Mother insult

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A mother insult is a reference to a person's mother through the use of phrases such as "your mother" or other regional variants, frequently used to insult the target by way of his or her mother.[1] Used as an insult, "your mother..." preys on widespread sentiments of filial piety, making the insult particularly and globally offensive. "Your mother" can be combined with most types of insults, although suggestions of promiscuity are particularly common.[2] Insults based on obesity, incest, poverty, poor hygiene, unattractiveness, or stupidity may also be used. Compared to other types of insults, "your mother" insults are especially likely to incite violence.[3] Slang variants such as "yo momma", "yer ma" or "your mom" are sometimes used, depending on the local dialect. Insults involving "your mother" are commonly used when playing the dozens. Additionally, this phrase is frequently used in playful banter between friends.

Although the phrase has a long history of including a description portion (such as the old, mostly harmless insult "your mother wears combat boots"), the phrase "yo mama" by itself, without any qualifiers, has become commonly used as an all-purpose insult[1] or an expression of defiance.

Contents

Use as a retort

"Your mother" is also sometimes used as a sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek or a double entendre retort to either a mild criticism or even an innocuous statement. This often results in a sexual innuendo, as in the following examples:

Speaker 1: I want to give you something.
Speaker 2: That's what your mom said to me last night.
Speaker 1: What's your dad doing?
Speaker 2: Your mom!
Speaker 1: What do you wanna do next?
Speaker 2: Your mom!

The classic "Your mother" joke is a snowclone of the form: "Your mother is so X she Y", in which X is substituted for fat, stupid, etc., and Y is an example, as shown below:

Your mother is so fat she's got her own moon!
Your mother is so fat, when she stands on the scales she sees her phone number!

It is also occasionally used as a retort nonsensically; that is, when even though it would not make sense in the situation, it is used, (usually when nothing else can be thought of) as in the following example:

Speaker 1: I told you to knock before you enter my room!
Speaker 2: Your mom.
Speaker 1: What did you have for dinner last night?
Speaker 2: Your mom.

Another instance of non sequitur usage is when the phrase is used as a gag when filling out a form, as when an Albuquerque police officer filled out a criminal complaint listing the "State of Your Momma" as the plaintiff.[4]

Historic usage

Although this may appear to be a recent phenomenon, one can find variants in classical literature. William Shakespeare used such a device in Act I Scene 1 of Timon of Athens:

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Painter: "Y'are a dog."
Apemantus: "Thy mother's of my generation. What's she, if I be a dog?"

Also in Act IV, Scene II of Titus Andronicus, Aaron taunts his lover's sons:

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Demetrius: "Villain, what hast thou done?"
Aaron: "That which thou canst not undo."
Chiron: "Thou hast undone our mother."
Aaron: "Villain, I have done thy mother."

In popular culture

"Your mother" insults were present in the nostalgic, tongue-in-cheek song "Your Mother Should Know" by The Beatles in 1967.[5]

"Your mother" jokes became common in North American pop culture in the early nineties. The Pharcyde's 1992 track "Ya Mama" echoed it.[6] Mexican film Y Tu Mama Tambien's title is an equivalent usage in Spanish ("and your mother too"). There is also a television show Yo Momma (TV series) featuring contestants "playing the dozens". The Australian hiphop outfit Butterfingers released a song called "Yo Mama" that made number 17 on the 2004 Triple J Hottest 100.[7]

In the early nineties, British comedy duo Newman and Baddiel of The Mary Whitehouse Experience added an extra layer of irony to the mother insult by using it extensively in their "History Today" routines in which two restrained elderly university professors debate history seriously until breaking into childish insults, often using the format "See that X? That's your mum that is."

Look up your mom in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Andrew Conway (1994). "You're ugly, your dick is small and everybody's afraid to fuck your mother: The Stand Up Comedian's Response to the Heckler". Maledicta 11. 
  2. ^ Ayoub, Millicent R.; Barnett, Stephen A. (1965 October-December). "Ritualized Verbal Insult in White High School Culture". The Journal of American Folklore 78 (310): 337-344. doi:10.2307/538441. 
  3. ^ The mother of all insults. The Guardian Unlimited (2006-06-12). Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
  4. ^ Eric Kahnert and Reed Upton (January 18, 2008). ‘State of Your Momma’ subject of investigation. Kob.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
  5. ^ (1967) Album notes for Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles. London, England: Parlophone.
  6. ^ (1992) Album notes for Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde by The Pharcyde [back cover]. Los Angeles, California: Delicious Vinyl.
  7. ^ Katrina Lobley (2005-08-19). Degeneration Y. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.

External links

Languages