I taught an Idioms and Slang class for many years in Vancouver and did a lot of private tutoring all over the world. My most popular lesson was usually the one where I taught "bad" words. In English, these are usually words about sex, religion, particular groups of people, bathroom and body functions, and body parts.
I quickly learned to make this the last class of the month, and soon after learned not to teach the "Bad Words" lesson at all. Two students, a dramatic Japanese girl named Emi and a nationalistic Mexican boy named Jorge, had gotten into an argument in the computer lab and used some of the racist slang I had told them NEVER TO USE. The other teachers were shocked but luckily for me, never asked where Emi and Jorge had learned the words. After that, I told the students that I would give them the Dirty Word List on the day they graduated, as long as they were over 18 and did not give it to anyone still going to school.
I had to tell the students which words were "dangerous" and should never be used, and which ones were common. Still, the class was so popular, I could see that students really wanted to know the bad words in their second language, just like I wanted to know the "bad" slang when I was teaching and travelling abroad. My students told me that they understood movies and songs a lot better when they learned these words.
Still, some teachers may be uncomfortable teaching some slang, or schools may not let them teach it. Using too much bad language might sound horrible, and I don't recommend students do that, but those words ARE a part of English. I think it is very difficult to understand some parts of our culture, and many casual conversations, without knowing these words.
That's why I wrote this e-book and am offering it at a good price. I want students to understand these words when they see and hear them, even if they don't use them. I want them to have an e-book they can carry secretly in their cellphone or e-reader, and use when they don't understand the meaning of a bad word.
I also started this website for the e-book, but to also have a place where students can ask questions about slang, good or bad, in English. I can help explain jokes or comments to you, show how these words are used in sentences or might have double meanings - whatever you need. Please send me any questions at the link on the home page of this website. I will try my best to help you in an honest and respectful way, even though we are speaking about a "dangerous" topic! I will never use your full name or e-mail address on the website, but I will answer the most interesting and useful questions here.
Hope to hear from you soon, fuckers! ;-)
D.L. Hynes
I quickly learned to make this the last class of the month, and soon after learned not to teach the "Bad Words" lesson at all. Two students, a dramatic Japanese girl named Emi and a nationalistic Mexican boy named Jorge, had gotten into an argument in the computer lab and used some of the racist slang I had told them NEVER TO USE. The other teachers were shocked but luckily for me, never asked where Emi and Jorge had learned the words. After that, I told the students that I would give them the Dirty Word List on the day they graduated, as long as they were over 18 and did not give it to anyone still going to school.
I had to tell the students which words were "dangerous" and should never be used, and which ones were common. Still, the class was so popular, I could see that students really wanted to know the bad words in their second language, just like I wanted to know the "bad" slang when I was teaching and travelling abroad. My students told me that they understood movies and songs a lot better when they learned these words.
Still, some teachers may be uncomfortable teaching some slang, or schools may not let them teach it. Using too much bad language might sound horrible, and I don't recommend students do that, but those words ARE a part of English. I think it is very difficult to understand some parts of our culture, and many casual conversations, without knowing these words.
That's why I wrote this e-book and am offering it at a good price. I want students to understand these words when they see and hear them, even if they don't use them. I want them to have an e-book they can carry secretly in their cellphone or e-reader, and use when they don't understand the meaning of a bad word.
I also started this website for the e-book, but to also have a place where students can ask questions about slang, good or bad, in English. I can help explain jokes or comments to you, show how these words are used in sentences or might have double meanings - whatever you need. Please send me any questions at the link on the home page of this website. I will try my best to help you in an honest and respectful way, even though we are speaking about a "dangerous" topic! I will never use your full name or e-mail address on the website, but I will answer the most interesting and useful questions here.
Hope to hear from you soon, fuckers! ;-)
D.L. Hynes