Fucking in the Navy

[anteros_lmc]

Several weeks ago, in a comment on her fic Following a Head Injury eglantine_br asked:

Did they used "fucking" as an all purpose word as we do, as in "I'm really fucked now?" Could it be that the ship would fuck you over -- or was it only literal back then?

I'm not a linguist and I'm not even a "proper" historian, but I am an archaeologist so I've done a little digging and although I haven't got a definitive answer to the fucking question I turned up some interesting bits and pieces. Well, interesting if you're a word nerd anyway!

The f-word of course has a long and venerable history. According to the Online Etymological Dictionary the OED 2nd edition traces "fukkit" to 1503. However I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the earliest published occurrence of the modern spelling "fuck" appears in Sir David Lyndesay's 1535 Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaits. I actually read this when I did Scottish Literature at university but I'd be lying if I said I remembered the line "Bischops ... may fuck thair fill and be unmaryit". Mr Lyndesay certainly didn't mince his words!

A classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue by Francis Grose, 1785 includes:

F—K, to copulate.

and the completely fabulous:

DUCK F-CK-R. The man who has the care of the poultry on board a ſhip of war.

(and also FRIGATE, a well rigg'd frigate, a well dressed wench ;)

However both have disappeared from the 1823 edition of Grose's Classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue: revised and corrected with the addition of numerous slang phrases, collected from tried authorities. One wonders who the tried authorities were!

Pinpointing the earliest use of "fucking" is much harder, The Routledge Dictionary of Historical Slang includes:

fucking adv Very exceedingly. Somewhat stronger and much more offensive than bloody from cs 1840; perhaps much earlier, records being extremely sparse.

And the term "flying fuck", which originally referred to having sex on horseback (!) first appears in Thomas Rowlandson's broadside ballad New Feats of Horsemanship. Although we're getting a little out of scope here ;)

This omission of derivations of fuck from the 1823 edition of Grose's Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is interesting in that it reflects widespread societal changes that occurred from the late 18th through to the early 19th centuries. These changes are mirrored by changing attitudes to acceptable language and behavior in the Royal Navy as the influence of reform societies and evangelists started to impact on the service. Amy Miller picks up on these shifting mores in Dressed to Kill and Burg provides a fascinating summary of these fundamental changes in the final chapter of Boys at Sea. Much of the following is summarised from Burg's account.

Throughout Boys at Sea Burg traces the development of language as recorded in contemporary court martial transcripts. During the 18th century "oaths, execration, crude language and scatology" were common parlance among seamen from every rank. The sexual misconduct court martial records of the time are frank and to the point, referring repeatedly to "cocks, arses, buggery, pricks, fucks and frigs" and even the euphemisms "pintles, yards, privates and backsides" leave little to the imagination. There are numerous contemporary accounts from the late 18th century that attest to "ubiquitous profanity before the mast". However, such language may have been common aboard ship but it would have been abhorred in polite society.

Sea going chaplains had a particularly hard time of it. The chaplain of HMS Glory was horrified to discover that in times of peril "when the power of the almighty was most visible", during storms or battles, the seamen were more likely to blaspheme than to pray for salvation. When he remarked on this to the wardroom they were affronted and offended. Chaplain Edwin Mangin of the Gloucester continually bemoaned the questionable language and morals of ratings and officers alike. Mangin denounced he behaviour of midshipmen as "riotous" and noted that the behaviour of the officers "exceeded the limits of decorum."

There are occasional late 18th / early 19th century incidents of men being court martialed for the use of obscene, profane or offensive language but in all cases the object of the offensive remark is a captain or senior officer. Many captains and senior ranking officers were no stranger to colourful vocabulary themselves. Admiral Richard Strachan was known throughout the service as Mad Dick of whom it was said "when he swore he meant no harm, and when he prayed he meant no good." Captain Bligh of Bounty fame was also notorious for his bad language. In 1766 one officer noted that formerly "a chaw of tobacco, a rattan and a rope of oaths were sufficient qualifications to constitute a lieutenant."

There were repeated attempt to moderate intemperate language and behaviour in the navy from the 18th century onwards. Some officers such as William Cumby of Bellerophon and later Hyperion proscribed swearing through his ship's "Orders and Regulations" and insisted that officers set an example to their men. Admiral James Gambier, known throughout the fleet and for posterity as "Dismal Jimmy", attempted to enforce the use of polite language by fining officers and forcing ratings to wear a heavy wooden collar with a 36 pound shot on each shoulder. It's fair to say such behaviour didn't make him popular.

