Proverbs are out. Now is the Time for Curses.
Russian peasants listening to radio for the first time
Language is a treasure trove of humanity's quirks, beliefs, and creativity—and that includes its curses. While we often focus on preserving lullabies, proverbs, or stories from endangered languages, the colorful world of curses often gets overlooked.
But curses, too, are part of what makes language so deliciously human. They’re witty, culturally specific, and downright fun (or horrifying, depending on the context).
Curses — Caught in the Historian’s Crosshairs
So why document curses? Curses are like linguistic fossils; they capture a snapshot of the values, taboos, and humor of a culture. They can also be specific to a given region or locale.
Curses are imbued with the spice of a people and may often reference local plants and animals, lean heavily on religious understanding and connotations, and are rich with broader meaning.
In an earlier Trade Routes newsletter, we covered the Laz (also known as Lazuri) language and people of modern-day Turkey and Georgia. In researching Laz curses and proverbs, it is notable that many of the curses have to do with what is immediately available — fish, the sea, imposing mountains. For Yiddish, one may hear a lot about chickens, goats, and mud.
Some Examples
Irish Gaelic: "Go n-ithe an cat thú, is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat!"
Translation: "May the cat eat you, and may the devil eat the cat!"
This inventive curse weaves Gaelic mythology into its insult, painting a picture of escalating doom. It reflects Ireland’s love of storytelling and dark humor, even when delivering a pointed jab.
Serbian: “Mudrost te ceo život pratila ali ti si bio brži”
Translation: Wisdom has chased you your entire life but you were always faster.
A fine example of someone berating another with a the germs of humor and wit. While this curse seems to be more modern, the impetus behind it remains the same. For curses aimed at someone’s intelligence, there is often a core of strong desire in a culture for people to pursue higher education.
Yiddish: “מיגולגל זאָל ער װערן אין אַ הענגלאַהטער, בײַ טאָג זאָל ער הענגן, און בױ נאַכט
“. זאָל ער ברענען
Transliteration: Migulgl zol er vern in a henglayhter, by tog zol er hengen, un bay nakht zol er brenen”
Translation: May he be reincarnated as a chandelier to hang by day and burn by night.
This curse, from a language closely tied to Jewish culture, is all about creating a very specific (and hilarious) misery. It highlights the wit and subtle cruelty often found in Yiddish expressions—blessings and curses alike.
Deep Meaning in Petty Slights
Curses like these are miniature cultural artifacts. They tell us what a society feared, laughed about, or took offense to. They preserve the rhythm and humor of a language, which can sometimes get lost in translation. Documenting these phrases might not feel as noble as recording ancient religious texts, but it’s no less important.
“When a language dies, it takes its curses with it—and with them, a bit of the human story. ”
Poster of the Curse of the Dead (1966).
When a language dies, it takes its curses with it—and with them, a bit of the human story. After all, isn’t it fun to know that somewhere in the world, someone thought it was worth wishing an unscratchable itch or a wicked tooth ache on their worst enemy?
Cursing is Easy, Curses are Smart
So, let’s save the curses. Write them down, share them, and laugh about them. They’re part of culture, too—and they remind us that even in frustration, we’re endlessly creative. Cursing is easy, it’s an instant reaction. It’s pithy and familiar. Curses on the other hand, take wit and insight into the moment, past or present.
And yes, while linguistic activism should continue to function as it always has – with education, smart events, detailed histories; it should also be fun.
In humor and creativity, we have a chance to catch new eyes, reach new ears, and maybe light a spark of curiosity into the curses not so far from your family or friends collective memory.
Know a great curse from another language? Send it to us at: info@kulturmercado.org . We’d love to learn—and laugh—with you.