[Lingtyp] 答复: Swearwords as a negator and/or minimizer: a cross-linguistic perspective

[LÜ Shanshan]

Dear all,

I happen to read an article several years ago about negation in the Xichang dialect of Southwestern Mandarin (Sinitic) in which the swear word qiu ‘penis’ is used as a general negator. See the example below:

Xichang
今年子的雨水多，小花山的桃子都酋甜。
Jinnianzi       de          yushui   duo,       XiaoHuaShan      de          taozi      dou qiu         tian
This.year      mod       rain        many     placename         mod       peach     all   neg        sweet
‘It rained a lot this year. The peaches grown in XiaoHuaShan are not sweet.’

Although the author use the character 酋，I suppose the etymon should be qiu 㞗 ‘penis’.
Here is the reference:

Chen, Yan 陈燕. 2014. 西昌方言否定句的表达形式 [Negation in the Xichang dialect]. 《文教资料》. 25-26, 40.

All the best
Shanshan Lü

发件人: Lingtyp <lingtyp-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org> 代表 Pun Ho Lui <luiph001 at gmail.com>
日期: 星期二, 2023年6月13日 20:35
收件人: lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org <lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org>
主题: [Lingtyp] Swearwords as a negator and/or minimizer: a cross-linguistic perspective
Dear linguists,

Swearwords/taboo words can function as a negator (1) or minimizer/“squatitive” (2):

(1) Cantonese
     我    撚        知
     1sg  dick  know
   ‘I don’t know.’

(2) I learn fuck all/ shit.
‘I learn nothing.’

Other languages with these pattens include:

- Russian
- German einen Teufel ‘a devil’
- Swedish så fan Heller
- French mon cul ‘my ass’ (?)
- Polish chuj ‘dick’; gówno ’shit’
- Serbian kurac ‘penis'
- Croatian kurac ‘penis’
- Colloquail Finnish “aggressive mood”

These examples are provided in: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lingtyp/permalink/6751622964867235/

I am wondering if there are other languages performing similar constructions. If so, is the any requirement for using them.

Thank you.

Warmest,
Pun Ho Lui


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