I almost never read letters to the editor, but this one in Saturday’s WaPo got my attention – it took sports columnist Tony Kornheiser to task for using the Yiddish word “fekockteh” (“verkakte” is closer to the original German). Since this is a family blog, let me say only that the word, which is used to mean “messed up” or “worthless,” actually refers to excrement. This raises a style question: when is it inappropriate to use foreign words, when we probably couldn’t get away with using the English equivalent? There are plenty in Yiddish, French, and Spanish I could start using–well, if Kathryn were off duty. My question is not about foreign-language profanities in general, but rather those that might be understood and those that are use in English as non-profane words.

I’m probably opening a can of worms here but, heck, it’s a slow day.