Profanity

Profanity doesn't really exist in Lojban, at least not the same way it does in other languages. This is because words that have become considered "bad words" in other languages have mainly arisen by accident or out of existing, non-offensive words. Lojban, however, was designed for functionality and to reduce the need for evolution, so there hasn't been much need for creation of profanity terms. Moreover, the speaker mass of Lojban is largely concentrated on the Internet, not in verbal, face-to-face confrontations, and due to the educational and collaborative nature of most Lojban sites and channels, the amount of flaming going on is negligible.

However, that which follows is, to the best of my knowledge, the most appropriate (no pun intended) way to swear in Lojban.

Disclaimer: Many Lojban sites and channels discourage or prohibit the use of profanity, English or otherwise. Use the same discretion when cursing in Lojban as you would in any other language.

Addressing someone in preparation for cussing them out

The primary way to address someone in Lojban is by using "doi" followed by the recipient's name. A somewhat rougher and louder version is to use "ju'i" instead of "doi". After using one of these particles, you may opt to either address the recipient with a curse word or two, rationalizing that that is what they are and you can address them as such, or to simply address them with their name and then tell them what they are.

You may also make use of "do po'u" to start a phrase meaning "You bastard, bitch, etc." The cmavo "po'u" roughly translates to "the", as in "Sonic the Hedgehog".

Attitudinals

You may find that attitudinals are often useful for preceding statements, such as ".o'onai"/anger ("You asshole!"), ".i'enai"/disapproval ("That bitch needs to get her priorities straight."), or ".a'ucu'i"/disinterest ("Fuck this shit.") More can be found in the article Nonviolent Communication with Lojban attitudinals.

Profanity for people

English Lojban Etymology
Bitch fazge'u fanza gerku = annoying dog
Bastard pacnau palci nanmu = evil male-adult
Whore ve'uni'u vecnu ninmu = sold woman
Douchebag viblumpre vibna lumci prenu = vagina washing person
Motherfucker mamglepre mamta gletu prenu = mother fucking person

Racial slurs

These are usually thought of as bad form, even among people who are already cursing, but you can simply use one of the ethno-cultural terms found in the gismu list.

Others

English Lojban Etymology
Fuck (verb) gletu original gismu
Shit (noun) kalci original gismu
Shit (verb) vikmi original gismu
Ass ganxo original gismu
Cunt vibna original gismu
Fucking/damn/etc. se mabla se mabla = thing that is/deserves to be cursed at

Varieties on the F-word

  • Nora fucked Joey.
    • la noras. pu gletu la jo'is.
  • Fuck this shit. I'm leaving.
    • .a'ucu'i le tcini cu se mabla zo'e .i mi ba cliva ti
  • What the fuck?
    • .ianai mi na jimpe
  • Fuck you.
    • .i'anai ko se gletu
  • Where are my fucking keys?
    • le mi ckiku poi se mabla cu zvati ma


mabla .i malmabla .i mi'e la mabla stela mabla selckiku do'u pinka .i lo bavlamji ciksi cu to .u'u toi mutce lo ka mabla .i lo finti noi nintadni zi'e noi to'e mabla zi'e noi zabna cu mo'a roi tavla fi zo mabla .i basti tavla fi lo malgli .oi ro'e .i mabla mabla mabla .i me zo mabla mabla .i xu zo mabla mabla na'e slabu do .i do pau nai ma malpei .i doi ro mabla se bangu be le ma'a mabla jbobau ko mabla joi zabna pilno zo zabna .e zo mabla noi mabla zi'e noi zanbanzu mi'e la .selkik. mu'o --mungojelly

That's true. You should consider, though, that I am not trying to reform the language at once, or act like it already accepts these terms as its own. I am only offering suggestions for how to best approximate English curse words in Lojban, and thus feel it is appropriate to call this act "cursing in Lojban," even though people may not be accustomed to hearing this.

By the way, since you addressed "ro", this is the gist of what .selkik. just said, in case you are visiting this page and don't speak Lojban.

Curse. Cursed curse. Comment: I'm also known as the cursed key to the cursed lock. Anyway, the future-adjacent explanation (sorry) makes up much of the cursing. These inventions, which are a new study-method and are unrestrained, are favorable, but have not been spoken for a long enough time to be considered cursing. The replacement is to use English curse words (ugh), in a mental sense at least. Curse, curse, curse. The word 'curse' is a curse. Is this a curse that is not too old for you? What do you think about cursing? Everyone, curses are spoken by us, who curse about Lojban. It is ideal that you curse by using the word 'favorable' as well as the word 'curse,' which is a curse and works just fine. I'm .selkik.; please reply.
--Plastic Raven


Created by Plastic Raven. Last Modification: Saturday 07 of January, 2012 07:51:23 GMT by Djeikyb.