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Curse Words Used In Battletech


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#1 Leded

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Posted 09 February 2014 - 03:30 PM

i've read a bunch of the novels i recall hearing "frak"ish kind of language from time to time (basically made up replacement words for profanity)

i searched around for a "list" of said words, but kinda failed.

i seem to remember hearing "Stravag" as one of them in one of the more Clan based books i read. i could thumb through all my novels looking for them, but i'm pretty sure there are plenty of more hard core fans than i that can remember them off-hand :P

#2 Leded

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Posted 09 February 2014 - 03:52 PM

ah, i remember seeing that word used in the context of an insult. of course a True-born Clan Warrior calling another True-born Clan Warrior a "Freebirth"... thems were most often times "fightin' words"

#3 Strum Wealh

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Posted 09 February 2014 - 04:40 PM

Basically, the regions of the Inner Sphere use region-appropriate swearing (e.g. FedSuns characters swear in English (and probably French), Combine characters swear in English and Japanese, etc).

The Clans are the ones that use unusual swearing. The ones I could remember (well enough to look up, anyway):
  • Bloodfoul (carries roughly the same connotation as being accused of all the worst manners of perversion and depravity)
  • Dezgra (as in "disgraced"/"disgraceful")
  • Freebirth (as distinct from the technical & neutral-connotation "Freeborn")
  • Savashri (usually used as an exclamation/muttering, seemingly roughly-equivalent to "d**n it")
  • Stravag (means the same thing as "freebirth")
  • Surat (after a bat/monkey hybrid kept by some Clanners as a pet)
  • Trashborn (used by freeborn Clanners toward trueborn Clanners as the latter use "freebirth" toward the former)


#4 Leded

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Posted 09 February 2014 - 05:35 PM

think i remember seeing the word "Drek" used before as an alternate of saying "SH$%" (poopoo)

#5 Strum Wealh

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Posted 09 February 2014 - 06:07 PM

View PostLeded, on 09 February 2014 - 05:35 PM, said:

think i remember seeing the word "Drek" used before as an alternate of saying "SH$%" (poopoo)

"Drek"/"Dreck" is the actual Yiddish word for "sh*t", and seems to be used more in IS-related works (specifically, Jihad and post-Jihad era).

#6 Thom Frankfurt

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Posted 09 February 2014 - 08:22 PM

I think somebody says s**t in... uh, I want to say Lethal Heritage.

#7 ShinVector

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Posted 09 February 2014 - 08:37 PM

  • Fedrat = Davions (Also Steiners when they were together) :ph34r:


#8 Son of the Flood

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Posted 10 February 2014 - 03:15 AM

View PostStrum Wealh, on 09 February 2014 - 04:40 PM, said:

Basically, the regions of the Inner Sphere use region-appropriate swearing (e.g. FedSuns characters swear in English (and probably French), Combine characters swear in English and Japanese, etc).

The Clans are the ones that use unusual swearing. The ones I could remember (well enough to look up, anyway):
  • Bloodfoul (carries roughly the same connotation as being accused of all the worst manners of perversion and depravity)
  • Dezgra (as in "disgraced"/"disgraceful")
  • Freebirth (as distinct from the technical & neutral-connotation "Freeborn")
  • Savashri (usually used as an exclamation/muttering, seemingly roughly-equivalent to "d**n it")
  • Stravag (means the same thing as "freebirth")
  • Surat (after a bat/monkey hybrid kept by some Clanners as a pet)
  • Trashborn (used by freeborn Clanners toward trueborn Clanners as the latter use "freebirth" toward the former)


Andrew "dice" Clay would approve of this thread (if anyone remembers that guy, otherwise the below will make no sense).

Jack and Jill went up the hill, each with a buck and a quarter....Jill came down with two fifty....
that dezgra bloodfoul........ohhhhhh!

#9 Stormwolf

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Posted 10 February 2014 - 07:52 AM

The Draconis Combine people are often referred to as Dracs or snakes.

#10 Goldhawk

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Posted 10 February 2014 - 01:39 PM

The Lyrans were referred to as "Merchants"
I also recall something referring to a glove? The Fists maybe. Perhaps post-jihad?
If you want some of the slang for each house, read through some of the Solaris Battletech novels. Illusions of Victory and perhaps

Edited by Goldhawk, 10 February 2014 - 01:42 PM.


#11 Duncan Morales

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Posted 10 February 2014 - 02:35 PM

look here http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Dictionary

#12 CeeKay Boques

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Posted 11 February 2014 - 06:56 AM

Stravag.... Straight out the ***

#13 Strum Wealh

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Posted 11 February 2014 - 08:14 AM

View PostTechnoviking, on 11 February 2014 - 06:56 AM, said:

Stravag.... Straight out the ***

"Stravag
A Clan epithet, probably a combination of the Clan words stran, meaning independent, and vagon, meaning birthing."
Jade Phoenix omnibus glossary, pg. 250

While Technoviking's rendition is not technically correct (according to BT), it does carry the same connotations. :)

#14 Elder Thorn

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Posted 11 February 2014 - 04:47 PM

View PostStrum Wealh, on 09 February 2014 - 06:07 PM, said:

"Drek"/"Dreck" is the actual Yiddish word for "sh*t", and seems to be used more in IS-related works (specifically, Jihad and post-Jihad era).


it's also german for dirt or filth. (For "Dreck" that is)
It's also used in german to describe a bad situation: "So ein Dreck!" - "Such a bummer!"

Edited by Elder Thorn, 11 February 2014 - 04:49 PM.


#15 SpiralFace

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Posted 21 February 2014 - 07:46 AM

There are a few curse words thrown around here and there, but for the most part, I think the IS runs more on racial slurs then physical cure words:

Fed Rat,
Snake,
capellan *****,
can't recall the other two's right now.

But the racial slurs are more prominent as general insults in the same way that most of BT fiction itself revolves around racism. (Justin Allard says as much in the opening chapter of the warrior trilogy.)

If not because of your affiliation to the star empires, then because of your class status (combine Bushido, Cappellan citizen, Clan Caste systems.)

#16 PaintedWolf

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Posted 21 February 2014 - 08:42 AM

Shtako. Frakkin.

"You piece of Frakkin' Shtako!"

#17 CyclonerM

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Posted 21 February 2014 - 08:46 AM

View PostSpiralFace, on 21 February 2014 - 07:46 AM, said:

If not because of your affiliation to the star empires, then because of your class status (combine Bushido, Cappellan citizen, Clan Caste systems.)

Or honor.

"Honorless scum" could be a good insult both among the Clans and in the Draconis Combine :)

#18 LoPanShui

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Posted 21 February 2014 - 08:48 AM

Elsie (LC) is used as a derogatory term for Lyrans sometimes.

#19 kosmos1214

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Posted 26 October 2014 - 06:33 PM

i wish i could add to this its a good thread for the new bt ppl though even if its not the most informative thread

#20 Logan Hawke

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Posted 28 October 2014 - 11:05 AM

This thread is both informative and entertaining.

The best combination.





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