Saturday, July 23, 2011

You taught me language, and my profit on’t Is I know how to curse.

I've decided to go green today....

                                                  and recycle an old post:  
[I have several younger actors in the cast of the show I'm currently directing, so I am editing the heck out of myself at rehearsals.   That's what brought this to mind.]


Oh…..f—f—fudge.
Yeah, that’s what I say when I hurt myself or something doesn’t go right.    

  NOT!   

In many circumstances, the only thing that will do is to let a good expletive fly.      I don’t really have a problem with that; I mean, the words roll off your tongue so nicely.      Not that the adults in my life were setting a bad example, mind you.     No, during my formative years, my dad was very careful around us; and one of my mom’s rules was “if you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing at all.    [Boy that was a toughey sometimes…]
But, I must admit that since about my sixteenth birthday, I have been a big fan of shall we say “colorful language.”       I learned them all very quickly and very easily.....    Not that I’m necessarily proud of that—or of the fact that I’ve apparently passed that trait on to my kids and grandson.       When they were little, I tried very hard to set a good example; occasionally though my Irish temper would get the better of me and  certain "bad words" would fill the air of our house.      I was always duly apologetic afterward, but unfortunately the kids did choose to imitate that part of mommy's personality instead of my good grammar.     And their dad wasn't always a saint either--he had his moments too.     But I’d rather the occasional F-bomb than words of hate or derision.     Some other adults in their lives often said some very prejudicial things about certain groups of people (ethnic, religious and otherwise).    

In spite of the fact that they have developed a talent for salty talk like me, I think I taught them to accept others for who they are and not the surface stuff.     Yes, we have our snarky moments of commenting on stupid or odd moments in our days, but on a whole my kids and my grandson are decent people who try to be kind and help others when they can.     They have good hearts.

So, yeah, I’m okay with the curse words.

Of course, I think we should all educate ourselves to some of Shakespeare’s curses—dude could really put down.    When one of the Bard’s characters curses someone it’s inventive—and scary too.

Here are some examples:
Thou viperous hell-hated misbegotten-divel!
I scorn you, scurvy companion. What, you poor, base, rascally, cheating, lack-linen mate! Away, you moldy rogue, away!
So, so, thou common dog, didst thou disgorge thy glutton bosom.
Would the fountain of your mind were clear again, that I might water an ass at it.

So much more original than wishing someone a sexual experience……For more fun, click on the title of this post to link to a “Shakespearean Curse Generator” website.     Have Fun.

2 comments:

  1. I let fly a curse word or two when I am upset too! Or I stub my toe; or drop something; or forget something; or any benign occasion that comes up!!
    Ha!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  2. Oh yes, amazing how any reference to sex or images of nakedness are taboo but we can show our kiddies all the blood and guts and hatefulness and violence we want.

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