By the early 19th century Evangelical societies such as the Bethel Union who devoted themselves to the spiritual wellbeing of seamen were having a significant effect on the Royal Navy and ultimately these reform societies coupled with wider societal changes effected profound changes where legislation, example and punishment had failed.

So in answer to eglantine_br's original query I think the answer is "probably". I think "fucking" probably would have been used as a modifier by seamen in the late 18th century and it is quite probable it would have been used by officers and ratings alike. I am also of the opinion, though this is rooted in nothing but my own prejudice, that the upper classes swear more freely than the middle classes. So I can quite imagine Archie swearing like a trooper and Horatio being shocked and scandalised by such profanity. If you want further proof of this incontrovertible "fact" see F is for Fidget ;)

I've listed some references below but for anyone who is interested in linguistic authenticity and avoiding anachronisms I can highly recommend John Dierdrof's You can't say that! which is as entertaining as it is informative. Alternatively you can just ask mylodon to beta everything you write ;)

References

Burg, B. R., (2007), Boys at Sea: Sodomy, Indecency, and Courts Martial in Nelson’s Navy. Palgrave Macmillan.

Dening, G., (1994) Mr Bligh's Bad Language Passion, Power and Theatre on the Bounty. Canto Original Series, Melbourne.

Dierdrof, J., You can't say that!

Grose, F. (1785), A classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue. S. Hooper, London.

Grose, F. (1823), Classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue: revised and corrected with the addition of numerous slang phrases, collected from tried authorities. London.

Harper, D., (2010), Online Etymological Dictionary.

Lyndesey, D., (1602), Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaits.

Miller, A., (2007), Dressed to Kill: British Naval Uniform, Masculinity and Contemporary Fashions 1748 – 1857, National Maritime Museum.

Partridge, E., (1973), The Routledge dictionary of historical slang. Routledge, London.

Rowlandson, G., (c.1800), New Feats of Horsemanship see Erotomane.org.


Cross posted to following_sea.

Comments

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I am indeed a word nerd!

I now can suspect that one more aspect of today's Navy and the one of the 18th century share another link.

My own husband was accustomed to use the phrase 'Its a clusterfuck.' I am pretty sure that H and A (And especially, perhaps WB,) might have said such a thing (On Renown perhaps.) Although not in front of me!

Also I have heard the duck one, used as an expletive. This despite the complete absence of ducks in today's Navy.

Also, strangely: 'Dickweed' (Not a compliment.)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I have been struggling all day not to think of the term "clusterfuck" in conjunction with Lieutenants Hornblower, Kennedy and Bush ;)

This despite the complete absence of ducks in today's Navy.
Well that's a damn shame!

Dickweed
For some strange reason that sounds like a peculiarly North American insult to me.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

Dickweed is very North American, I think you are right. It is also very silly!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

There are some fabulous local Glaswegian insults and profanities that emerged from the Clydeside shipyards. One particularly insulting one is to describe someone as having a "face like rivet catcher's glove". Ouch.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

Was thinking of more myself too. My mother used to call ugly women 'sea robins' Image search proves it is a fish with an overbite.

Also husband says 'I don't give a rats ass' (meaning he doesn't care about whatever it is.

I don't know if this is regional, or Naval, or what.

BTW he says nice things too, they are just not as ... colorful.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Also husband says 'I don't give a rats ass' (meaning he doesn't care about whatever it is.
Yup, we say that too! Except over here its arse rather than ass of course. I would also say "I don't give a flying fuck" to mean the same thing. We're back to that poor horse again aren't we...

BTW he says nice things too, they are just not as ... colorful.
They never are ;)

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I want to add-- it is so cool that you are an archeologist.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that should have been was an archaeologist. I had a change of career a long time ago and I now do something that is much less interesting but much less hard on the knees. However archaeology is still the only profession I have a formal qualification in!

[lemurling.livejournal.com]

Very interesting, thank you! I have to go look up some of those words ("pintle"???) and find a way to use them. Of course, now I'm obsessing over that "You Can't Say That" web site, and preparing to revise my fics again to eliminate suspect words.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

You Can't Say That is a fabulous website!

preparing to revise my fics again to eliminate suspect words.
Hehe, I do that all the time! I sneak back to fics and change little words and details as I learn more from the history.

