Bugger

Bugger

"Bugger" is a vulgar word used in vernacular British English, Irish English, Australian English, New Zealand English, South African English, Indian English, and occasionally also in Malaysian English and American English. Today, the term is a general-purpose expletive, used to imply dissatisfaction ("bugger, I've missed the bus"), or used to describe someone or something whose behaviour is in some way displeasing ("the bugger's given me the wrong change"/"my computer's being a bit of a bugger").

History

Etymologically, a "Bugger" was a "Bulgre" (French "Bougre"). Originally, it was derived from the French word "Bougge­rie" ("of Bulgaria"), meaning the medieval Bulgarian clerical sect of the Bogomils, which facing severe persecution in Bulgaria spread into Western Europe and was branded by the established church as particularly devoted to the practice of sodomy. [See the etymology in [http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/findword?query_type=word&queryword=bugger Oxford English Dictionary] ]

The word is also used amongst friends in an affectionate way ("you old bugger") and is used as a noun in Welsh English vernacular to imply that one is very fond of something ("I'm a bugger for Welsh cakes"). It can also imply a negative tendency ("He's a silly bugger for losing his keys") [i.e He's a fool for losing his keys often] .

A colloquial phrase in England (and often in New Zealand and Australia as well) to denote or feint surprise at an unexpected (or possibly unwanted) occurrence is "Bugger me, here's my bus" or "Well, I'm buggered!". It can also be used to indicate a state of fatigue, such as "I'm buggered."

Usage

The word 'buggery' serves a similar purpose as a mild expletive and can be used to replace the word 'bugger' as a simple expletive or as a simile as in the phrase "It hurts like buggery" or in apparently meaningless phrases such as "Run like buggery". The past tense is also used as a synonym for 'broken', as in "Damn, this PC's buggered," "Oh no! I've buggered it up," or "it's gone to buggery." Also a term used by the British to denote sodomy or a sodomite, as in "he likes to bugger little boys."

The phrase bugger off ("bug off" in American English) means to run away ["Let's bugger off out of here"] ; when used as a command it means "go away" ["piss off", "get lost" or "leave me alone"] , which is generally considered one of the more offensive usage contexts. Bugger all means "Nothing" ["I got bugger all for it"] . "The Bugger Factor" is another phrase to describe the phenomenon of Sod's Law or Murphy's Law. In the UK, the phrase "Bugger me sideways" (or a variation thereupon) is sometimes used as an expression of surprise.

It is famously alleged that the last words of King George V were "Bugger Bognor", in response to a suggestion that he might recover from his illness and visit Bognor Regis. Variations on the phrase "bugger it" are commonly used to imply frustration, admission of defeat or the sense that something is not worth doing, as in "bugger this for a lark" or "bugger this for a game of soldiers".

As with most other expletives its continued use has reduced its shock value and offensiveness, to the extent the Toyota car company in Australia and New Zealand ran a popular series of advertisements where "Bugger!" was the only spoken word. The term is generally not used in the United States, but it is recognised, although inoffensive there. It is also used in Canada more frequently than in the United States but with less stigma than in other parts of the world. In the pre-watershed Television version of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" the opening sequence is modified from repeated exclamations of "Fuck!" by Hugh Grant and Charlotte Coleman when they are late for the first wedding to repeated exclamations of "Bugger!".

There are yet other English speaking communities where the word has been in use traditionally without any profane connotations whatsoever; for instance, within the Anglo-Indian community in India the word "bugger" has been in use, in an affectionate manner, to address or refer to a close friend or fellow schoolmate.

"Bagarap" (from "buggered up") is a common word in the Tok Pisin language of Papua New Guinea, meaning "broken," "hurt" or "tired", as in "kanu i bagarap", "the canoe is broken" or "kaikai i bagarap", "the food is spoiled." "mi bagarap pinis" ("me buggered up finish") means, "I am very tired," or "I am very ill." The 'a' is pronounced long, like the a in 'father'. [http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/PNG/MIHALIC/M71/LetterB/bagarap.htm] The term was put to use in the album "Bagarap Empires" by Fred Smith, which was made to capture the peace process in Bougainville, an island province of Papa New Guinea; in a number of the songs he uses Melanesian pidgin, the language used in Bougainville and elsewhere.

Buggers' charter

In 1978 Judge Aubrey Melford Steed Stevenson famously called the British Sexual Offences Act 1967 a "buggers' charter". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3706939.stm Are judges politically correct?] - BBC News]

References

ee also

* [http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=on&q=synonyms%3Abugger&btnG=Search bugger (synonyms)]
* Buggery
* Buggery Act 1533


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • bugger — vulgar slang, chiefly Brit. ► NOUN 1) derogatory a person who commits buggery. 2) a person regarded with contempt or pity. 3) an annoying or awkward thing. ► VERB 1) practise buggery with. 2) cause serious harm or trouble to. 3) …   English terms dictionary

  • bugger me — bugger me/well I’ll be buggered/british impolite phrase used when you are very surprised about something Thesaurus: ways of saying that you are surprised or shockedsynonym Main entry: bugger * * * ˌbugger ˈme idiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • bugger — is more acceptable as a swear word than it used to be, at least in BrE. Uses such as bugger me, bugger all, and I ll be buggered (if), are all commonly heard on radio and television, although they remain highly informal and should not normally be …   Modern English usage

  • Bugger — Bug ger, n. [F. bougre, fr. LL. Bulgarus, a Bulgarian, and also a heretic; because the inhabitants of Bulgaria were infected with heresy. Those guilty of the crime of buggery were called heretics, because in the eyes of their adversaries there… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bugger — sodomite, 1550s, earlier heretic (mid 14c.), from M.L. Bulgarus a Bulgarian (see BULGARIA (Cf. Bulgaria)), so called from Catholic bigoted notions of the sex lives of Eastern Orthodox Christians or of the sect of heretics that was prominent there …   Etymology dictionary

  • bugger — [bug′ər] n. [ME bougre < OFr < ML Bulgarus, lit., a Bulgarian; orig., 11th c. Bulgarian heretic] 1. a sodomite 2. a contemptible person 3. a fellow; chap; also, a rascal or scamp: often used humorously or affectionately vt. to commit sodomy …   English World dictionary

  • bugger — 1 noun (C) spoken especially BrE 1 taboo someone who is very annoying or unpleasant: Bill s an obnoxious little bugger. 2 a rude word meaning someone that you pretend to be annoyed with, although you actually like them: What are you doing, you… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • bugger — bug|ger1 S2 [ˈbʌgə US ər] n [Date: 1800 1900; Origin: bugger person who practices anal sex (16 21 centuries), from French bougre person who disagrees with the standard religion , from Medieval Latin Bulgarus Bulgarian ] 1.) BrE not polite an… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bugger — /ˈbʌgə / (say buguh) noun 1. (taboo) someone who practises bestiality or sodomy. 2. Colloquial (humorous) a person: come on, you old bugger. 3. Colloquial a contemptible person. 4. Colloquial a nuisance, a difficulty; something unpleasant or… …  

  • bugger — bug|ger1 [ bʌgər ] noun count BRITISH IMPOLITE an insulting word for someone who is stupid or annoying a. INFORMAL used for expressing sympathy about someone you like or feel sorry for: The poor little bugger s broken his leg. be a bugger BRITISH …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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