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14[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/homophone.png]]]]
15[[caption-width-right:350:[[StealthPun He's planning to fight a vampire]].]]
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17->''"I acknowledge freely that I have had hard feelings against Mr. Ballou for abusing me and calling me a logarithm, which is a thing I do not know what, but no doubt a thing considered disgraceful and unbecoming in America..."''
18-->-- '''Ollendorf''', ''[[Creator/MarkTwain Roughing It]]''
19
20A {{Comedy Trope|s}} about people being offended by words they don't know; for example, assuming that "logarithm" is a racial slur and not a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logarithm mathematical function]].
21
22This is often, but not always, a case of ComplimentBackfire. See also PersonalDictionary for another way to take an unfamiliar word, invent a meaning, and assume it's the one everybody uses, and YouKeepUsingThatWord, when a character calls out another on their misuse of words.
23
24Pretty much the inverse of InsultBackfire. Contrast {{Malaproper}}. Particularly unfortunate choices of words can be MistakenForRacist. If they're afraid instead of offended, then you get ScaryScienceWords. When the word confused is a homophone, it's often a MondegreenGag.
25
26----
27!!Examples:
28[[foldercontrol]]
29
30[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
31* In the English dub of ''Manga/CaseClosed'' in the fourth episode, Conan mentions that it would be ironic if a piece of paper Amy has found really is a treasure map. George and Mitch promptly scold him for using such language in front of a lady. [[spoiler:It does turn out to be a treasure map, in the form of a cryptic series of clues leading to a stash of gold coins stolen by Italian gangsters]]
32[[/folder]]
33
34[[folder:Comedy]]
35* Creator/GeorgeCarlin's "Fussy Eater" routine, he talks about how he doesn't like some foods because of the way they sound, including succotash. "What'd you call me, you fuck?!" "Hey, cool out, cool out. It's lima beans and corn. Cool out."
36[[/folder]]
37
38[[folder:Comic Books]]
39* ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'': Moose, the typical strong guy with limited intelligence, will confuse words that are unknown to him with words of a completely different meaning.
40-->'''Moose:''' Duhhh hey! Who are you calling an idiom!?
41* In a RunningGag, ''ComicBook/GrooTheWanderer'' becomes violently enraged whenever someone calls him a "mendicant", even though he has no idea what the word means (a beggar, usually one of a religious order). In issue #100, Groo learns to read (having been illiterate all his life) and he does learn what "mendicant" means.
42* ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'': In a bonus comic, Angus, needing to create a distraction, walks to the biggest and dumbest-looking guy in a crowded room and has a few words with him.
43-->'''Angus:''' Really you don't mind that guy ''[points in a random direction]'' calling you a dim-witted, brutish and overly ignorant ape?\
44'''Big Guy:''' ''Did he call me overly?!''
45* In the Shade/Scalphunter story in ''ComicBook/{{Starman|DCComics}} 80-Page Giant'', the Shade is investigating a black man's disappearance in 1885 Opal when two hired thugs warn him off, and also make insinuations about his interest in the missing man.
46-->'''Shade:''' My interests and peccadilloes are my own affair.\
47'''Thug:''' Pecca--''what''? Did you just ''cuss'' me, y'son-of-a-bitch?\
48'''Shade:''' No... but let's pretend I ''did''.
49* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': This happens when, right after announcing his candidacy, Lex Luthor is abducted by a villain called "The Adversary".
50-->'''Luthor:''' Put me '''down''', you grotesque, macrocephalic '''lummox!!'''\
51'''The Adversary:''' Y'know, I'd be insulted... if I knew what the [[SymbolSwearing *#%!!]] that '''meant!!'''
52* {{Inverted|Trope}} in ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}'', where some of Captain Haddock's insults to the bad guys ''are'' this (he's even used "logarithm" itself at least once) interspersed with actual derogatory terms (for example, referring to the yeti as a megacycle and a satrap).
53* ''ComicBook/{{Viz}}'':
54-->'''Sid the Sexist:''' Well, I must admit...\
55'''Big Dave:''' DIVVUN CAAL ME ''MUSTARD MITT!'' ''[punch]''
56[[/folder]]
57
58[[folder:Comic Strips]]
59* In ''ComicStrip/BeetleBailey'', Sgt. Snorkel files a complaint that Beetle called him a baboon, when he actually called Sarge a bassoon. Snorkel asks what a bassoon is, and the captain replies that it's a wind instrument.
