"That sucks"

JackM

Legendary Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Posts
438
Media
0
Likes
1,513
Points
598
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne (England)
Verification
View
Sexuality
99% Gay, 1% Straight
Gender
Male
Why do we use the phrase "that sucks" to mean "that's really terrible"?

It suggests that getting a blowjob is a deplorable activity, and implies a cock sucker is the lowest of the low. My theory is that it was coined by conservative heterosexuals, for whom sex is only for making babies. For the rest of us, isn't it good to suck?

To people who think it's ok to use this phrase, I would just say that language should make sense. I certainly can't think of any other example of a pleasurable activity used as a metaphor for something horrible. I particularly dislike hearing it from UK gay men, because to me it's not (or at least shouldn't be) part of "British" English.

Anyone any thoughts on this?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kalbca

Calboner

Superior Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Aug 16, 2007
Posts
9,024
Media
29
Likes
7,717
Points
433
Location
USA
Verification
View
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
Part of the trouble is that people use the expression without even thinking of what it means. When I was a teenager (thirty years ago), to deride something by saying that it "sucks" was the kind of thing that you could do among your friends, but not in front of parents or teachers, and it was certainly not something that anyone would do on television. Everybody knew that the verb referred to fellatio, and that was what made it a spicy thing to say. Today, I think that most people, or at least most young people, use the phrase without even being aware of the connection, and certainly without thinking of it.

My favorite illustration of the casual use of "sucks" comes from an episode of The Simpsons:
Bart: [whining] Mom, my slingshot doesn't fit in these pockets. And these shorts leave nothing to the imagination. These uniforms suck!

Marge: Bart! Where do you pick up words like that?

Homer: [on phone] Yeah, Moe, that team sure did suck last night. They just plain sucked! I've seen teams suck before, but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked.
 

Calboner

Superior Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Aug 16, 2007
Posts
9,024
Media
29
Likes
7,717
Points
433
Location
USA
Verification
View
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
Jennuine, I don't think that one is entirely negative. I've often heard it said of men who look sinister or threatening, to mean that they're nice guys really.

Maybe some people use the expression that way in the UK, but no one could ever do so in the US. We used to use the expression "pussycat" that way (e.g., "Don't let his manner scare you -- he's really a pussycat"), but I think it's out of fashion now.
 
D

deleted157868

Guest
Who really cares? Its an insult, don't think too much about it, lol.
 

jjsjr

Legendary Member
Joined
May 27, 2008
Posts
5,934
Media
37
Likes
2,255
Points
333
Location
Wilmington (Delaware, United States)
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
LOL to the last two posters....

but yeah, I have thought about that before. It's sort of a hidden form of discrimination. It's like calling something "gay" and meaning that it's awful. It's not as blatant, but I understand. Unfortunately, I feel as if its too well-ingrained into the vernacular and I've definitely caught myself using it.


Eventually, I think there will be a new word that will replace it. But for now, we're stuck with it...
...and that sucks.
 

bigman420

Experimental Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2008
Posts
134
Media
2
Likes
4
Points
103
For the same reason that teenagers refer to everything bad or stupid as "gay." "That's so gay...." That's just the way we talk in this country, I don't think it's so much meant to be an insult to any one group. I think some people just take this stuff a little to seriously.
 

vince

Legendary Member
Joined
May 13, 2007
Posts
8,271
Media
1
Likes
1,672
Points
333
Location
Canada
Sexuality
69% Straight, 31% Gay
Gender
Male
I certainly can't think of any other example of a pleasurable activity used as a metaphor for something horrible.

You can't? How about FUCK? It even rhymes.

Fucking is pretty much up there on the pleasurable activity scale, yet more often than not the word is used pejoratively.

For example:
Fuck off Toddy.
You fucked up.
You're a fucking idiot.