foul/obscene language [noun] [de schuttingtaal, <no plural>] [‘sgu-ting-taal’]

Since "schuttingtaal" is a name for a specific usage of a language ("taal"), it does not have a plural form. Obviously, "taal" has a plural form and it is … (fill in yourself 🙂 ).

"Schuttingtaal" consists of the words "schutting" and "taal". The word "schutting" translates to fence or boarding/hoarding, but the important distinction is that it has a closed surface, i.e. you can’t see through it. An advantage to some is that this allows you to write on it and obviously the right thing to do is to leave your fellow humans some kind of dirty message 🙂

So, "schuttingtaal" has become a synonym for foul language, referring to the kind you might read on fences or walls. It is mostly used in its figurative sense.

Example:
– "Ik zou willen voorstellen dat we het gebruik van schuttingtaal tijdens deze vergadering zo veel mogelijk beperken."
("I would like to suggest that we limit the usage of foul language as much as possible during this meeting.")

Expression:
– "Schuttingtaal uitslaan": to use foul/obscene language.

Example:
– "Je kunt deze politicus niet serieus nemen; hij slaat alleen maar schuttingtaal uit!"
("You can’t take this politician seriously; he only uses foul language!")

Related words:
– "Vieze woorden": dirty words.
– "Schelden": to curse/swear, to scold, to use abusive language.

– "Vloeken": to curse/swear. In the Netherlands the "bond tegen het vloeken" ("alliance against swearing") campaigns for a society without swearing. You might see their posters at train stations. One of the posters criticises the usage of the name "Jezus", since this is a holy name to many. The poster implicitly suggests one of the other 20.000 names we use in the Netherlands. You can order a poster with your own name at their website!