Profanity in Russian speech WAS Re: HP in translation

[Steve]

---  "zanooda2" <zanooda2 at ...> wrote:
>
> ---  "dumbledore11214" 
> <dumbledore11214@> wrote:
>  
> > Come to think of it, that if I am especially 
> > stressed in my everyday life I prefer using English
> > words, not russian - they sorta feel less real as 
> > profanity, if that makes sense.
> 
> 
> zanooda:
> 
> I don't know if it makes sense or not, but it's true. 
> Somehow profanities in English sound so much milder 
> than in Russian. I don't know if it's the same for all
>  foreigners or just us, but I can use English cuss-words
> quite easily .... The corresponding Russian cusswords I 
> can't use even when I'm completely  alone, they seem so
> rude. 
> 
> ...

bboyminn:

Here's the thing, or so I imagine, Russian is a powerful
passionate language, much like it's people. To a neutral
outside observer, if you here an Englishman of any social
class say 'Train Station', and here a Russian of an
equal social class also say 'Train Station', I'm thinking
you are going to be a sense of blandness from the 
Englishman, and a strong sense of passion and powerful
speech from the Russian. I think that is just the nature
of the language.

The same is true of the many middle eastern/Arabic 
languages, you could overhear two Arabs sitting in an
outdoor cafe having coffee discussing which is the 
better pop singer Lisa or Barbara, and you would swear
they are either plotting to overthrow the world or on
the verge of jumping up and trying to kill each other.
It's just a naturally passionate language.

Keep in mind that I speak neither Russian nor Arabic,
but I can still sense the passionate nature of the
languages. 

For what it's worth.

Steve/bboyminn