• @[email protected]
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    141 year ago

    Calling someone a Muppet. In NZ (and to a lesser degree, UK/Australia), it’s a common thing to call someone who’s being an idiot. Not sure why. I think as a nation we generally like the Muppets, but not someone who’s being a Muppet.

    • @[email protected]
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      121 year ago

      That’s not an insult as the internet has decided. It can be used sarcastically, but in my experience as a southerner it is more often a compliment for doing something nice.

      • @[email protected]
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        81 year ago

        South Louisiana here. It can be used affectionately (seeing a sick child and saying Bless your heart) but I find it is more often used to point out someone’s lack of intelligence or bad behaviour (Karen is pitching an absolute fit in the checkout lane at Albertsons because she misread a price label…Bless her heart)

        Maybe you’re from a more polite area of the south, but where I am we are heavily into calling out morons.

      • cod
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        51 year ago

        Same here. “Bless your heart” usually means thank you

        • @[email protected]OP
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          61 year ago

          That’s why it’s so insidious. When used correctly you can throw people off because they have to question, “is this person grateful or do they hate my guts?”

        • @[email protected]
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          1 year ago

          Context is king. Yes, anything can be said sarcastically. But when a child shares their candy with another child and 7 people are like “Aww bless his heart!!” It’s not fucking code. The fact that it’s usually used as a compliment is exactly what makes it so cutting as a sarcastic insult.

  • verity_kindle
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    91 year ago

    “Crayon eater”, this one is specific to members of the U.S. Marine Corps, it can be used affectionately, but it’s very context dependent.

  • verity_kindle
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    1 year ago

    “He don’t know shit from shinola.” [I’ve never asked what “shinola” is.] EDIT: Another one my Dad uses (Oklahoma born and bred): calling someone a “mudcat”.

      • Thassodar
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        101 year ago

        Usually it’s referring to being a downer at an event that’s typically exciting. Like being at a party but complaining the whole time about their beer/music selection.

      • @[email protected]
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        31 year ago

        I have no idea how it started being used that way, but it’s true, there’s nothing fun about a wet blanket.

    • Deconceptualist
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      1 year ago

      “Your mother was a hamster!” is pretty self-explanatory though.

      But elderberries smell rather nice. Or at least the last elderberry jam I had was quite lovely. So that certainly makes for a confusing insult.

      • Maestro
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        441 year ago

        They made booze from elderberries. The insult translates to “Your mother is a whore and your father is a drunk”

  • @[email protected]
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    771 year ago

    Dipshit. It’s my favorite insult. If you call a man an asshole or fucker, many take it as a sign of strength or say, 'i just tell it like it is." Dipshit is stupid and juvenile and naive and just perfectly describes so many people.

    • NevelioKrejall
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      121 year ago

      Oh, that’s why I like “dipshit” so much. Now I understand myself better, thanks!

  • @[email protected]
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    241 year ago

    In Australia, being a total bastard is a good thing, while being a bit of a bastard isn’t so good.

    Mad cunt = good. Shit cunt = bad, see image

    • @[email protected]
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      31 year ago

      Non native here: (without going to the link) here in South America we sometimes call a person by “Juanito” or “Fulano” they are some sort of “Jhon Doe” names and the insult being “you’re so irrelevant to me that I don’t want to learn your name” or “who is this random person that came uninvited” is not common but some people still use it from time to time. Is akin of calling someone “furniture” (yeah that used as an insult in Argentina mostly). (going to the link) it make even less sense now…