Just had a very ARGH experience on my course today.

CONTEXT: I’m doing a Master’s in Translation Studies. Conversations tend to surround how cultures are different, even within themselves. How language usage changes over time, over place, even in the same language. And of course about how to convey topics across languages and cultures. The people involved in this conversation are me and my classmates. We are all white European, although I’m the only one who is South American. My three classmates are British (though one grew up in Poland). The woman I get into an argument with is a british white woman in her 40s and native to Glasgow. I feel this is important context.

We were in small groups, one of my classmates says she was surprised by how freely spanish people use the word ‘coño’ ('cunt’). I said that I felt it was way more widely used here in Glasgow than anywhere else I’ve lived or been, especially the US where it’s just Not Said Ever in my experience. Whereas here a lot of people use it quite liberally. She disagreed saying she was from Glasgow and didn’t hear it much.



Then Classmate #2 interjected, agreeing with Classmate #1 saying she didn’t think that the word was commonly used in Glasgow at all. We started talking about social groups, and I said well, I hang out with a lot of fellow poor and working class queer people and we use it. Classmate #2, who has been a teacher for a couple decades, said she taught working class students and never hears them using the word. The following dialogue ensued (paraphrased). Everytime I disagreed with her she visibly got more and more tense and I do know at one point she mentioned that I hadn’t grown up in Glasgow as a factor. She also mentioned ‘people who live in rough areas’ (I live in Govanhill, which many people consider ‘rough’ and I consider nice and friendly because it’s full of fellow migrants).

Me: of course they wouldn’t use it in front of the teacher!



Her: well if I overheard them say that word I’d think there was something wrong in their home life. Maybe you use it with your pals if you are all students.



Me: I am thirty two! Most of my friends aren’t students!



Her: I know a lot of working class people who don’t swear, do you swear with your parents?



Me: Yes. We do, it’s common in Argentina, although of course everyone behaves differently with different people. My grandparents were poor and they didn’t curse much



Her: Well exactly!



Me: However, I do think this comes into the fact that they were what is called 'aspirational working class’, because they had to in order for example so my mom could be the first person in her family to go to university.



Her: (already not listening)





Me: Because there’s an issue especially in this country about–

At this point I stopped talking. I was going to say that in Britain, middle class people use not cursing and being 'polite’ as a way to silence and marginalise working class people. Why did I stop?

Because she turned away from me in the middle of a conversation and started talking to my classmates. She didn’t give two shits about my opinions or what I had to say. But of course, I am the rude one because I use the word 'cunt’. She was polite. Basically proving my fucking point.