Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Taboo naming expressions

114b

Taboo naming expressions are commonly used to insult another person.

Sometimes the insult is serious and sometimes it can be playful and affectionate.

Only the immediate context of the use of the expression will indicate which

meaning is intended. Insulting by swearing is particularly common with vocatives

(

Û

116

):

Lucky bastard! How did you manage to get the day off? (***)

Come here, you daft 

prick. (***)

Ruth, 

you bitch! Why did you tell her? Can’t you keep a secret? (***)

Taboo naming words such as arsehole, bastard, bugger, bitch, cow, get/git, prick,

tit

, twat/twot, are preceded by you when addressed directly at the listener, while

the

is most commonly used to refer to third parties:

I hope it’s your hormones,

you stupid cow. (***)

I always give him money, and then when I ask him, he never gives it, 

the

bastard. (***)

I mean when he doesn’t sort of trust his own kids sort of thing. Do you know

what I mean? I mean he might be disappointed in me sometimes but I still love

the old bugger. And there’s no two ways about that really, is there. He’s always

dad. (***)

226 | From discourse to social contexts

Cambridge Grammar of English

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You

and the are sometimes ellipted, since the referent is usually obvious:

Get up, 

lazy cow! (***)

(Get up, (you) lazy cow.)

I lent the key to Dave. 

Daft bastard lost it. (***)

((The) daft bastard lost it.)