Italian profanity ("parolacce") is a set of words considered blasphemous or inflammatory in the Italian language. Look up Profanity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Italian ( , or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people,[1] primarily in Italy and Switzerland. ...

Italian language is considered a language with a large set of inflammatory terms and phrases, almost all of which originate from the several dialects and languages of Italy, such as the Tuscan dialect, which had a very strong influence in modern standard Italian. Several of these words are cognates to other Romance languages, such as Portuguese and Spanish. The Tuscan dialect is a dialect spoken in Tuscany, Italy. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Romance languages, also called Romanic languages, are a subfamily of the Italic languages, specifically the descendants of the Vulgar Latin dialects spoken by the common people evolving in different areas after the break-up of the Roman Empire. ...

List of profanities in Italian language

Generally speaking, the following words are used universally in the whole country, and are some of the most vulgar:

• belìn comparable to the English word dick or cock, basically used in Genoa and Liguria;
• bordello: literally meaning brothel, it is also used to describe a state of disorder, messiness. An equivalent lighter word is casino;
• cagare: verbal form of the same context of merda, meaning to shit, or to "take a dump", etc. It derives from Latin cacare, which is still widely used, especially in Central and Southern Italy;
• cazzo (pl. cazzi): is the equivalent to dick or cock, also used as an expletive. When used in compound expression, cazzo always indicates a negative meaning; for instance:
  • amico del cazzo or un cazzo di amico, a bad friend;
  • cazzata, bullshit or a stupid action;
  • cazzaro, a liar by habit;
  • testa di cazzo, dickhead.

The expression Col cazzo is used to violently contradict what was being discussed, like "my ass" in English ("Col cazzo che vincerete la partita!" = "You'll win the match, my ass!"). Sti cazzi (literally meaning These dicks) is used to express admiration and/or surprise as in " - Ho vinto alla lotteria! - Sti cazzi!" (- I won the lottery! - Wow!). The same expression is often used ironically to express and exhibit lack of interest in something, like "I don't give a fuck" in English ("Abbiamo perso pure stavolta, eh? E sti cazzi!" = "So we lose again, huh? Well, I don't give a fuck!"). The expression Grazie al cazzo (lit. Thanks to the dick) is used to address a trivial statement, as in " - Parla inglese molto bene. - Grazie al cazzo, sua madre è inglese!" ("He speaks very good English. - Not surprising, his mother's English!");

• coglione (pl. coglioni): roughly equivalent to testicle; where referred to a person, it usually means burk, twit, fool. In addition, it can be used on several phrases such as avere i coglioni (literally, to have testicles; actually, to be very courageous) or essere coglione (to be a fool). Coglione was also featured in worldwide news when used by former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi referring to those who would vote against their own interest during the 2006 Italian election campaign.^[1] It derives from Latin culio, pl. culiones;
• cornuto: cuckold. Occasionally it might be coupled with the corna when saying that;
• culo: rough name for anus, comparable to the English word ass. It can also mean luck. It derives from Latin culus;
• figa (also fica): is the rough name for vagina, equivalent to pussy or cherry. However, it can also roughly mean sexually attractive woman. Vagina is also used, but, as in English, it is not outrageous. Figa is unique in that it has generally positive meaning (albeit vulgar), can be used as an adjective and even conjugated in masculine form: as an adjective, it is the most common translation for "cool"; as a masculine noun, figo, it indicates a "cool guy". In Veneto, it is also used as a common interjection with no particularly rough meaning;
• fottere: equivalent to the English verb to fuck. From Latin futuere;
• frocio: roughly equivalent to the English faggot, this term originated in Rome but is now widely used nationwide. Less used forms include ricchione (mainly Southern Italy, especially in the Naples area), culattone (mainly in Northern Italy), busone (common in Emilia-Romagna and also a rough synonym for lucky) and, curiously, finocchio, whose main meaning is fennel. Apparently the latter derives from the age of the Holy Inquisition in the Papal State, when fennel would be thrown on homosexuals executed by burning at the stake - in order to mitigate the stench of burned flesh;
• gnocca (pl. gnocche) : typical Bolognese version of figa; is only conjugated in its feminine form. It is diffuse nationwide to refer an attractive woman;
• inculare, which literally means "to penetrate somebody's ass" and the related term inculata or inculone which refers to the act of inculare can also be used figuratively meaning respectively "to deceive" and "fraud".
• mannaggia: a generic expression of frustration; often translated as damn, but has no direct translation;
• merda (pl. merde) : is the equivalent to shit. It can be used in some extent as an interjection, like it happens with cazzo;
• minchia: the same meaning as cazzo, it originates from Sicilian language, but is also used as exclamation of surprise, or even appreciation. It is used in the expression "testa di minchia", meaning dickhead. It is also featured in a song by American musician (of Sicilian descent) Frank Zappa, named Tengo na minchia tanta (I've got a dick this big). It derives from Latin mentula;
• mona: used mainly in Venice and Veneto, has a double meaning: "pussy" and, more commonly, "idiot";
• pirla, pistola: twit; they are both mainly used in Lombardy, the latter literally meaning "gun";
• pompino: blow job (literally "a little pump"); also bocchino is used;
• puttana: from Latin putana, is roughly equivalent to the English bitch, or whore. For instance, "Figlio di puttana" = "Son of a bitch". Equivalent forms are troia, zoccola and mignotta, the latter mainly used in Rome;
• sborro, sborra: is equivalent to the english "cum", meaning sperm;
• sega (pl. seghe): used to refer to male masturbation or a handjob;
• stronzo (pl. stronzi): asshole, bastard. literally it means "turd", "piece of shit";
• suca!: suck (my dick/cock); it may have Sicilian origin;
• vaffanculo!: "fuck you!", "fuck off!".