[ioanite.livejournal.com]

I was sort of wondering about this, as I swear someone uses the f-word in the Master and Commander movie, and I couldn't believe a) that they got away with it, and b) That that word was in use in 1805. But now I know! Thanks for taking the time to research this.

(also, "Duck F******" is absolutely fabulous. This needs to show up in more fics.)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I suspect the only thing that was inauthentic about the use of the f word in Master and Commander was that it didn't appear often enough!

Thanks for taking the time to research this.
You're very welcome! This kind of research isn't exactly a hardship ;)

"Duck F******" is absolutely fabulous. This needs to show up in more fics
Ooooh that could be asking or trouble....

[sarlania.livejournal.com]

You're so fucking brilliant, you know that? :D

I enjoyed this very fucking much. And "Duck-fucker" just made my fucking day.

I shall now stop stop spamming your fucking wonderful journal.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

And "Duck-fucker" just made my fucking day.

He did?! Dare I ask what you got up to? Am now picturing you in a cloud of flying feathers... ;P

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I remember as a child hearing pintle used to mean hinge pins. It does mean hinge pins, or a rudder pin -- but it seems the other use may be older.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Gosh this discussion is so educational! I had no idea what a pintle was, apart from the obvious, obviously. A quick google has revealed the "Sea Sure - Bottom Transom Pintle, 4 Hole with Drop Nose Pin".



Apparently the Sea Sure Bottom Pintle has cross-pins for added rigidity, and the gudgeons are available with low friction carbon brushes.

I am now off to find out what a gudgeon is.... ;)

[vespican.livejournal.com]

Not sure but I think a gudgeon is the other part of the "hinge" that supports and allows the rudder to turn.
Dave

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I remember grudeon being used in POB

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Dare I ask what POB used his gudgeon for? ;)

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Generally when people use it it seems to carry about the same weight and meaning as "idiot."

There's also a bit that I love in one of the early POB books, where some admiral or other (I think it might be Keith, who likes Jack; it's CERTAINLY not Harte) is explaining how a certain prize Jack took was a neutral after all, and Jack got very cross and said "Only by a damned lawyer's trick," and the admiral's response was "What the fucking hell is this language to me, sir?" I cannot read it without cracking up. It was certainly one of the bits I read out to eternaleponine; for a time last year, I was re-reading those and making sure to read aloud all the funniest bits to tempt her into reading them as well. I think what finally sold her was the sloth.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Generally when people use it it seems to carry about the same weight and meaning as "idiot."
Gudgeon - how appropriate! I must find an opportunity to use it. Preferably at work ;)

for a time last year, I was re-reading those and making sure to read aloud all the funniest bits to tempt her into reading them as well.
Heh. My partner was doing exactly the same thing all last year!

[vespican.livejournal.com]

Certainly a fustercluck of information! It seems that Patrick O'Brian incorporated fuck into each book once or twice. It was rare enough to attract notice and be useful. I've found that occasional use, whether in writing or in actual conversation can be effective. If every other word out of a person's mouth is the f-word, it looses its fucking effectiveness.
When I began writing my series, one of my rules was that I wouldn't use the word, possibly because I don't recall C. S. Forester ever using it. Also, while I consider my work to be for adults, as was his, I would hope it might also appeal to younger readers as well. But about half way through the second book, a situation developed where I decided the word was needed to indicated Pierce's exteme anger. Once I had broken through, so to speak, I ended up using it a couple more times in that book. I've even gone back and included it in the first... in the chapter following the one I've just posted.
Dave
I'm just trying to not repeat it in front of the bird!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Awww is that your bird? Does he talk or just clear his throat à la Hornblower? ;)

Hornblower is interesting, because although he frequently turns the air blue Forester never actually tells us what he is saying. No doubt because such language would have been totally unacceptable to the reading public at the time the books were published. I think O'Brian had a bit more lee way given that he was writing later.

I certainly agree with you regarding the effectiveness of "strategic swearing" both in writing and in life. However I'm sorry to say that I actually swear a lot more in real life than in writing!

I'm also a great believer in period authenticity but I guess at the end of the day the job of the writer is to balance authenticity with what people are prepared to read.

[vespican.livejournal.com]

I think the earlier HH books were written at a time when it just wasn't proper to include a lot of profanity or obscenities. It was not long before The Happy Return came out that people were in an uproar for the line, "Frankly I don't give a damn!" in Gone with the wind. So yeah, writing a few decades later, Patrick O'Brian probably had a lot more leeway in what he could include.

