it's not a particularly rude word in English. There's even a series of books aimed at teachers called "Getting the Buggers to xxx" where xxx is something like 'Read' or 'Learn Maths'.
The only time I can think of it being used particularly negatively is when homophobic types use it. Although, of course, anal sex is not restricted to gay people. -- Cheers, Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Godfrey DiGiorgi > Sent: 04 October 2006 11:52 > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List > Subject: Re: Need help: Photoshop molested children portraits? > > I don't know what the issue is other than prudishness. > > To bugger someone means to have anal intercourse with them. Seems to > be this parlance that is more British English than American English, > though. To call something a "nasty little bugger" is often used in > American English to mean something small, insect like, an annoyance, > or "cute little bugger" is a form of curmudgeonly endearment. > > I was curious so I looked up the word in the OED: > ---- > bugger > noun > > 1 [with adj. ] a contemptible or pitied person, typically a man. > - a person with a particular negative quality or characteristic. > - used as a term of affection or respect, typically grudgingly : all > right, let the little buggers come in. > > 2 derogatory a person who commits buggery. > verb [ trans. ] > penetrate the anus of (someone) during sexual intercourse; sodomize. > > exclamation > used to express annoyance or anger. > > PHRASAL VERBS > bugger off [usu. in imperative ] go away. > > ORIGIN Middle English (originally denoting a heretic, > specifically an > Albigensian): from Middle Dutch, from Old French bougre, originally > in the sense heretic, from medieval Latin Bulgarus Bulgarian, > particularly one belonging to the Orthodox Church and therefore > regarded as a heretic by the Roman Church. The sense > [sodomite] (16th > cent.) arose from an association of heresy with forbidden sexual > practices; its use as a general insult dates from the early 18th > cent. Compare with Bulgar. > --- > > Godfrey > > > On Oct 4, 2006, at 11:42 AM, Tim Øsleby wrote: > > > Bugger off, Frank ;-) > > What's wrong about that word? Why do you have so many "wrong" > > words? What's > > the point with a word, when it's "wrong"? > > > > Seriously: I may need an offline hint about this mysterious > meaning > > of the > > word too. > > > > > > Tim > > Mostly harmless (just plain Norwegian) > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf Of > > frank theriault > > Sent: 3. oktober 2006 21:19 > > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > Subject: Re: Need help: Photoshop molested children portraits? > > > > On 9/30/06, Jostein Øksne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Thanks Dave, > >> > >> That's the bugger. > > > > Bad choice of words, Jostein (recognizing, of course, that > as English > > isn't your first language, you may not know what "bugger" is slang > > for). > > > > I should write you off list. > > > > cheers, > > frank > > -- > > "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." -Henri Cartier-Bresson > > > > -- > > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > [email protected] > > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > [email protected] > > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