The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The penis (plural penises, penes) is an external male sexual organ. ... Look up cock in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Genoa (Genova [] in Italian - Zena [] in Genoese) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ... Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. ... A brothel, also known as a bordello or whorehouse, is an establishment specifically dedicated to prostitution, providing the prostitutes a place to meet and to have sex with the clients. ... Look up dick, Dick in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up cock in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The testicle (from Latin testis, plural testes) is the male generative gland in animals. ... There are communes and places that have the name Burk in Germany: in Germany Burk (Landkreis Ansbach), in the Ansbach district, Bavaria A part of Bautzen, Saxony A part of Forchheim, Bavaria A part of Marktoberdorf, in the Ostallgäu district, Bavaria A part of Seeg, in the Ostallgäu... Twit can mean: A silly, annoying, ineffectual, and/or imbecilic person. ... A fool can refer to: Look up fool in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...   (born September 29, 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, and media proprietor. ... A general election for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy was held on April 9 and April 10, 2006. ... A cuckold is a married man whose wife has sex with other men. ... Horns The corna (Italian for horns, also mano cornuta, horned hand) is a gesture with a vulgar meaning in Mediterranean countries and a variety of meanings and uses in other cultures. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Ass may refer to: Look up ass in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... “Good luck” redirects here. ... The vagina, (from Latin, literally sheath or scabbard ) is the tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. ... pussy. ... “Cherry tree” redirects here. ... In grammar, an adjective is a part of speech that modifies a noun or a pronoun, usually by describing it or making its meaning more specific. ... Look up Cool in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up faggot in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... Emilia-Romagna is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. ... Binomial name Foeniculum vulgare Mill. ... Look up Shit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Sicilian (, Italian: ) is a Romance language. ... Frank Vincent Zappa[1] (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, guitarist, singer, film director, and satirist. ... Lombardy (Italian: Lombardia, Lombard: Lumbardìa) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. ... Oral sex consists of all those sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth, tongue, etc. ... Look up bitch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... Different types of sperm cells: A) spermatozoon (motile), B) spermatium (non-motile), C) fertilization tube with sperm nuclei For other uses, see Sperm (disambiguation). ... A handjob or hand job is a slang term referring to the sexual stimulation of a partners penis using the hands and fingers. ... Look up dick, Dick in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up cock in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Profanity as blasphemy, scoff, curse and insult at deity

Profanities in the original meaning of blasphemous profanity are part of the ancient tradition of the comic cults, which laughed and scoffed at the deity.^[2] In the Middle Ages Europe the most improper and sinful "oaths" where those invoking the body of the Lord and its various parts, as the italian Pote de Christo! ("Christ's cunt"), and these were precisely the oaths most frequently used.^[3] The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

