Posted by Bob Wombat at mygore0.connect.com.au on December 26, 2000 at 10:37:09:
. . . regarding my usage of the word 'bugger', the verb 'bugger' means to sodomise, and the noun means someone who practices sodomy, and is commonly used as an insult.
Now, before I get flamed for wishing a "Merry Christmas to every one of you wonderful buggers", I've got to point out that here in Australia, the noun 'bugger' is often used in a non-insulting way, much like 'bastard', or sometimes, like the Brits do, 'cunt'.
For example, here's a common Australian greeting: "(Insert name of mate here) you old bastard, how the bloody hell are you?"
Don't ask me why us Aussies insult each other so freely and without malice, we just do.
Of course, we also call people we *don't* like 'mate' . . . for example: "Mate, you'd better have eaten your bloody Weet-Bix, 'cause I'm about to beat the living piss out of you."
So anyway, if I refer to you as buggers (particularly if I use the adjective 'wonderful' before it), I'm not being an arsehole, I'm just being Australian.
Bye now,
Bob Wombat