I'm British, and my favourite swear word is 'Cunt'. Here in the UK, it is used 99.9% of the time against men, usually prefixed with: 'Stupid' 'Fucking', or 'What A'. In the USA, it's usually a misogynistic insult aimed at women. However it is used, it's ancient in origin, it's basis is the Latin word 'Cuneus', which means 'A Wedge', alluding to the triangular area of the female genital area. It's transition to 'cunt', happened sometime in the Anglo-Saxon era, prior to 1066. It was a word in common use, that nobody seemed to take offence to - in fact, in the 15th century, in London, there was a ginnel, or alleyway, called 'Gropecunt Lane' - it was popular with prostitutes. The 17th century diarist, (and ladies' man), Samuel Pepys (pronounced 'peeps', by the way), makes many mentions of the word 'Cunny' in his diaries, and leaves one in absolutely no doubt about what that means, on one occasion, being seen by an acquaintance removing his fingers from that part of a serving-girl's anatomy in a tavern, panties or knickers not being part of female attire until the 19th century. And of course, it was the 19th century which brought the Victorians, and all the smut was hidden away. Despite them breeding like rabbits, and, in an age of invention, of course somebody, somewhere would invent a better dildo. Scratch a Victorian, and there's a good chance you'll find a pervert underneath. But yes, 'cunt' is my favourite swear word. Even today, it still makes some people wince. 😘😘😘
I'm not sure either, but it's possibly not from the UK - we tended to use the words 'Prick', 'Dick', or 'Knob', as slang for the penis, and none of them is as good a swearword as 'Cock', although 'Prick!' comes close. I do think 'Cock' originates in the USA, though, because it was seen as an objectionable word by people in the 19th century, when the word 'Rooster' appeared, to be used instead of 'Cock' or even 'Cockerel'. A very, very old English term for the penis, is the word 'Pizzle', obviously a contraction of 'Piss hole'. Weirdly, it was used for many years as a term for a particular kind of offal in the butchery trade - you could buy 'A bull's pizzle'. Why you'd want to, i dread to think. On similar lines, whilst we're here, there was actually an English term for a long, saggy scrotum, on man or beast. The word sounds like one created by Shakespeare, and was used about that time (late 16th/early 17th centuries), and it is brilliant: 'Rantallion'. And no, I don't know why. A more recent insult I'm fond of, is from the north of England, or from Scotland, depending on whom you ask. It's for someone who won't stop talking rubbish, and its: 'Gobshite'. Everybody knows one.
