Hey there! This is TOP episode 111. Bitch. Vocabulary Booster
My name’s Ola and I am an English teacher. My goal is to help you start speaking English with confidence and get rid of speaking barriers. I believe it is achievable for you and it’s time you started speaking English fearlessly! Go to my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Happy learning!
Hello there, welcome to another episode. I’m thrilled because today’s show is fun! Super important, very common word, we Polish never use it this way! We hear this word in tv series, films, songs, and we might be tempted to use it in daily situations. sometimes it’s a good idea but often enough it is a terrible idea. This word is a slur so make sure you use this powerful expression the way it should be used. It can be sexist, racist, empowering, disempowering, offensive, funny, all of it and more. I must tell you that I got inspired to prepare this episode by the baddest bitch zoroe whose Tiktoks and IG are bitchin’! I enjoy watching her work because it really is empowering. So, that’s why today we are talking about the word ‘bitch’.
Firstly, dictionary definitions. Secondly, the evolution of the word in question, it certainly has been on a long journey. How is it possible that one word is at the same time disempowering and empowering? We’ll talk a bit about the influence of music on the language. We’ll also try to figure out whether to use it or better not to? Who should never use this word? Does this word ever apply to men? Why is it used by gay men with pride? I’ll give you one Netflix series recommendation. Later we’ll have a list of common collocations, for example, bad bitch or inner bitch. Then we’ll have common expressions with the word and finally, you will say the sentences out loud. Cool! I can’t wait so let’s just jump in!
Let us begin with a dictionary definition, ok? I have my favourite learner’s dictionary and it’s Oxford so I grabbed all definitions from that dictionary and let’s have a look. Or rather a listen:
Number one, mind that, the first meaning of the word bitch, the first meaning gives us the most common one. What does the dictionary give us as the number one definition? ‘A female dog’. ‘A female dog’. Well, that’s true, a bitch is a female dog, but I think only breeders use it this way. It’s not a number one meaning anymore.
But you know, dictionaries are slow. They never keep up with humans, with rapid changes in language which is a living creature.
Definition number two, by Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, says: ‘an offensive way of referring to a woman, especially an unpleasant one’. The dictionary offers two example sentences: You stupid little bitch! She can be a real bitch. Let me add that this can refer to a man as well. He can be a real bitch. But I know, this must be considered separately, I’ll come back to this a bit later on.
What is the meaning of number three? ‘A thing that causes problems or difficulties. So, anything that is difficult, problematic. Life’s a bitch. The exam was a bitch. The weather is a bitch. Karma is a bitch.
The last, fourth meaning: a bitch about somebody or something ‘a complaint about somebody or something or a conversation in which you complain about them’. Example sentence: We’ve been having a bitch about our boss. A bitch, a conversation in which we have been complaining about our boos. We were bitching about him or her. And that takes me to another issue.
Bitch is not only a noun. It can be a verb and an adjective. As a verb, to bitch about somebody or something means ‘to make unkind and critical remarks about somebody or something, especially when they are not there’. The dictionary provides us with an example: He isn’t the sort of person who bitches about others behind their back.
Lastly, we have an adjective: bitching meaning ‘very good’. The second adjective from this family is bitchy, and this one carries the opposite meaning. Are you following? This is not that easy, these words are so similar yet carry opposite meanings. Bitching is the opposite of bitchy. Bitching means ‘very good’ whereas bitchy means ‘saying unpleasant and unkind things about other people’. For example: She made bitchy comments behind their backs. Why is it that girls can be so bitchy towards each other?
As you can see the word bitch has evolved with time and has changed its meaning. How did this happen? How come the word which referred to a female dog now relates to so many other things I’ve just listed?
Side note, Merriam-Webster dictionary didn’t label the word ‘bitch’ offensive until 2015. Can you believe that? The offensive meaning of the word bitch was added only in 2015. Wow, dictionaries are truly slow. Everybody should know that the word ‘bitch’ is a slur. I think it can be a really hurtful, misogynistic, damaging word.
But how did this evolution happen? Through the idea of dogs in heat. It was sort of a joke to compare such a dog with a woman. Women who are immoral, lewd. From that point, the meaning got extended to women who are uncontrollable, emotional, too loud. With time this word was used to refer to feminists, but then with time, it started to be used as a slur towards any woman we don’t like.
Now, what happened next with the word is very interesting. The word bitch is constantly undergoing the process of reclamation. It is the cultural process by which a group reclaims words or artefacts that were previously used in a way disparaging of that group. It is a specific form of a semantic change (change in a word’s meaning). What words in English are examples of reclamation? Queer, gay, uhm, but I’d like to make it clear that the n-word is not reclaimed. Not at all. Never use it.
The word is being reclaimed in order to get the power of the word back to the people, the person it refers to. That’s why white people don’t use the n-word. Instead of disempowering women, women decided to get that powerful word back, and nowadays using the word bitch, bitches can be hugely empowering. Still, bitch is not fully reclaimed and probably it’ll never be. Only in some specific contexts.
What played a crucial part in the whole process? Definitely, among many other factors it was music. It has been music, 90’and 2000 rap and rock music. Do you remember that song by Meredith Brooks?
I’m a bitch, I’m a lover, I’m a child, I’m a mother, I’m a sinner, I’m a saint, mI do not feel ashamed. I’m your hell, I’m your dream I’m nothing in between’.
Please remember, it still is a swear word and you have to use it mindfully. As I said before, it’s offensive, it’s rude. Does it mean we shouldn’t use it? Not at all. Everything depends on two things. One, the intention of the speaker and two, the reception of the listener. There must be a match between the two.
