Tuesday 17 July 2007

Vittu

Vittu is a new expletive (well, as far as my vocab goes, anyway). Courtesy of Anna MR via NMJ.

6 comments:

  1. You have to admire a woman who can utter a well-placed "vittu" in conversation.

    Have fun.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Greetings, goodthomas. Lovely to have you visit my house of blog.

    Vittu just sounds naughty. Not as naughty as it obviously is. But it has that consonant thing going on and, I imagine, when one hurls it as an insult, spittle accompanies the 'vittu'...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oho. Right. It does seem the mighty Finnish vittu has been well and truly unleashed upon the blogosphere. I don't know whether my fellow Finns (who might have more concern than I do for us appearing like a civlised nation in polite company) will actually thank me for this fact (that I really have caused quite unwittingly) - but I must admit to feeling not a small degree of glee.

    Because yes, my dear Ms Dark, esteemed Goodthomas - it is an exceedingly good expletive which bends itself also into a verb, (nay, two verbs - one (vituttaa) expressing a state of extreme pissed-offedness, the other (vittuilla) having no easy English translation, referring to a way of verbally taking the piss and/or being aggressive, in an acrobatically humorous-offensive and/or merely hostile manner), an adjective (vittumainen), and many other nouns related to the verbs etc. Unhappily, its powers are somewhat reduced by many people failing to use it with respect, preferring instead to punctuate their speech with it (rather in the fashion of poor dear NMJ, actually, in her recent post), rather than using commas and other punctuation in their speech.

    If you need any assistance with regard to further use of this fine word, or indeed with any other bits and pieces of Finnish, be it swearing or not, don't hesitate to contact me.

    xx to you both

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Anna MR, that was a classy comment and I praise and thank you for it.

    Your explanations of the variations of the use of the newly bloggified vittu are fabulous. I shall endeavour to use it with care and thought, and will do my best, despite massive provocation (as sometimes happens in life) not to chuck it in to punctuate sentences willy-nilly. I am sure that goothomas, NMJ and that Pony Lord will also be happy to know that the word has many uses, being both verb and adjective.

    I wish you a wonderful night, my Finnish blogfriend.
    x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you kindly, pure-hearted Ms Dark. I hasten to add that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the occasional splurge of heavy vittu use - such as NMJ's - and particularly when massively provoked by life. It is only when this becomes the norm in a person's spoken mannerisms that the power of the word is significantly reduced. But you have promised to handle the word with the respect and dignity it indeed deserves, and I am fully confident you will become a fine vittu user.

    Incidentally, I was very glad to read you have had a good day (in spite of the most unfortunate kung fu incident yesterday). May the trend continue, dearest Ms Dark.

    x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Loveky Anna MR, I am smiling at the fact that you have confidence in me becoming a fine user of vittu.

    I will do my best to do credit to this fine Finnish word from a fine Finnish lady.
    x

    ReplyDelete