The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

[San Bernardhinault]

I understand that, in the grand scheme of things, this isn't one of the things that's most wrong with the world, but...

Having been wracking my brains a little over this, and I can't think of a US equivalent of "Wanker!" as an insult. And when I've been cycling and cut off by an aggressive wanker in a car, I've started to make the wanker hand gesture, and I realise I've never seen anyone in this country do it.

I wonder why. Have I just not noticed, but this does exist here? Or is it that wanking is considered a reasonable past-time in the US? Or is it that Americans are just more polite? Or is it that Americans don't have the imagination?

[caja-dglh]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Last time I checked the WANKER vanity plate was available and not on the restricted list in Connecticut.

I could have funded it ten times over given that every time I tell someone about it they offer to pay for it.

[WOM]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

I wouldn't be too motivated to get into vehicular temper-related altercations in the US. Folk gots guns.

[San Bernardhinault]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

WOM wrote: I wouldn't be too motivated to get into vehicular temper-related altercations in the US. Folk gots guns.

Well, when I'm on my bicycle and they have several tons of ugly, over-powered, crappy American automobile, I'm already in a losing situation should they challenge me.

Perhaps hand gestures they don't recognise are the perfect altercation.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Americans in films do seem to call each other "douchebags" a lot, though. I don't even know what a douchebag is, but I imagine it's not meant as a compliment.

[Stumpy Pepys]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

I thought wank'n'wanker were slowly gaining traction in the US. See this 50 Cent example below.

Is 'jerk' not a masturbatory insult?

[anton pulisov]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

There is a lack of rectal insults in the UK though. The USA has butthead, butthole, asshole and asswipe. Ireland has arsehole.

[Incandenza]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Jagoff and jerkoff are the ones that I can think of, but we don't use them that often.

The "wanker" gesture is used more as a reaction to someone talking, typically trying to big themselves up or spouting some bullshit.

[Amor de Cosmos]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

The finger would be the approximate equivalent to the wanker gesture.

Does anyone still use the 'V' sign in the UK, or has wanker replaced it?

[Bored Of Education]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

antoine polus wrote: There is a lack of rectal insults in the UK though. The USA has butthead, butthole, asshole and asswipe. Ireland has arsehole.

Erm, we have "arsehole" even if a worrying amount of people seem to be incorrectly using "ass"

[Bored Of Education]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Amor de Cosmos wrote: Does anyone still use the 'V' sign in the UK, or has wanker replaced it?

I use the V sign all the time as, like "ass" or "asshole", I think that the bird is a terrible Americanism.

Mind you, it has limited my job prosepcts as a teacher.

[San Bernardhinault]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

The V sign has definitely waned against the rise of the US single-finger.

But I think that swearing and insults has been one of the stronger bastions against US cultural hegemony. Sure, Britain's adopted many US insults into the language, all the motherfuckers and arseholes (I think, broadly, the British still spell the word arse, but now use it like Americans) and bitches and so on. But that hasn't depleted Britain's own, solid, homegrown stockpile of abuse.

[San Bernardhinault]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Well done on Jerk and Jackoff, by the way. I'd missed them in my mental wanderings because they seem so tame - they don't feel like "real" insults.

[WOM]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Neither does wanker, tbh.

[Come along, Min]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Stumpy Pepys wrote: I thought wank'n'wanker were slowly gaining traction in the US. See this 50 Cent example below.

Is 'jerk' not a masturbatory insult?

I'll stand corrected, but I think the term Wanksta has no direct wanker origins.

It basically means fake Gangster, possibly a portmanteau of wack-ass-gangsta.

[anton pulisov]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Bordeaux Education wrote:

There is a lack of rectal insults in the UK though. The USA has butthead, butthole, asshole and asswipe. Ireland has arsehole.

Erm, we have "arsehole" even if a worrying amount of people seem to be incorrectly using "ass"

But arsehole comes from Ireland surely, from the obsession with the thóin due to auto-immune diseases.

[San Bernardhinault]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

WOM wrote: Neither does wanker, tbh.

Bollocks

[ursus arctos]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

I'd be careful about conflating "jerk" tout court with "jerkoff", "jackoff" or "jagoff".

The former is much more general and socially acceptable, (see, e.g., the Steve Martin film and the existence of "soda jerks" in the 50s, who did nothing more offensive than serve carbonated beverages).

[caja-dglh]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

So calling someone a jerk is more suggesting they are kind of pointless / performing a menial task?

[ursus arctos]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

Yes, "soda jerk" came from "soda clerk" (the latter being before my time, the former unfortunately not).

BTW, the "EPL" is very much responsible for the rise of "wanker awareness" in the US.

[Incandenza]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

ursus arctos wrote: Yes, "soda jerk" came from "soda clerk" (the latter being before my time, the former unfortunately not).

BTW, the "EPL" is very much responsible for the rise of "wanker awareness" in the US.

Taking the brand globally!

More Americans might be aware of "wanker," but "tosser" has not made the trip over here yet. I'm always amused when I am stopped by this one sign in the line for Toy Story Midway Mania at Disney California Adventure and wonder what the sunburned British tourists must think when they see it:

[Fussbudget]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

I always snigger at this one :

'Population: You'

[ursus arctos]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

See, that's yet another meaning (i.e., to season meat w/"jerk spice"), which is very familiar to anyone here who lives or visits areas with a meaningful West Indian population and has the same root as "beef jerky"

[Fussbudget]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

True, I'm actually pretty familiar with jerk chicken but that name will still never not sound funny to me. And it's next door to Mr. Jerk!

[ursus arctos]

The lack of masturbatory insults in the US

One of the myriad conflicts arising from the gentrification of traditionally West Indian parts of Brooklyn has been the clash between those who think "The Jerk Store called . . . " is the start of a "joke" and those who wonder what might be wrong with their order for delivery.