1、粗口的诅咒

英文中有很多用于表达惊奇、意外或者愤怒的情绪的诅咒，比方大家很熟悉的“sh*t”啦“f*ck”啦，虽说没有实意，但粗口毕竟是粗口，不登大雅之堂，尤其是当着女士或孩子的面说更加不好。这时就需要用某种方式掩饰一下字面上的表达，用发音相近的词替换原来的粗俗之词。

例：Shoot --> shit

Heck --> Hell

Sam Hill --> Hell

What in Sam Hill? --> What in damn Hell?

Dang --> Damn

Darn --> Damn

Dad gum --> God damn

Doggone --> God damn

Gosh darned --> God damned

Dagnabbit --> God damn it

Dagnammit --> God damn it

Dangnabbit --> God damn it

Gat Dangit --> God damn it

Dangnation --> Damnation

Darnation --> Damnation

Tarnation --> Damnation

Figs --> Fuck

Fink --> Fuck

Flaming heck --> Fucking Hell

Flipping heck --> Fucking Hell

Freaking --> fucking

Shoot --> shit

Shucks --> shit

Sugar --> shit

Holy spit --> Holy shit

2、提到上帝或神

英文里也有很多以上帝啊神的名义的起誓，比方久而久之也发展成了没有实意的纯粹的感叹语。但因为自己的情绪，有事没事就把神牵涉进来真是很不敬；况且《圣经》中明确指出不得“妄称神的名字”。这样也发展出了一系列与神、上帝有关的口语委婉表达。

例：For crying out loud --> For Christ's sake

Godfrey Daniel --> God

Gosh --> God

Good garden party --> Good God

Good grief --> Good God

Goodness gracious --> Good God

My goodness --> My God

My gosh --> My God

Begorrah --> By God

By George --> By God

By gosh --> By God

By gum --> By God

By Jove --> By God

Christmas --> Christ

Crikey --> Christ

Criminy --> Christ

Cripes --> Christ

Gee --> Jesus

Gee whizz --> Jesus

Gee willikers --> Jesus

Golly Gee willikers --> Jesus

Jebus --> Jesus

Jeez --> Jesus

Jehosaphat --> Jesus

Jeepers Creepers --> Jesus Christ

Jeezy Creezy --> Jesus Christ

Jiminy Christmas --> Jesus Christ

Jiminy Cricket --> Jesus Christ

Judas Priest --> Jesus Christ

Cheese and Rice --> Jesus Christ

Jason Crisp --> Jesus Christ

Bleeding heck --> Bloody Hell

Blinking heck --> Bloody Hell

Blimey --> Blind me

Cor blimey --> God blind me

Gorblimey --> God blind me

Chrissakes --> For Christ's sake

For crying out loud --> For Christ's sake

For Pete's sake --> For St. Peter's sake

For the love of Mike --> For St. Michael's sake

Land sakes --> For the Lord's sake

Drat --> God rot it

Egad --> A God

Wish to goodness --> Wish to God

By golly --> By God's body

Zounds --> God's wounds

Odds-bodkins --> God's sweet body

Sacrébleu --> Sang de Dieu (God's blood)

Strewth --> God's Truth

Lawks a mercy --> Lord have mercy

Crivvens --> Christ defend us

Suffering succotash --> Suffering Saviour

Jumping Jehosaphat --> Jumping Jesus

Bejabbers --> By Jesus

Gadzooks --> God's hooks