Use it or not? That is the question. Use it! Totally! If you’re a white straight man, don’t you ever call a woman a bitch. That’s for sure. Even if you’re close friends. Na -a. If you don’t know someone well, you’re not close friends, don’t use it either.
On the other hand, the word ‘bitch’ can be empowering if used by women. Female friends can use this word in certain situations and certain contexts. Guys, again, sorry, never use this word referring to women. Gay guys, on contrary, are welcome to use the word. Complicated huh? By the way, gay men also use the word ‘bitch’ because they have reclaimed that word. It was used against them, to offend them but now they take pride and power from that word.
This word is used to denigrate women, it’s a slur. A slur is an unfair remark about somebody or something that may damage other people’s opinion of them, a synonym to slur is an insult. For instance: You goddamn bitch! It is also supposed to bring women down to size: you little bitch! It can also refer to a malicious woman: she’s a heartless bitch.
What is for sure is that calling a woman a bitch is supposed to disempower her. Women hate that.
Interestingly enough, men can be called bitches too. Calling a man ‘bitch’ can be playful, but honestly, it is mildly offensive. It means that the man is subservient, that he does everything for another person, and has compromised his dignity. You often use the possessive adjective. For example: I do everything for my boss. My friends at work tell me that I’m his bitch. Sometimes people say “he’s being a little bitch” to communicate that he’s extremely unpleasant, not easy to deal with. Like a woman right? See how it offends both men and women? It’s a double slur. You little bitch. First of all, you are bad because you’re a bitch and second of all, you are like a woman, and that is bad too. So it’s insulting to women because being a woman is negative. Fascinating!
Here I’d like to recommend a Netflix series about swear words and the history and etymology of swear words. I don’t remember the title at the moment but you’ll find the link in the show notes. It’s worth watching. Find the show notes at teacherola.com/111.
Let’s now look into common collocations with the word in question. Top collocates are:
little bitch
old bitch
rich bitch
frigid bitch
crazy bitch
fat bitch
skinny bitch
sexy bitch
unapologetic bitch
and my three favourites:
that bitch
real bitch
inner bitch
basic bitch
bad bitch and the best one:
the baddest bitch
Wait a second, we can actually divide those colocates into groups. The first group, let’s call it slang, and here we have: bad, baddest, real and basic bitch. Bad doesn’t mean bad, in the traditional sense, but the opposite. Bad doesn’t correspond to the standard meaning, ‘not pleasant’ but rather the slang definition commonly used in popular culture, described as ‘excellent, formidable, determined’ and used to show approval. Bad as in ‘tough, not to be trifled with’.
The second group of collocates belong to the topic of sexuality and here we have: sexy, dirty, nasty, frigid bitch. Do you know that song by David Guetta ‘Sexy Bitch’? Used to be a hit.
Third group deals with the topic of being independent. Here we have: bossy, selfish, rich, inner, unapologetic bitch. Nicky Minage has this song with ‘bossy bitches’. Madonna, who released the song ’Unapologetic Bitch’, said in a 2015 interview that “If I say to you, ‘I’m a badass bitch’, I’m owning myself, I’m saying ‘I’m strong, I’m tough, and don’t mess with me’
Now, four common expressions. The first is ‘Life’s a Bitch’. It’s a common way to communicate that life is complicated. Other examples of this use are: Karma is a bitch. Monday morning is a bitch, This problem we have is a bitch.
Number two, bitch please. This expression communicates that you don’t believe what the person says. It’s a funny way of sayig no. It’s also used when someone makes a silly comment.
Number three, RBF which stands for resting bitch face. It’s this angry or look on one’s face when it is “resting” or neutral, that is not intentionally making any expression. I’m not mad, I just have resting bitch face.
She looks grumpy but she just has resting bitch face. She’s actually very friendly! So, once again, it’s a person, who naturally looks mean when her face is expressionless, without meaning to. Kirsten Steward I guess, her face expression is often described in media as RBF. I have itr too. Well, who doesn’t? A smile is always intentional, isn’t it?
The last expression is son of a bitch. A mean, unpleasant, or despicable person. Sometimes abbreviated as SOB. Often used as an emphatic expression of affection. Again, this word can be offensive, and usually is, but it can be used to praise someone. Two examples:
Her ex-husband was a son of a bitch, it’s no wonder she divorced him.
Son of a bitch, I can’t believe you’ve won again!
That’s all I have for now. Let’s get you talking! Say it out loud. In this part of the episode you are repeating sentences out loud. If it’s your first time here, and you have no idea why you have to say those sentences out loud please check episodes: 9 and 76. 9 and 76. Let’s do this, shall we?
Stop bitching!
Her ex-husband was a son of a bitch, it’s no wonder she divorced him.
Bitch please!
She looks grumpy but she just has resting bitch face. She’s actually very friendly!
Life’s a bitch.
We’ve been having a bitch about our boss.
He isn’t the sort of person who bitches about others behind their back.
She’s a heartless bitch.
How is it possible that one word is at the same time disempowering and empowering?
This word is used to denigrate women, it’s a slur.
Well done! Now, go to your inbox and grab the worksheet in order to test yourself. Complete the worksheet with translations. If you aren’t a member of TOPeople download the worksheet at teacherola.com/111 and become one. It’s free. At the moment I’m preparing a set of 30 first worksheets to buy. This way you won’t have to download each worksheet separately. So it’s gonna be much more convenient to work with this podcast. Comming soon!
If you find this episode useful, tell your friends about my podcast, share it with one person or share it somewhere on your social media. It’ll help me grow and spread the message. This is the only way you can support this podcast.
Thank you so much for listening and I’ll see you next Wednesday! We’re going to discuss the definite article, that is ‘the’. The most common word in English language. ‘The’. Till then, take care! Happy learning. Stay fearless and say it out loud! Bye!