🔗 Forking Mad: Disparaging Nouns

I might use the word walloper to refer to someone. I think it is quite common parlance. “He’s a walloper” - an unkind reference to his annoying character. […] Apparently in Australia it means Policeman! In Ireland it’s a cudgel (short heavy implement, used as a weapon). I guess that one could be phallic … but Policeman‽

How about Twat. I love this word. Again, derogatory towards someone who is a fool. It can also mean to hit or slap! (new to me). Our cousins down-under seem to think a Twat is a vulgar term for [censored].

Speaking as someone who grew up in Australia, I’ve never heard “walloper” or “twat” used in that way. Probably just the circles I travel in, or just the amount of British TV I watch, but I tend to associated them with the Irish and British meanings respectively.

Now, vulgarity out of the way, this is a useful frame of reference for me to explain that I’m not really one to alter my language to make it understandable for an international audience. The subheading makes it clear that I’m someone from Melbourne, Australia, and I tend to be a little precious about the importation of words from other English speaking nations squashing those I grew up with (a futile activity, I agree, but that doesn’t change my feelings). So take this as a general reminder to anyone reading just to keep this context in mind.