Input requested.
Input requested. I am philosophically opposed to use of the word "bitch" for many, many reasons. However, I need a descriptive word that will communicate something similar in meaning and intensity without the misogyny. You people have huge vocabularies. Please help.
I've generally been a fan of using "asshole" in gender-neutral fashion.
ReplyDeleteThe problem lies in pithiness and euphony. There are plenty of polysyllabic constructions which would do the trick nicely, but it’s hard to beat - or replicate - the visceral satisfaction of spitting out a single syllable.
ReplyDeleteThat said, “asshole” is a pretty good general-purpose epithet, and two syllables isn’t so bad.
Asshole seems so much milder to me. Probably because it lacks the misogyny, so that's a perception problem on my end I could probably recalibrate.
ReplyDeleteThat said, polysyllabic constructions are not out of the running, by any means. For example, backpfeifengesicht is a perfectly good word. It's just the wrong kind of insulting terminology in this instance.
Pamela Korda yeah, at this point if someone calls me a bitch my impulse will most likely be to thank them.
ReplyDeleteI haven't gotten myself to be able to co-opt the term quite yet, and I mean 'what a bitch' in the most not complimentary way. At least for these purposes.
ReplyDelete