He-Lo the bird is a quaker or monk parrot, now about a year and a half old. We aren't sure if it's male or female. I guess it's so hidden with them, the only way is to send in a blood test, or wait and see if it lays an egg. Anyway, he's talking a little. Right now (in the afternoon) he's saying, "Good Morning!" He'll also ask, "What's your name?" and then answer with his. Pronounciation isn't all that clear and the Mrs. never does catch what is being said. Nor is he (she?) all that good about responding. Usually about this time of day it's like recital practice... just runs through all the phrases/words he knows.
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

It was not long before The Happy Return came out that people were in an uproar for the line, "Frankly I don't give a damn!" in Gone with the wind.
Oh definitely! And just think of Lady Chatterley's "unprintable words" in 1960. If Forester had actually shared Hornblower's curses with us he'd never have found a publisher!

He-Lo is lovely!! I suggest you start playing Hornblower audiobooks to him/her immediately to improve their vocabulary :D Mind you, Hornblower doesn't actually say very much does he? He-Lo might end up sounding more like Gerard or Mr Bush. Or possibly even Maria or Lady Barbara!

[vespican.livejournal.com]

He-lo used to really squawk if I did an "arrgh matey" in a gruff gravely voice. Have been trying to teach him/her, "square away, matey," and some other "sailor talk".
BYW, He-Lo is short for Thelonious. Monk Parrot, Thelonious Monk the Jazz Musician...
Our daughter thought the name up.
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I suggest you invest in a copy of Loud Emily and read it to He-Lo daily. It's intended for small girls but I should imagine it'll work just as well for parrots!

Your daughter is to be congratulated on her taste in Jazz btw and He-Lo is a lovely name for a bird. I was going to ask if s/he was named after Helo in Battlestar Galactica!

[vespican.livejournal.com]

We could do that, but he/she will be hearing enough just from normal conversation. They do live for twenty-five to thirty years, so there is a lot of time for a vocabulary to develop.
Dave

[ioanite.livejournal.com]

Cowgirl style, obviously.

(Sorry, sorry, sorry, couldn't resist).

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Well you did ask....Here's Thomas Rowlandson's original illustration of the famous flying fuck!



And the verse that accompanies it runs as follows:

Well mounted on a mettled steed
Famed for his strength as well as speed
Corinna and her favorite buck
Are pleas’d to have a flying fuck.

Feel free to delete the name "Corinna" and insert the lieutenant of your choice ;)

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

This looks somewhat on the optimistic side to me. Possibly if horse were standing...

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

This looks somewhat on the optimistic side to me.
Rofl! Yes, just a little bit!

Possibly if horse were standing...
But then it wouldn't be a flying fuck would it?!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

she´s strangling the poor horse!
I know! Poor beast. There should be a law against that kind of thing.

Wow; the things we learn from fandom...
Aren't we educational?!

[vespican.livejournal.com]

Especially as one of those two gentlemen is not known for his horsemanship!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed! I see no rudder on that horse ;)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Oi ioanite! Is that you lowering the tone of my journal again??! ;)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed! I've been trying to get round to writing this for ages.

I wondered about the logisitics of doing it on horseback too. Thankfully Mr Rowlandson left us a a helpful illustration. See below. ;)

[rownaseria.livejournal.com]

It's funny, I just recently watched a documentary about the work fuck. Thank you for this awesome research and links! I was tempted to by a book once that was basically a detailed dictionary of all the uses of the word :D

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed! It certainly was a fun topic to research :D Your documentary sounds great, don't suppose it's online anywhere is it?

[rownaseria.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, I rented it from Netflix. It's called "The F-Bomb: A Documentary" (or "F**K: A Documentary") if you want to try and find it :)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I shall look it up :)

[xandri.livejournal.com]

Thank you thank you thank you! This was delightful.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

You're welcome you're welcome you're welcome!

Delightful? Rofl! You make is sound like a polite conversation over afternoon tea ;)

[aletheiafelinea.livejournal.com]

Truly impressive research, thank you! (Especially for a few highly fun words and not only words *g*). Heh, the everyday history is the most interesting. :)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Hehe! Glad you enjoyed this. Research like this has its attractions ;)

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Thank you for pointing me here! Added it to the bookmarks in my "age of sail reference" folder.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Glad to be of service :)