I've been on the phone non-stop since the early morning. The Structural Engineers are late, the contractors are waiting, my juniors are stuck in traffic, the Quantity Surveyors are due to arrive in 2 hours, the clients are fluttering and I am annoyed. I can't remember how many profanity I've shouted in the office. And later, I've lunch in Soho with an old friend. Fuck! Why can't anything work today?! Since I'm waiting here for what feels like oblivion, I wondered why the English language is obsessed with 4-letter words. Ok, I'm not just talking about sexual slang here, although most does consists of it. There is a four-letter word that makes women go weak at their knees when it is whispered into their ears - Sale. It drives them insane! They reach an absolute high close to hysteria in the shortest amount of time. What about another word - Love? Another word that has strong meaning without the innuendo also makes them go weak at their knees. Unfortunately, golf isn't one of them.
During my years in the industry, I've managed to converse these profanity in various languages to exert extra effect. Some languages use 3-letter, 5-letter or 6-letter words to the same effect.
English: we all know what the words are, so I'm not going to even bother!
Spanish: puta, culo, hostia, joder, mamon, zorra
Dutch: cut (C-word), pik, lul
Czech: hovno, vole, sakra, prdel
German: arsch Norwegian: j'vel, fitte, kukhue
Arabic: muti, koos, neik, teezak
Russian: хуй
Chilean Spanish: pico, palo, mazo, pito, walo, ñaño, copi, nepe, niño, falo
French: merde, truie
Polish: dupa, kurwa, debil, chuj, suka, dupek
There are also colourful phrases which I refuse to divulge at the moment - not yet, at least. Why all these words? Isn't this supposed to be an Architectural blog? A-ha! Yes you're right but, in construction, these words communicate better than polite pleasantries. Building and construction is a messy business after all.
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