Talk:Arse

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-Actually, as a Brit I a can say that to many (most?) brits - certainly here in the midlands - "arse" is considered to be quite rude and certainly you would get a few disapproving looks if loudly vocalised in public. Also, we may not pronounce the "r" in "arse" but we lengthen the "a" to compensate - it makes sense to us, since we also tend to do this in many of our words. Recently on, tv especially, there has been a tendency to use "ass" instead of "arse" as this is not considered to be as offensive by the general public. Seems a bit of a silly distinction to make, really.--81.151.218.59 22:46, 13 Apr 2005 (UTC)

-Wierd thing in America is that "ass" is the taboo way of saying it and "arse" is considered more appro.

Don't forget that Americans call their "asses" their "fannies" if they are being polite :-) SmUX 19:49, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Agreed - although it's become more acceptable in polite speech, there's no way you'd use it in a formal situation or in front of your kids or grandmother. We'd almost always use "bum" instead. I'll amend appropriately.

-As an american I can say: "Arse" is almost never used in the United States. In fact, Most americans (until they here it spelled) simply think that Brits say the word 'Ass' with extended vowels. Arse is neither appropriate, nor inapropriate....most americans would simply think you made it up (except internet-junkies, and tourists).

Contents 1 illustration 2 Double Talking 3 Ass offensive in UK? 4 Modern semantics: ass 5 picture 6 Proposed move 6.1 Survey 7 wtf? 8 ?

[edit] illustration

The former simialrity of the words is caught in the following verse:

There was a young girl from Madras
Who had quite a wonderful ass.
Not rounded and pink,
as you possibly think,
it was grey, had long ears, and ate grass!

[edit] Double Talking

Somometimes,People may say 'I'm gonna kick your bloody arse!"For "I'm gonna kick your fuckin ass!".odd. -Z.Spy 4 October 2005

In what sense is the former for the latter? (I suspect that the British version is meant more literally.) Grant 23:25, 14 June 2006 (UTC)

Arse is commonly used in Australia, example "Git off your arse!" JayKeaton 13:26, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

Well, Australian English seems to have many similarities with British/Commonwealth English, not surprising. 惑乱 分からん 02:22, 15 March 2006 (UTC)

---

What about the american term big-ass? Maybe that's too american and big-arse wouldn't work that way. 惑乱 分からん 02:22, 15 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Ass offensive in UK?

Not too sure about this. I think anyone I would speak to would consider "ass" = "donkey" = "fool" over here (unless there was context to indicate otherwise), certainly in any expression "Stop being an ass"/"Stop acting like an ass". I would be quite happy to use the expression in polite society (but I'd say it with a smile). Even Enid Blyton (to 1960s) uses it (Famous Five - cant recall where, but I'm certain its in there - Susan to Julian, perhaps?), so if there is any coarse "ass" = "anus" association in such a phrase, it certainly didn't first occur in that context during the Victorian period in the UK, otherwise she would not have used it for her children's books a century later; I expect its a US usage imported via film? Tobermory 09:41, 26 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Modern semantics: ass

Not sure what the third bullet point – a) idiot, b) asshole, etc. – is doing in an article about the word 'arse'. In British English, the word 'ass' would not be used to mean buttocks except as a euphemism, i.e. a less offensive word standing for the real word, 'arse'. Generally, a cod American accent would be employed in this case. I would be very interested to see any example where "people in Britain have adopted the American version in writing" (as alleged in the previous bullet point) other than in a purely (pseudo-)American context. An Englishman who was too polite to say 'arse' would say 'bum' or 'bottom'.

The second bullet point claims (contrary to all sources I have seen) that 'ass' for 'arse' was a British innovation. If so, it must have died out very quickly; as mentioned elsewhere, in Britain it was perfectly acceptable to call someone a 'silly ass' in polite society (and books for young children) without the slightest concern that it might be misconstrued as a reference to a body part – right up to the 1960s (or even 1970s).

Back to the third bullet point: Either 'ass' for 'arse' came about independently of 'ass' meaning 'donkey' (in which case, why refer to the donkey-derived senses at all in an article about 'arse'?) or it is itself derived from it (in which case, it is ultimately a euphemism even in the US – so why revert 'euphemistic' to 'literal'?).

I'm minded to revise these two bullet points. Any thoughts on the matter? Grant 23:25, 14 June 2006 (UTC)

I would't find it strange if the -rs- turning -ss- sound shift emerged first in Britain and later was carried over to the USA. 惑乱 分からん 23:06, 11 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] picture

does that photo have any relevancy to the word "arse" specifically? i don't see how it does. Joeyramoney 22:38, 19 June 2006 (UTC)

It's of an arse, I suppose. I considered reverting it when it was added but ultimately didn't. It probably should go since it relates to the concept, rather than the word as discussed in this article. --Cherry blossom tree 22:54, 19 June 2006 (UTC)

Yeah. Pictures should go only in the buttocks article, not here. Voortle 00:16, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] wtf?

what the fuck is an arse?it ASS!

There you go again, trying to teach English to the people who invented the whole language. JIP | Talk 08:14, 19 October 2006 (UTC)

Oh fuck off, you American *arse*hole! Btw, you're an idiot too, for real!

[edit] ?

Why is this article called arse, but asshole is called asshole and not arsehole? --Macarion 03:18, 22 October 2006 (UTC)

Because there is something else already at ass. -- Beardo 02:05, 27 November 2006 (UTC)

You can just taste the ignorance.