History Main / CurseOfTheAncients

* Lampshaded in ''Literature/AshASecretHistory'', where the [[LiteraryAgentHypothesis editor]] explains that he translated the cursing of the eponymous character (a female mercenary who grew up in the camp) as "fuck" and equivalent modern oaths, since "God's death" and the like would seem quaint rather than shocking to modern readers.

* Likewise so is Yosemite Sam of WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes. "That rassen-fressen[[note]]An actual Yiddish curse meaning "rat-chewing"[[/note]] consarn idget rabbit bit my nose!"
** Granny, in the Sylvester/Tweety shorts, would express her frustration with the likes of "Ohh, flibbertygibbet!"

* Ron Stoppable from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' is chastened when at a field trip to an Amish-like town for using modern-day words of frustration, and must resort to "Consarn it!"
* Granny Smith, matriarch of the Apple family in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', talks like this sometimes. Applejack does too when excited, often as obvious censors of common curses.

** While attending an Pioneer Day festival, Grunkle Stan tells Dipper and Mabel not to use the old-timey speech the townfolk are using, leading to:

--> '''Mabel:''' Well hornswoggle my haversack!

* In ''VideoGame/{{God of War|Series}}'', Ancient Grecian SociopathicHero Kratos often uses the term "By the Gods!" as an exclamation. Given that he ''is'' ancient, it's highly appropriate for his setting.

* In the ''[[Literature/AncillaryJustice Imperial Radch]]'' series, Seivarden -- who spent a millennium as a HumanPopsicle and has some very antiquated mannerisms -- uses "[[OhMyGods Varden]]'s suppurating cuticles" in a moment of stress, gets a laugh for using language [[LampshadeHanging straight out of a historical drama]], and is quite scandalized to hear that such appalling language is used lightly in modern-day theatre.

* In an episode of MightyMorphinPowerRangers, Kimberly traveled back in time to the 1800's and met [[IdenticalGrandson the ancestors of the other Rangers.]] Usually Billy's [[ExpospeakGag vocabulary was incomprehensible]] to the other Rangers, but this time the situation was [[InvertedTrope inverted.]] When Billy's ancestor used the word "hornswoggle," Kimberly was the only one there who didn't know the word.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov:
** In the ''Literature/{{Foundation}}'' series, one character substitutes some soul-soothing cussing with the word "unprintable". The same character had a tendency to shout "Galaxy!" when irritated, but it's left unclear whether that's considered a strong oath in that setting or not.
** The short story "C-Chute" has this as well, with the simple note that the character's reply "was unprintable."
** In the novel of ''Film/FantasticVoyage'' the hero speculates that CMDF, the insigne of the paramilitary organization, might stand for "Consolidated Martian Dimwits and Fools", and adds, "I've got a better one than that but it's unprintable".

* Averted by ''Series/{{Deadwood}}''. Apparently the writers tried period swearing, but everyone sounded like Yosemite Sam, so they [[TranslationConvention used words that would be perceived by a modern audience the way the actual language would have been perceived at the time]] instead.

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* The WebVideo/GameGrumps are fond of calling people "clods" when upset. Not that their old, but Arin heard it once and liked how it sounded, and now it's one of their go-to words. They even lampshade how odd it sounds nowadays.

** Considering how North Korean Korean is apparently [[AntiquatedLinguistics a lot more dated]] than Southern Korean Korean, the use of such a word is rather understandable.

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'': The Engineer used to use nothing but minced oaths, but he gained much more aggressive voice responses after the Engineer update (possibly as a nod to the effects of [[{{Unobtanium}} Australium]])

* Similarly, when Creator/TomCruise called an interviewer "glib".

* The WebVideo/GameGrumps are fond of calling people "clods" when upset.

* The English language ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'' games are fond of using "dastard" as a stand-in for "bastard", as well as many, many other such expressions ranging from simply dated to really archaic; while not all of them are necessarily swears, they're not uncommonly used as insults. Like the ''God of War'' example, it's meant to reflect the less-than-modern setting - all Fire Emblem games take place in [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy medieval fantasy worlds]], wherein [[MedievalStasis neither the language nor the technology seems to be capable of becoming any more modern no matter how much time passes]]. Thid often leads to the somewhat strange sight of people in their 20s and teenagers calling someone a "Craven cur!" or "Mooncalf".

