Mennonites are not very good at swearing. I mean, look at what passes for profanity around these parts.
Dietschlaunt – I’m not sure when “Germany” became a swear word. If it originated around WWII, I guess it makes sense, but I suspect the origin of this word as profanity is older than that. In which case, it makes no sense. Yelling random names of countries? Try yelling “France” or “Portugal” next time you cut your finger.
Halle’wata – Literally “holy weather,” I get how the “holy” part makes it an edgy thing to say, but what does weather have to do with anything? Besides, Mennonites are known for living in the most inhospitable climates on the planet, so weather should be nothing to complain about.
Oba! – this is nothing more than a conjunction like “but” or “although.” Not exactly a “swear word,” but certainly a common expression. Leave it to the Mennonites to take a boring grammatical joining word to express our deepest of emotions.
Schinda – This literally means “leather tanner.” Can you imagine smacking your thumb with a hammer and yelling “leather tanner” in English? It makes no sense. But for us Mennonites, it’s one of our best and most offensive swear words.
Waut de kuckuck? – How is this a swear word? It’s like “what the hell” except “kuckuck” doesn’t mean hell, it means cuckoo. Might as well yell “what the pigeon?” or “what the goose?” Come on, angry Mennos, we can do better than this.
For a full glossary of Mennonite sayings and expressions, including “profanity,” please consult the back pages of The Best of the Bonnet.
