 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 22 years ago by
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Does the word ‘bugger’ actually mean ‘to penetrate anally,’ or does it refer to ANY copulation? I’ve heard it used casually among people from the United Kingdom, and it seems to mean the same thing that it means when we Americans say it, kind of like ‘little thing.’ However, I’ve also heard what we refer to as sodomy referred to as ‘buggery.’ I’ve also read sort of humorous transcripts of colonial trials and English trials from long ago where someone has been convicted of ‘buggery.’ What is the origin of this word? Also, it seems as if, although generally more civilized than Americans, English people are much more comfortable than we are with the word ‘cunt.’ Is this just a misinterpretation of mine?
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Name : Jennifer R., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Humanist, Age : 29, City : Saint Paul, State : MN, Country : United States, Occupation : Writer/Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,It’s a conflation of two words. One is ‘Bulgar’ for the people who reside in the northeast Balkans. The other is ‘Bogomil’, for the adherents of a medieval religious heresy popular also in the Balkans. Both groups were assumed to enjoy that sort of sex more most other nationalities.
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Name : Joseph-C, City : New York, State : NY, Country : United States,Yep, buggery = sodomy. However, the expression ‘Oh bugger!’ is a general term that isn’t seen as being that rude… personally, I would consider it more acceptable than ‘Oh shit!’
As for the delightful word ‘cunt,’ it is seen as being very offensive over here, if not the most offensive word. Most women are truly offended, if not disgusted, by the word.
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Name : Tom24136, Gender : M, City : London, State : NA, Country : United Kingdom,Strictly speaking, ‘buggery’ is exactly the same as ‘sodomy’ – anal intercourse (not necessarily homosexual). I understand the word derives from the French name for the Bulgars, who were considered to be the epitome of depravity (pot/kettle?). In the UK, ‘bugger’ is used in all kinds of social situations as a mild expletive, without the precise connotations of its original meaning. ‘Bugger off’ can be used as a friendly alternative to ‘get lost’ and is much milder than ‘fuck off’, although the English on holiday in France are, I have heard, known as ‘les fuck-offs’ because this is the phrase they use the most. Fashions in swearing change over the years. You can probably hear ‘fuck’ several times in an evening’s television these days, whereas it was a really big deal when the Sex Pistols said it on TV in 1977. These days it is ‘cunt’ that is the most extreme word and, while you will probably come across it regularly in certain social circles, for most people it is regarded as taboo. That means, of course, that it retains a power to shock. By the way, on voyages to the States, I have come across the use of ‘bollixed’ even in very polite circles. Do Americans make a connection between this and ‘bollocks’ (i.e. testicles), from where it derives?
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Name : Peter Mackay, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 43, City : London, State : NA, Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : Journalist, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Following on from the initial post… buggery is still a crime in the UK, and people are still prosecuted for it. (Usually in non-consentual circumstances or involving minors).
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Name : Dan27166, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, City : London, State : NA, Country : United Kingdom,I’m not sure of the origin of the word bugger, but would agree with the previous response and would like to elaborate that the definition of the word depends on the context it is used in. In a formal environment, such as you mention(in a colonial trial ), the word does imply anal penetration, but on an everyday level ‘bugger’ is a very mild curse not particularly tied to its original definition. A person might spill some tea and acceptably say ‘bugger me’ without meaning anal sex and only using language as offensive as ‘bloody hell’. As for your query on the other curse; it is perhaps the most disrespectful word, but my personal feeling is that media in the UK are more unrestrained than in the US and hence a slightly more relaxed view of the word and its power.
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Name : TC, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Chinese, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 22, City : Manchester, State : NA, Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : Management Consultant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,The word bugger comes from the old belief that people from Bulgaria were predisposed to engage in it.
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Name : A. J., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Christian, Age : 22, City : Los Angeles, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : public relations, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,
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