* The Literature/{{Sharpe}} series uses antiquated obscene language, but in ways that make it quite clear what the terms mean, and they're clearly 'not' euphemisms. When Sharpe says something "hurt like buggery," for example, he's comparing it to anal rape.

* ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor and ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules of ComicBook/TheAvengers funnily enough have a predilection for euphemistic Christian curses, the former using "Od's blood!" (originally a corruption of "God's blood!", but here apparently taken as a shortening of "Odin's blood!"), the latter "Zounds!" ("God's" or "His wounds!").

* [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Thor and Hercules]] funnily enough have a predilection for euphemistic Christian curses, the former using "Od's blood!" (originally a corruption of "God's blood!", but here apparently taken as a shortening of "Odin's blood!"), the latter "Zounds!" ("God's" or "His wounds!").

* The English language ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'' games are fond of using "dastard" as a stand-in for "bastard". Like the ''God of War'' example, it's meant to reflect the less-than-modern setting - all Fire Emblem games take place in [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy medieval fantasy worlds]], wherein [[MedievalStasis neither the language nor the technology seems to be capable of becoming any more modern no matter how much time passes]].

* In the ''[[Literature/AncillaryJustice Imperial Radch]]'' series, Seivarden -- who spent a millennium as a HumanPopsicle -- uses "[[OhMyGods Varden]]'s suppurating cuticles" in a moment of duress, gets a laugh for using language [[LampshadeHanging straight out of a historical drama]], and is quite scandalized to think that such appalling language would be used lightly in theatre.

* The original (stage) version of ''Room Service'' is about the production of a play called ''Godspeed'', and a RunningGag has every character's departure from the stage marked with "Godspeed!" But under the Hays Office, the word "God" could not be used except in a context of religious reverence; so for the 1938 MarxBrothers film version, the title (and the joke) was changed to ''Hail and Farewell''. Another character who routinely proclaims "God damn it" when he's frustrated says "Jumping butterballs" in the movie.

In [[YeGoodeOldeDays the old days]], people [[NostalgiaFilter didn't swear like kids today swear]]. Or [[HollywoodHistory so we are led to believe]], as elders caught in a rage will scream or mutter curses that can [[AntiquatedLinguistics best be described as antiquated]].

* In the Creator/IsaacAsimov ''Literature/{{Foundation}}'' series, one character substitutes some soul-soothing cussing with the word "unprintable".
** The same character had a tendency to shout "Galaxy!" when irritated, but it's left unclear whether that's considered a strong oath in that setting or not.
** Very Asimov. The short story "C-Chute" has this as well, with the simple note that the character's reply "was unprintable."
** Asimov's characters followed the pre-1970s convention of using "unprintable" as signifying "not suitable for mixed company". In the novel of ''Film/FantasticVoyage'' the hero speculates that CMDF, the insigne of the paramilitary organization, might stand for "Consolidated Martian Dimwits and Fools", and adds, "I've got a better one than that but it's unprintable" -- and he's ''not'' in mixed company.
*** In those days, certain language was literally unprintable--at least, it wouldn't be printed in any respectable publication. No publisher would risk prosecution for indecency and/or confiscation of a work when that work wasn't inherently indecent, so adjustments were made at the margins.

** In "The Five Doctors", the Pertwee Doctor starts tossing out old-fashions expostulations like "Jehoshaphat!" that one guide book said made him sound like Rhett Butler.

* In ''Series/DoctorWho'', Ace was a [[{{Badbutt}} tough teenage delinquent]] who wasn't allowed to swear--her most virulent insult was "toerag". On more than one occasion she used "Gordon Bennett" as an oath, probably the '''only''' person born in the 1970s to do so unironically in fiction or real life. Of course, if Donna's use of 'frickin' is anything to go by, the TARDIS translation matrix may include a swear filter...
** Australian companion Tegan seems like someone who might curse a blue streak if caught off guard, but her swear word of choice is "Rabbits!" -- Which, at least, is not inappropriate for someone whose father is a farmer in Australia, where rabbits have historically been a major menace.

* In ''Series/DoctorWho'', Ace was a [[{{Badbutt}} tough teenage delinquent]] who wasn't allowed to swear. On more than one occasion she used "Gordon Bennett" as an oath, probably the '''only''' person born in the 1970s to do so unironically in fiction or real life. Of course, if Donna's use of 'frickin' is anything to go by, the TARDIS translation matrix may include a swear filter...