32 Of The Most Savage Insults People Have Ever Heard, As Shared In This Online Group

For this article, Bored Panda got in touch with experienced copy-editor and professional language writer in Ireland, Stan Carey. You can visit his website here and also find more interesting, but explicit, articles about expletives on the Strong Language blog.

Also providing their input about why insults between friends are funny rather than rude and some novel examples of insults is James Harbeck, professional editor, designer, and writer. You can read more about him and his work on his website or his blog Sesquiotica.

If you are particularly interested in how a particular vulgar word and its alternatives evolved through the decades, you may find something fun in Jonathon Green’s historical slang timelines, as suggested by Stan Carey. Although there is little context, it’s quite amusing to see that the synonym for “foolish” in the 1850’s was “suck-egg”, whatever that may mean.

“Blatherskite is a colorful insult with an old-fashioned flavor that's fun to say,” says Stan Carey. Apparently, the “-skite” part alludes to sh*t, and most people don’t know that. As blather means empty and long-winded talk, you can probably guess what it means.

Discussing why insults between friends are funny rather than insulting, James Harbeck mentions that they are funny because they demonstrate permission. “You show that you know you have the right to speak to the other person in terms that would be taken badly by someone you were not on close terms with, and that you know they know,” says James. These claims are somewhat confirmed in a case study about insults and social cohesion.

Insulting friends may also be a good way to let off some steam and equalize perceived or possible social inequalities, James says. Nevertheless, these boundaries should be judged carefully, James says, sharing the case of English dandy Beau Brummell insulting the Prince Regent, with whom he had formerly been on good terms. “He said to one of the prince’s companions, 'Alvanley, who’s your fat friend?' – and met his social downfall as a result.”

Irish English has insults derived from Irish for every occasion, according to Stan Carey. Sleeveen, referring to someone untrustworthy, and cute hoor are popular examples, especially used in political contexts. Sleeveen is especially popular in Irish politics, used to define politicians as smooth-tongued rogues.