For bloodstones.

[randomness]

Some time ago, Nasri Atallah posted:

Language is an odd thing. Being Lebanese, I often think in three separate languages, all three of which I’ve been immersed in since infancy. I think differently in each language and according to what I’m feeling. There are beautiful things I want to say to people sometimes, which I can only say in French. There are vituperative, cynical, acerbic things I want to say which trip off my tongue in English. Arabic surfaces predominately during altercations in traffic, and usually involves unspeakable acts being committed by people’s mothers.

Rest assured, I’m sticking to English for this blog.

Comments

[bloodstones.livejournal.com]

This is hilarious and awesome.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Along similar but shorter lines is this saying from Singapore:

"Speak Mandarin, order in Cantonese, swear in Hokkien."

mocking the Singapore government's "Speak Mandarin Campaign", which promotes the use of Mandarin over non-Mandarin Chinese languages.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

Arabic ... usually involves unspeakable acts being committed by people’s mothers.

I've been told that when Modern Hebrew was reconstituted, the linguists in charge of the project omitted profanity. So the Isrealies imported their profanity from Arabic.