60* One ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' storyline has Marcie and Peppermint Patty going to summer camp. Marcie mentions that a boy has been calling her names. Peppermint Patty is ready to step up and take care of this kid, but Marcie was already way ahead of her (hitting the boy with her lunch tray, shoving him in poison oak, etc). In the end, it's revealed that the boy actually has a crush on Marcie, and she had been misinterpreting his little pet names as insults.
61* When ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'' was trying to find a job in one storyline, but wasn't sure of what field he should try for, Wimpy suggests that he get his aptitude tested. Popeye then slugs him and shouts, "There's nottin' wrong with me aptitude!" Olive later has to explain to Popeye what Wimpy meant.
62[[/folder]]
63
64[[folder:Fan Works]]
65* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7563226/1/Benefaction Benefaction]]'':
66-->'''Wallingscomb:''' This old prescription's a full point off on your left eye and half a point on your right. You've astigmatism.\
67'''Draco:''' How ''dare'' you!
68* ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'': When the Z Fighters first meet Vegeta and Nappa, Nappa points out that Piccolo is a Namekian. Krillin takes offense before Piccolo tells him that he is who they are directing the comment toward and how it isn't an insult as he begins to detail what Namekians are before Nappa interrupts by saying Namekians don't have penises.
69* ''Fanfic/HarryIsADragonAndThatsOk'': Hermione starts to tell Ron off for saying, "Merlin's lugholes!" until she stops to think about it.
70-->'''Hermione:''' No, wait, hold on. Lugholes… that's ear holes, right?\
71'''Ron:''' Well, yeah. I wanted to be a bit more creative and less rude.\
72'''Hermione:''' Then I apologize.
73* In Chapter 1 of ''Fanfic/{{Luminosity}}'', Bella talks about how she wants to take notes on people's names and appearances but doesn't because of an incident in eighth grade when someone she described as "wee" in her notebook retaliated by throwing it into a puddle in the lavatory.
74* ''Fanfic/PlatinumPirate'': Lucas, dazed from being slammed facefirst into the Going Merry, mistakes Chopper for a "cute baby Stantler" before passing out from his injuries. Chopper isn't sure whether to be happy that to be called cute, angry that he was called a baby, or worried that Lucas called him a nonsense word because of a concussion.
75* ''Fanfic/RealityChecksNyxverse'': A variant in ''Alicornundrum''. Celestia, speaking of the Crusaders and the "Royal Brats" (youngsters who are part of the visiting ambassadors' retinue) starts talking about how they've exposed and brought a major problem to her attention, "Thanks to their, ahem, ''proactive'' measures..." Pipsqueak, not knowing what "proactive" means, suspiciously says that he's looking it up when he gets home.
76* ''Fanfic/TheSeaShadow'': When Koops calls her a Shadow Siren, Vivian assumes it's an insult and snaps at him.
77* In one ''Fanfic/ShadowchasersSeries'' story, Red Feather makes it through a booby trapped hallway and is compared to ''Franchise/IndianaJones''. Red Feather, who is disdainful of technology and doesn't watch TV or go on the Internet, [[PopCulturalOsmosisFailure doesn't have any idea who that is]] and assumes she is being insulted.
78* At one point in ''Fanfic/{{Ultrasonic}}'', Nick refers to the situation in WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}} as a pandemonium. The polar bear driving him objects to this saying that he has pandas in his family. Nick tells him to pick up a dictionary.
79* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12827976/1/The-Visit-With-Mrs-Figg The Visit With Mrs Figg]]'':
80-->'''[=McGonagall=]:''' Look at his arms!\
81'''Mrs. Figg:''' Oh my! How...\
82'''[=McGonagall=]:''' It must be from those muggles!\
83'''Harry:''' Who are you calling a muggle?
84* In ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/4211478 When You're Evil]]'' the Minister of Magic sends Harry to ask the Scoobies for a non-lethal solution to a vampire problem.
85-->'''Spike:''' Sounds like you need Red, and she's not here.\
86'''Harry:''' Red?\
87'''Spike:''' Willow. She's one of your sort.\
88'''Harry:''' She's a witch? Brilliant. Shacklebolt told me you were all Muggles.\
89'''Xander:''' Hey! Take that back.
90* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13303853/18/Wood-it-Work Wood It Work]]'', a silver dragon assumes the Boys (a group of half Fyarl and half Brachen demons) are Tieflings and only confuses them.
91-->'''Elan:''' It's someone with extradimensional parents.\
92'''Brian:''' Pretty sure ma doesn't have an extra dimensions.\
93'''Linda:''' My ma is getting pretty big in the rear.
94[[/folder]]
95
96[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
97* In ''WesternAnimation/LeroyAndStitch'', Gantu criticizes the quality of 625's egg salad sandwiches:
98-->'''625:''' You're gonna miss my egg salad!\
99'''Gantu:''' Not enough mayonnaise and too much dillweed.\
100'''625:''' [[LampshadeHanging What did you call me?]]
101* In ''WesternAnimation/OliverAndCompany'', after Georgette moans about [[IBrokeANail breaking a nail]], Francis mutters "Balderdash!", to which Tito defensively replies "What'd you call my woman, man?!"
102[[/folder]]
103
104[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
105* Creator/KevinHart's cameo in ''Film/The40YearOldVirgin'' spells out the epitome of this trope:
106-->'''Customer:''' Okay, well check this out though. First of all, you're throwing too many big words at me. Okay now, because I don't understand them I'm gonna take 'em as disrespect.
107* ''Film/{{Airplane}}'' "and don't call me Shirley!"
108* In the classic Australian comedy ''Film/TheCastle'', the main character's lawyer is presenting his case in the High Court and the opposing lawyer tells the judge that the precedent just quoted was merely an example of ''obiter dictum''. The main character, highly offended, yells "Was not!" [[GeniusBonus For non-lawyers:]] judges decide cases based on the reasoning used in past decisions. If a reasoning was used to decide a case, judges are much more willing to follow it than if the past judge was imagining what-if scenarios and deciding how things would be decided in that situation. Those what-ifs are obiter dicta. Of course, even if you don't know your law, the reactions of the judge and lawyers are enough for watchers to realize this trope is in play.
109* In ''Film/{{Che}}: Part One'', Camilo Cienfuegos nicknames a Cuban revolutionary "Ventrílocuo" (ventriloquist), but the revolutionaire mistakes the word for a made-up insult: ''ventre-culo'' (''culo'' means "ass"). UsefulNotes/CheGuevara quickly corrects him.
110* In the French film ''Film/TheChorus'', one of the teachers in a boarding school for delinquents wants to start a boys' chorus so he tests out each boy's voice. To the most feared delinquent of them all, he says, "You're a very good baritone." The kid tries to kick his ass.
111* ''Film/{{Congo}}''. Richard compares his interrogation by Zaire soldiers to being in a Creator/FranzKafka story. The soldier gets right in his face and shouts, "WHO'S KAFKA? TELL ME!"
112* ''Film/EasyToLove'': After believing that they have caught their daughter Janet and her boyfriend in a hotel together, Carol and John summon a judge to get Janet immediately married. When the judge says that Janet was caught "in flagrante delicto", Eric says "Nothing of the kind, right here in this city."
113* ''Film/{{Explorers}}'': A school bully is mentioned by the main character to have "elephantiasis on his ego." GilliganCut to the bully and his friends beating the crap out of him and the bully mentioning that, since he doesn't understand what 'elephantiasis' means, he's just gonna have to take it was a very rude insult and punish the main character... by nearly breaking his nose and then holding him down so he can drool on him. It's a downplayed example though because in this context, "elephantiasis" definitely ''is'' an insult, if not the rudest one.
114* ''Film/GangsOfNewYork'': [=McGloin=] calls Amsterdam a "fidlam bens", which the latter is puzzled about. Even though [=McGloin=] explains it means someone who is so pathetic he has to steal crap no self-respecting burglar would steal unless desperate, Amsterdam says he can't really be offended by it. He ''would'' be offended if [=McGloin=] called him a "chiseler" (someone who steals a larger share from his fellow thieves). [=McGloin=] doesn't know the term, but says "SureLetsGoWithThat", because he really wants to pick a fight.
