Background: I am currently making my way through the book “Fult Språk” (translation: Ugly Language) by Lars-Gunnar Andersson. It’s a very interesting book printed in 1985 (it’s older than I am!) about bad words in the Swedish language, what makes certain words count as bad words, how the definition of bad words differ between different groups in Sweden and a lot more. It has me pausing from time to time, considering my own use of language and how I pronounce certain words as well as pondering on which of these bad words I use myself or if I use some of the “good” versions. I have not gotten very far in it, but so far I’m recommending it to anyone who is knowledgeable enough in Swedish.
BUT
We are not here right now to listen to my list of recommended books. There might be a time for that later, but today is not that day. Instead we’re here to talk about something the book just taught me, something that had me pause for a long time and deciding that I am done with Swedish. Yes, this very book I just told you I recommend to everyone. Hold on to your horses now! (also, while reading the following, remember that this is a book about bad language)
Apparently once upon a time in Sweden, instead of using other bad phrases such as “taking a dump”, “visit the toilet” or simply “pooping” some people used the phrase “strangle a nigger” (I translated it for your convenience, in Swedish it would be “strypa en neger”). It’s a bad phrase, people would have looked down on you for using it, but the thing is... Mister Andersson choose to have this phrase as an example in his book, which means it must have been pretty common. Common enough to warrant it getting mentioned in a book about how people use the language. Swedes thought it was more okay to say that they were killing someone, more specifically someone who wasn’t a Swede instead of just admitting that they needed to use the loo.
Swedish, I am so done with you.
My twisted mind is however slightly amused that this is a conversation that could actually have happened inside any Swedish household:
“Honey, what are you doing in there?”
“I’m strangling a nigger.”
“Are you done soon?”
“Well, he’s a pretty big one so it might take sometime.”
“Try to hurry up, your food is getting cold.”
I can’t even... It just feels so surreal.
I’m happy that languages evolve and I’m preeeetty certain no one use that phrase any longer, but still. It has been used. I just... How did they even come up with the phrase? No, wait, I’m not sure I want to know.
But Swedish, I’m not actually done with you, I still love you. Just, please tell me about your bad past so we can make it better.
