Uglier Than A Monkey's Armpit: The Best Curses, Put-downs and Invective from Around the World

by Stephen Dodson, Robert Vanderplank

Whether borne out of surprise, anger, passion or humour, curses and insults make up some of the most colourful and profound phrases in a language, offering insight into cultural mores and a greater understanding of the most fundamental social and personal taboos.

Organized by language for an overview of each culture's favoured profanities, this beautifully illustrated volume - put together by language experts from around the world - is an essential reference to the brilliantly inventive, funny, scorchingly insulting words you " won't" learn in a language class...

Genres: Nonfiction, Language, Reference, Humor, Linguistics, Words

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and yes also very much entertaining compilation of generally untranslatable insults, swearwords and the like from around the world (from ancient languages to the tongues of India), while indeed I have definitely massively enjoyed reading Stephen Dodson's and Robert Vanderplank's Uglier than a Monkey's Armpit: Untranslatable Insults, Put-Downs, and Curses From Around the World, the linguist (and budding etymologist) in me would most definitely both like and need considerably more presented information, not only on what the book already features, what the collected and presented curse words and insulting expressions mean (and how they are pronounced) but also and even more importantly, details on their genesis, on how they came to be, if they are word/expressions that have historical meanings, whether they are loanwords from other cultures (and languages) and so on and so on.

Definitely a fun and diverting reading for pleasure interlude Uglier than a Monkey's Armpit: Untranslatable Insults, Put-Downs, and Curses From Around the World has been to and for me, and a wonderfully humorous way to spend a few reading hours (instead of watching television). However, with regard to non fiction books geared towards adults (and even if they are obviously meant to be first and foremost for entertainment purposes), the intellectual and academic side of me does always want and need as much historical background (and with books on words and expressions, as much linguistic background) as possible, and there is simply not enough of this included by Stephen Dodson and Robert Vanderplank for me to consider more than three stars maximum (especially since Uglier Than a Monkey's Armpit: Untranslatable Insults, Put-Downs, and Curses From Around the World also and sadly, frustratingly, does not contain either a bibliography or any suggestions for further reading and study, and I always do want more).

[Tasha Doughty · Rating 1 out of 5]

70 pages on European languages,16 on Asian languages, 8 on Middle Eastern languages, and just 4 on African languages. Total lack of explanation of any interesting etymologies and frankly has aged like milk when talking about cultural attitudes and behaviours. Don’t waste your time

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun little novelty book, though a lot of the insults fell on the lame side of the fence. Eh.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Portuguese: "Go comb a monkey!"
Scottish: "Like a fart in a trance."
Scottish: "He thinks he's big, but a wee coat fits him."
Irish: "You're no more use than a chocolate teapot."
British English, about someone who is all appearance and no substance: "All fur coat and no knickers."
Czech: "He has the IQ of rustling grass."
Polish: "You scabby sheep."
Yiddish: "He should get married to the daughter of the Angel of Death."
Russian, about a thin woman wearing slinky clothes: "She's an intestinal worm in a diving suit."
Finnish: "So mean that she farts inward."
Turkish, about someone who's had an easy life: "He's a child of pudding."
Chinese: "Dumb as a wooden chicken."
Gujarati: "May your mother-in-law's curry get burned."

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

an interesting book...wonderful concept, but it seems a bit arbitrary. For each country, only about 7-12 insults are given. Why these and not others? It's not at all exhaustive, and as a result, one wonders too how up-to-date it is.

p.s. the illustrations are quite wonderful.
p.s.s. want to do a longer review, w/ examples, but I seem to have lost (temporarily, I hope, it's from the library) the book!

[Tommi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really expect anything besides a few laughs from this book, and I got them. The book is divided in sections based on the language discussed, and the main idea gets really repetitive after a few languages you are not familiar with or are not interested in. If you're looking for a deep insight into the culture of insults, you need to skip this, but then again its quite heavy and uninteresting for the casual reader as well.

[Marc · Rating 1 out of 5]

Useless.

[Mika Auramo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Robert Vanderplankin kansainvälinen haukkumasanakirja olisi voinut olla kattavampikin. Tämän Oxfordin yliopiston kieltentutkijan antropologinen katsaus nimittelytapoihin on osin hauskaa luettavaa, ja liikkeelle lähdetään antiikista.

Toisaalta eleitäkin on eritelty, mutta varsin suppeasti. Suomalainen osuus on toimitettu ihan kotimaassa. Kirosanoja ja nimittelyjä on perin suppeasti.Oudolta vaikuttaa suomi-osuuden lisääminen skandinaavisiin kieliin! Ruotsalaiselle kirjan mukaan karkeaa on nimitellä autoa paskaksi – siis Volvoa tottakai.

Afrikkalaiset kielet on kuitattu parilla aukeamalla.Kirja on äkkiä selailtu, eikä tästä saa oikein tuntumaa, millä tavoin olisi parasta tai soveliaan häveliäästi solvata puhekumppani jossain eteläisessä Afrikassa tai siperialaisessa pubisssa.

[Jojanneke Bosch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely amusing. Ideal for conversations if one travels a lot. ;-)

Despite the fact there are only three Irish insults (if I would have to choose one country which has a mer à boire of creative insults, it's Ireland), it'sa great laugh.
Oh, and about the Irish insults: there's a book full of them: 'The feckin' book of Irish insults for gobdaws as thick as manure and only half as useful'.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. Perhaps insults without context are bound to be somewhat flat, but this is a shallow survey and not as fun or informative as I might have hoped.

[Su · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit disappointed. I expected more depth.

[Adrian Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book for some laughters, and some languange knowledge. But I guess it's hard to practise those curses because... it takes time to memorize the hardly recognizable other languages.

[Edmund Chattoe-Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is OK but it could have been quite a lot better. A lot of swearing is surprisingly uniform (mothers and cuckoldry) so it is interesting when only a couple of nations swear based on diseases for example. (Is that a spoiler?) A few of the terms are genuinely interesting or witty in any language. The main weakness for me was the lack of connection between the original term and the explanation: This is equivalent to the English phrase "Dash It!" I'm sure he is right but how did that come about and how did he establish it? I think the level of popularisation has made this rather bitty. One to copy out parts of into your day book. I don't think there will be much risk of R. S. I.

[NathanJessica]

Englishmen don't realize they're being so obvious with their passive aggressive and sarcastic insults. Especially the Snobby Natters and Chin waggers.

[Anubis · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is important to recognize that this is a better gift book than one a person sits down to read cover to cover. It offers a brief overview and only a few phrases or words for each language. It is not a comprehensive reference book or even a very educational cultural/language book. It's something you'd give to a friend as a gag that they'd leave out, probably in the bathroom, for guests to skim.

My biggest complaint (and the reason for a 2-star rating) was the inconsistent pronunciation guide. If you include a guide for a few phrases in each language, don't fill the descriptor paragraphs with new ones and their meaning without including information on how to pronounce them too. It became especially frustrating in the languages I was least familiar with.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing little book, organized by language. It is interesting to see the cultural differences in insults and curses.

[Stacy Simpson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was ok learned a few things that were interesting. But I wouldn’t boast it as a must read.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tremendous fun!