115* Played with in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014''. This trope's humor is portrayed, but it is not actually this trope. Drax has a problem with metaphors. He knows exactly what a thesaurus is due to his (or [[{{Irony}} in spite of his]]) SesquipedalianLoquaciousness, but finds it mildly insulting when another character calls him a book full of synonyms. What he actually does not comprehend is that the other character is not perfectly serious as he himself is.
116-->'''Drax:''' Do not ''ever'' call me a thesaurus.
117** Rocket is also insulted to be called a raccoon, asking what that is. It's not actually an insult because he literally is a (genetically and cybernetically enhanced) raccoon.
118* ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'', after Yondu escapes an exploding space ship by using his TrickArrow to control his descent, offers this gem:
119-->'''Quill:''' ''[laughs]'' You look like Film/MaryPoppins.\
120'''Yondu:''' Is he cool?\
121'''Quill:''' ''[{{Beat}}]'' Hell yeah, he's cool.\
122'''Yondu:''' I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!
123* When Det. Thorne in ''Film/HellraiserInferno'' notes to Nenonen that his name is [[FunWithPalindromes a palindrome]], he angrily retorts with "What did you call me?"
124* In ''Film/HomewardBoundTheIncredibleJourney'', this exchange happens when Chance accidently gives Shadow an idea about how to get rid of the aggressive mountain lion that is chasing them.
125-->'''Shadow:''' Chance, you're a genius!\
126'''Chance:''' I am not! What's a genius?\
127'''Shadow:''' Never mind.
128* The character of Raymonde in the French film ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B4tel_du_Nord Hôtel du Nord]]'' is mainly famous for indignantly asking her interlocutor « Atmosphère ? Atmosphère ? Est-ce que j'ai une gueule d'atmosphère ? » ("''Atmosphere? Atmosphere? Do I look like an atmosphere to you?''")
129* In ''Film/JumpingTheBroom'', the maid of honor tells Malcolm (who is blatantly hitting on her) that he wouldn't like her because she's a hermaphrodite. His response is that he doesn't care what religion she is.
130* ''Film/KansasCityPrincess'': Dynamite, a blustery gangster, doesn't get it when Junior asks him about his relationship with Rosie.
131-->'''Junior:''' Your fiancée?\
132'''Dynamite:''' ''(offended)'' I should say not! We're engaged!
133* ''Film/{{Oscar|1991}}'':
134**
135--->'''Dr. Poole:''' She seems to have such nicely rounded diphthongs!\
136'''Snaps:''' That's what got her into this jam!
137**
138--->'''Connie:''' Even in the old days he was known as an honest crook.\
139'''Dr. Poole:''' That's an oxymoron.\
140'''Connie:''' Gee, you shouldn't oughta said that, Doc.\
141'''Snaps:''' Yeah, leave Connie alone. He does the best he can.
142* ''Film/ThePinkPanther2006'': Clouseau is doing an interrogation and trips over the phrase "pushing up daisies". The person he's interrogating tries to explain that it's an idiom, only for Clouseau to respond "You, sir, are the idiom!"
143* One of the students in ''Film/RenaissanceMan'' misunderstands the word "oxymoron" and asserts that he "ain't no ox-moron".
144* Comes up in the movie version of ''Film/RichieRich'' when the butler explains to Richie that "crib" is an idiom for "home" in the slang used by Richie's newfound friends. One of the kids misunderstands and asks "Who are you callin' an 'idiom'?"
145* ''Film/SatansCheerleaders'': When Sheriff Bubb orders his followers to drag "the large one" to the altar, [[TheDitz Sharon]] demands to know if he was implying she is fat. She does, however, [[BigBreastPride proudly admit to having the biggest boobs of any of the cheerleaders]].
146* In the film of ''Film/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'', the orphans make pasta puttanesca for [[BigBad Count Olaf]] and his fellow actors. When Klaus announces that they've made "puttanesca," Olaf responds "''What'' did you call me?" (This was likely intended as a BilingualBonus since the name "puttanesca" actually ''is'' derived from the Italian word for "prostitute".)
147* ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1990'' has one "insult" (actually a description) traded for another. Casey Jones reveals that he's uncomfortable spending the night in the Turtles sewer lair.
148-->'''Donatello:''' You're a claustrophobic.\
149'''Casey Jones:''' Hey, you want a fist in the mouth? I've never even LOOKED at another guy!
150* ''Film/TheThinMan'': A son talking to reporters calls his missing father a "sexagenarian." The reporters protest, "We can't print that kind of language!" The confused son asks why they can't print that his father is in his sixties.
