The White Watch: Fashion's Ultimate Accessory

"The White Watch" is a short story written by renowned Polish author, Tadeusz Borowski. The story is set during World War II and explores themes of sacrifice, morality, and the horrifying reality of life in a concentration camp. The narrative follows a group of prisoners in Auschwitz who are tasked with disposing of the bodies of those who have recently been executed. These prisoners, known as the "White Watch," are distinct from other prisoners in the camp due to their daily exposure to death and the macabre nature of their work. The story focuses on one particular member of this group, Tadeusz, who is tormented by the horrors he witnesses on a daily basis. Tadeusz's experiences in the camp have stripped him of his humanity, forcing him to become desensitized to the suffering of others.

This English-inspired language use has also found its way into swearing across the Nordic languages.

It could be that the theme of sex is just not as taboo as in the English-speaking countries or maybe swearing in a foreign language doesn t feel as bad as in your mother tongue. Even when guests on Nordic TV shows are instructed not to swear while on air, some just can t help doing so and the swearwords themselves aren t censored or bleeped out.

Tadeusz's experiences in the camp have stripped him of his humanity, forcing him to become desensitized to the suffering of others. He finds himself losing his sense of self and gradually becoming numb to the atrocities unfolding around him. Tadeusz's internal struggle is a central theme in the story, as he grapples with questions of morality and the value of life in the face of such extreme circumstances.

Danish Swear Words and Insults 101

Over the last year, I have, for some reason, ended up teaching people online Danish swear words. On several separate occasions. Not sure how it keeps happening, but now I’m leaning into it.

Time for ‘Michelle’s Guide to Swearing Like a Dane!’

First of, I got to admit that even though Danish has a lot of unique curse words, we have been ruined by American culture, just like just about everyone else. ‘Shit’ and ‘Fuck’ is an integrated part of the vocabulary of anyone above the age of 5 and below the age of 60 (but we’re a lot less sensitive about it. You won’t see our movies get higher ratings just because of cursing, and the dialogue in our reality shows isn’t just a series of beeps).

So a lot of the following words and phrases might not be as commonly used as their English counterparts, especially by the younger generation.

It also means that if you go to Denmark as a British or American person, you’re going to be horrified at how casually we use your dreaded F-word. No matter when I finish and publish this post, I can promise you that my mother will have told me to fuck off within the last month.

(Last time it was because I caught a shiny Pokemon that she didn’t have in Pokemon GO.)

The Basics

For fanden

Literally: For the Devil

This is a nice versatile one. It’s used in the same way as ‘for fuck’s sake’, but isn’t considered as crass. The milder version is ‘For Søren’, which, considering my uncle’s name is Søren, you would think would be used like ‘For Pete’s sake’, but mostly it’s used in place of ‘Oops’…

‘For fanden’ can be freely substituted with ‘For satan’, but it needs to be said with Danish inflection. Otherwise, it sounds like you’re actually worshipping Satan.

(You can also use ‘For helvede’, meaning ‘For hell’. We’re not picky with the term, as long as it’s clear that your allegiance lies with the guy down-under.)

Fandens også

Literally: The Devil’s also

Variation of ‘For fanden’. Used in the same way as ‘Shit’ or ‘Fuck’.

Fanden tage dig

Literally: The Devil take you

This one is not as commonly used as the two variations above these days, but I just wanted to show how much shit we give the Devil, considering nearly none of us are religious.
It’s probably obvious, but this is used like ‘To hell with you’.

Lort

Can be substituted for ‘Pis’ (I’ll let you guys figure that one out).

For Stressing Things

These can not be used on their own, but are often used in front of all kinds of unrelated words to exaggerate them (and add a touch of vulgarity to otherwise innocent statements).

Pisse-

This is another versatile one. It’s used like Brits use ‘bloody’ and Americans use ‘fucking’ when put in front of an adjective. If someone is ‘bloody annoying’, a Dane would call them ‘pisseirriterende’.

Can be substituted for ‘skide-‘.

Sgu

Literally: ? (I have absolutely no idea)

I’m not even sure there’s an English equivalent for this, but I use this word at least 30 times a day. You add it to a sentence after the verb a bit like you would inject ‘actually’; only it’s considered a little bit crude and it’s not a warning that mansplaining is about to happen.

You’d lightly scold a child for using ‘sgu’, but it’s not really considered inappropiate. I use it both at work and when talking to elderly relatives.

Example: ‘Det ser sgu godt ud!’ (‘That actually looks great!)

Insults

Some of these aren’t even considered vulgar, but they’re satisfying nonetheless.

Klaphat

Literally: Clapping hat

This is my favorite. Not because it’s one I use all that often, but because it confuses foreigners who google the term.
Used in place of ‘Idiot’.

(Please go google it.)

Fjols

Mild way of calling someone an idiot.

Kraftidiot

Literally: Power idiot

This one is considered more crass, but sometimes you just gotta let a power idiot know they’re acting like a power idiot.

Used like ‘Moron’ or ‘Retard’, but without being an offensive term for people with learning disabilities.

(We got those, too, but I won’t include them. I’m only teaching you terms you can use without being a giant Kraftidiot.)

Røvhul

Used like ‘Asshole’.

Cruder words

Danish also uses words for ‘bitch’, ‘whore’, ‘pig’ and a variety of sexual slurs for swearing, but they’re mostly used by teenagers and people who got dropped on their head as children, so I’m not going to teach them to you. I prefer my cursing to have a certain amount of dignity.

So see you later, klaphatte!

Reviews for "The White Watch: Preserving Tradition in a Digital Age"

1. John - 2/5 stars - The White Witch was a huge disappointment. I had high expectations for this book, considering the buzz around it, but it fell flat for me. The plot was confusing and lacked depth, and the characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting. I found myself struggling to get through the pages because the story just didn't grab my attention. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and frustrated with this book.

2. Lisa - 1/5 stars - I couldn't stand The White Witch. The writing style was convoluted and pretentious, making it difficult to follow the storyline. The author seemed more interested in showing off their vocabulary rather than creating a compelling narrative. Additionally, the characters were unrelatable and lacked development, making it impossible for me to care about their fates. I regret wasting my time with this book and would not recommend it to anyone.

3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - The White Witch was a letdown. I was drawn in by the intriguing cover and promising synopsis, but the actual story fell short. The pacing was slow, and I felt like nothing really happened until the last few chapters. The world-building was also weak, leaving many unanswered questions about the magic system and the history of the setting. Overall, I found this book to be a forgettable and tedious read.

The White Watch: A Status Symbol of Success

How to Care for and Maintain your White Watch