Don´t be a dick

Much to my mother´s chagrin and despite her best efforts, I have a foul mouth. And some of the richest Peace Corps Goal 2 type of cultural exchange has involved explaining the finer points of profanity in English to friends here. Over the weekend I told someone I thought they were a dick. "Such a dick" was actually the exact phrase employed. Of course I apologized profusely for it later. But at the time that I said it, in English, I had to stop and explain why I was saying it and what I meant. It always diminishes that effect of a casually muttered insult in the heat of the moment when you need to do that. And, I continued, no it isn´t sexual and it has nothing to do with sucking, that relates to an entirely different profanity, which I don´t use as a matter of course because I think its, well, offensive.

The Urban Dictionary defines "dick" as "an abrasive man." But I would cast it more broadly, suggesting that the word dick, when not referring to the male organ or to Richard really means more "mean" more than "abrasive." The Free Dictionary agrees with me, providing the definition, "A person, especially a man, regarded as mean or contemptible." This definition leaves open the possibility that a woman can also be a dick, which was what the poor friend in question decided after I explained that my insult was something like pendejo. "You too," he announced.

Mom, I am really sorry about this post.