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Friday, 22 February, 2013, 4:04am
If you must curse, at least get it right
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Lawrence Ma Yan-kwok
Legislators should not curse in public, especially not in English. If nothing else, they don't know how to do it properly.
Take the case of Lawrence Ma Yan-kwok, the barrister and Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker, who denounced pan-democratic lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung as "not a f**king Chinese" in the Legislative Council this week.
It is not that I disapprove of the word. Like any self-respecting reporter, I can't imagine a work day without cursing in its Cantonese and English variants. They say "curse like a sailor" but I suspect we journalists are worse.
The F-word is arguably the most versatile in the English language. Used as a verb, noun or adjective, it can be deployed in myriad situations and expressions - to curse, to convey exuberance or frustration, to provoke, amuse and, as originally intended, to pleasure. It works equally effectively as a modifier and standalone.
That may be why it is usually one of the first English words we Chinese learn inadvertently. The thing is, English is not only a beautiful but also convenient language, and has a word for practically everything under the sun. Excessive use of the F-word might limit your vocabulary.
Now, "a f**king Chinese" is a phrase more likely to be uttered by an ignorant sinophobic foreigner or racist. Presumably, Ma is trying to say he is a proud Chinese, rather than a f**king one.
Let us take a look at the full sentence which he shouted out, strangely, in English: "I am a Chinese, you are not. You are not even a f**king Chinese!" Did Ma think there are normal Chinese and then f**king ones? I suggest he is linguistically confused.
You see, Lawrence, even cursing has its own grammar. Perhaps no one taught you how to curse properly as you were too busy learning multi-syllabic legalese in law school.
Ma was berating Leung for being without education and proper qualifications, unlike him, while they debated civil liberties. Leung could hardly complain, since he long since threw Legco etiquette out the window. Still, there might be children listening.
I shudder to think what school life would be like if they learned from Ma and all shouted: "We are f**king Chinese."
This article first appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition on Feb 22, 2013 as MY TAKE If you must curse, at least get it right
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dunndavid Feb 22nd 2013
4:49am
4:49am
In this case both the author and Lawrence Ma Yan-Kwok are correct, it just depends on whether you considering gramatic correctness or actual language usage. One could say that the term "f***ing Chinese" could be used to insult Chinese as the author implies, but that intent would be most achieved only when a subject is not stated or implied. In this case there is a subject, Leung Kwok -hung. The f word is just being used for emphasis. In the United States I have heard people say things such as "what do you know? You're not even a f***ing (insert noun.) I have heard people use this phrase with 1. an employee of this company 2. A resident of the particular state or city 3. Someones marital status - single or married or 4. Many other things. In this case the use
of the word f***ing adds emphasis (or more precisely a sense of outrage) to the conversation and this cancels out any insult to the object. In this usage the impugned party is the subject rather than the object.
of the word f***ing adds emphasis (or more precisely a sense of outrage) to the conversation and this cancels out any insult to the object. In this usage the impugned party is the subject rather than the object.
alexloscmp Feb 22nd 2013
11:51am
11:51am
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your wonderful post. But I disagree. You might have been right if Ma had spoken like a native English speaker. In that case, he would have said, “You are not even fxxxing Chinese”. That would accord perfectly with common usage to indicate emphasis and/or exasperation. But the fact that he mistakenly added “a” to make it “a fxxxing Chinese” made all the difference and completely changed the meaning. You and other readers here are helping to infer the correct meaning that he had intended.
The cultural context you have mentioned here is also different, as HK's population is 95 % Chinese, unlike the US.
In any case, I think we can both agree that it is bad form for lawmakers to swear like that in a public meeting - in any language.
Yours respectfully,
Alex Lo
Thank you for your wonderful post. But I disagree. You might have been right if Ma had spoken like a native English speaker. In that case, he would have said, “You are not even fxxxing Chinese”. That would accord perfectly with common usage to indicate emphasis and/or exasperation. But the fact that he mistakenly added “a” to make it “a fxxxing Chinese” made all the difference and completely changed the meaning. You and other readers here are helping to infer the correct meaning that he had intended.
The cultural context you have mentioned here is also different, as HK's population is 95 % Chinese, unlike the US.
In any case, I think we can both agree that it is bad form for lawmakers to swear like that in a public meeting - in any language.
Yours respectfully,
Alex Lo
whymak Feb 25th 2013
8:10am
8:10am
In some varieties of poker games, the dealer is given the privilege to declare any card to be wild. The plenipotent wild card(s) bestows upon the player in possession an increased chance of winning.
The F word is the wild card in the English language used to represent all parts of speech, declensions and meanings. It provides a level playing field device for less literate folks.
In past corporate meetings with those mega-million bonus babies, I came across the F word in expressions of anger, alienation, sarcasm and not the least, an illiterate persona.
To be frank, yours truly usually rose to the challenge of any cursing contests.
What's the big deal?
The F word is the wild card in the English language used to represent all parts of speech, declensions and meanings. It provides a level playing field device for less literate folks.
In past corporate meetings with those mega-million bonus babies, I came across the F word in expressions of anger, alienation, sarcasm and not the least, an illiterate persona.
To be frank, yours truly usually rose to the challenge of any cursing contests.
What's the big deal?
Byebye Feb 22nd 2013
2:23pm
2:23pm
I can't imagine Mr Lawrence Ma said this in Cantonese! Good observation. Long Hair needs to improve his manners not only in Legco, but on the street too. Its time he has a new hair cut.
whymak Feb 22nd 2013
11:41am
11:41am
I couldn't help chiming in even during my diving vacation. Ma couldn't have told Leung that he is a freaking moron and an illiterate. This cursing euphemism is perfectly acceptable in the US polite society. Leung's tone deaf response is likely, "Huh?" Just being curious, did Leung ever pass his School Cert?
gracekitying Feb 22nd 2013
10:52am
10:52am
A wonderful read for the morning! Well done Alex! Almost laughed my head off...
fearonjones Feb 22nd 2013
10:09am
10:09am
Who cares anyway, this guy Lawrence Ma has awful f***ing dress-sense... or is he a f***ing magician??
ianson Feb 22nd 2013
9:14am
9:14am
No one in their right mind would go to Mr Lo for advice about the English language: he misuses and reflects his misunderstanding of it in almost every piece he writes. This one is no different. The expletive does not attach itself to the noun in any negative sense in Mr Ma's expression. It is mere emphasis/frustration.
Yet again his entire article rests on a false premise.
Yet again his entire article rests on a false premise.
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