In Italian language profanities belonging to this category are called bestemmie (singular: bestemmia), in which God, the Virgin Mary, Jesus, the Saints or the Roman Catholic Church are insulted. This category is so strong it is usually frowned upon even by people who would make casual or even regular use of the profanities above. In some areas of Italy, such as Veneto and Tuscany, blasphemy is somewhat more common. Until 1999, uttering this class of profanities in public was considered a misdemeanor in Italy (although the offenders were very rarely if ever pursued). Italian ( , or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people,[1] primarily in Italy and Switzerland. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... General definition of saint In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church... Veneto or Venetia is one of the 20 regions of Italy. ... Tuscany (Italian: ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... A misdemeanor, or misdemeanour, in many common law legal systems, is a lesser criminal act. ...

The most common are:

• porco Dio / Dio porco: Literally "God (is a) pig"; roughly equivalent to English goddamnit.
• Dio maiale: God (is a) pig.
• Dio cane: God (is a) dog. In Venice and Veneto dio can (spellt this way according to local dialect) is the most common bestemmia.
• Dio merda: God (is a) shit.
• Dio boia / boia Dio: God (is a) executioner; roughly equivalent to bloody God. Used mainly in Tuscany.
• Dio infame: God (is) infamous.
• Madonna maiala: Virgin Mary (is a) pig/slob.
• Madonna troia: Virgin Mary (is a) slut / whore.
• porca Madonna: Virgin Mary (is a) dirty pig/bloody Virgin Mary.
• puttana (la) Madonna: Virgin Mary (is a) whore.
• Dio fa: God (is a) fake; typical of Piedmont, it originates from Dio faus, faus being the word for 'fake' in the dialect of that region.
• Dio povero: God (is) poor, a somewhat lighter substitute for Dio porco
• Can-dal-ostia o can-del-ostia: Literally "The Eucharist is a dog", referring to the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharistic Bread, according to the doctrine of transubstantiation. Used mainly in Venice and in Veneto

These profanities are also commonly altered to minced oaths with very slight changes in order not to appear blasphemies. For instance: This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venezsia) is the capital of region Veneto, and has a population of 271,663 (census estimate January 1, 2004). ... Veneto or Venetia is one of the 20 regions of Italy. ... Look up Shit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Tuscany (Italian: ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... For other uses, see Eucharist (disambiguation). ... Main article: Eucharist (Catholic Church) Transubstantiation (in Latin, transsubstantiatio) is the change of the substance of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ occurring in the Eucharist according to the teaching of some Christian Churches, including the Roman Catholic Church. ... A minced oath is an expression based on a profanity which has been altered to reduce or remove the disagreeable or objectionable characteristics of the original expression; for example, gosh used instead of God, darn instead of damn and heck instead of hell. Nearly all profanities have minced variants; the...

• porco zio rather than porco Dio, where zio is Italian for uncle.
• Maremma maiala rather than Madonna maiala, where Maremma is a seaside zone of Tuscany. Curiosly, the former is actually widely used in Tuscanian dialect, whereas the latter is seldom used.

Other minced oaths can be created on the fly when people begin to utter one of the above blasphemies but then choose to "correct" them in real time. The principal example is somebody beginning to say Dio can and choosing to say instead Dio cantante (God (is a) singer). Uncle may refer to: A family relationship, see Cousin chart A cry of surrender An idiom: Dutch uncle, a person who delivers stern lectures Uncle Sam, a national personification of the United States Uncle Tom, a pejorative term for a black person Uncle Tom Cobley, a British folk saying meaning... The Maremma Coast, seen from the Old Town of Castiglione della Pescaia The Maremma is an area in Italy, consisting of part of southern Tuscany (and partly coincident with province of Grosseto area) and some part of northern Latium (a bordering region of the province of Viterbo). ...

Also, it should be noted that Cristo! (used to express rage and/or disappointment), while not being a bestemmia, is commonly assumed to violate the second commandment of not making "wrongful use of the name of the Lord Thy God". This 1768 parchment (612x502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Decalogue at Amsterdam Esnoga synagogue. ...

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion (US$7. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... May 16 is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Bibliography and sources

• Bakhtin, Mikhail. Rabelais and His World [1941]. Trans. Hélène Iswolsky. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993.