151** In ''Film/AfterTheThinMan'', one clue is that a note was written with hard words spelled correctly and easy words spelled wrong, in a bad imitation of an illiterate person.
152--->'''Polly:''' Whadaya mean ''illiterate''? My father and mother were married right here in the city hall!
153[[/folder]]
154
155[[folder:Literature]]
156* ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'': The BumblingHenchmanDuo of Chips and Pex is manipulated into burying Mulch alive instead of shooting him. He does this by claiming he insulted them.
157-->'''Mulch:''' I did call you a pair of overdeveloped, single-cell Cro-Magnons.\
158'''Pex:''' Did you?\
159'''Mulch:''' Well I have now.\
160'''Pex:''' Nobody calls me an overdeveloped, single-bell crow magnet.\
161'''Mulch:''' No. I bet nobody does.
162* ''Literature/DaisyMiller'', when the AnnoyingYoungerSibling is talking about how he hates Rome:
163-->'''Randolph:''' I hate it worse and worse every day!\
164'''Winterbourne:''' You are like the infant Hannibal.\
165'''Randolph:''' No, I ain't!
166* Practically a RunningGag throughout ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
167** In ''Literature/WyrdSisters'', the ghost of Verence I calls Granny Weatherwax a "doyenne amongst witches". She's clearly ''ready'' to be affronted, though she's cautious enough not to haul off and yell at him until she can determine for sure what it means ("senior/superior").
168** In ''Literature/SoulMusic'', Albert calls young Susan a "chit of a girl". The Death of Rats anticipates this trope and insists that Quoth explain to her that "chit" ''only'' means a small girl.
169** In ''Literature/InterestingTimes'', Cohen the Barbarian reacts violently to a merchant calling him "venerable one" while trying to purchase an apple.
170--->'''Cohen:''' He didn't ort to have called me what he did!\
171'''Teach:''' But "venerable" means "old and wise", Ghenghiz.\
172'''Cohen:''' Oh. Does it?
173** In ''Literature/FeetOfClay'', Vimes is told that Nobby is entitled to a coat of arms. He goes back to the Watch House and says "Nobby, you're armigerous!" This is taken by Nobby to mean, while not quite an insult, ''something'' for which he might need "a special shampoo." When one barman is informed that Nobby is a Peer, he assumes it is used in the verb sense rather than the "-of the realm" sense.
174** In ''Literature/{{Jingo}}'', Angua is asked if she is a ''houri''[[note]]companions of the faithful in Islamic heaven[[/note]] by a delirious Klatchian. Angua (presumably mistaking it for the similarly-sounding English word "whore" - understandable, given that she happened to be naked at the time) responds that she doesn't have to take that kind of language and promptly leaves.
175** In ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', Glenda is offended when [[RaisedByWolves Mr. Nutt]] tries to flatter her by calling her "fecund"[[note]]Producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth; fertile [[/note]] After hastily looking the word up she's merely embarrassed, and Glenda gently explains to Nutt why that might not be a good word with which to compliment women. Of course, then Nutt asks if he ''should'' have complimented her on her great big ti-
176* In ''Literature/{{Dodger}}'' by Creator/TerryPratchett, Mrs. Mayhew describes Dodger as an astute young man. He apologizes and says his best trousers are in the wash.
177* There's a variant in "Famigerado", a short story by Brazilian author João Guimarães Rosa. A local bandit goes to a doctor hoping the educated man can explain what means the word in the title (translation: "infamous"), which a cop has described him as. The medic says it's a compliment akin to "notorious", and the guy buys it.
178* In Jaroslav Hasek's ''Literature/TheGoodSoldierSvejk'' when Švejk and [[AuthorAvatar Marek]] are stuck in a prison carriage they are bored and Marek mocks the corporal in charge with SesquipedalianLoquaciousness. Works as expected.
179--> '''Marek:''' If I call you an embryo, you'll forget the word [...] before the next telegraph pole flashes by.
180* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', when Vernon Dursley is called a {{Muggle}}, he gets angry and automatically assumes he's being insulted, even though he doesn't know what that means. Of course, the slur being derived from the English word "mug" -- "someone who's easy to fool" might have something to do with it.
181* In Creator/RobertAHeinlein's ''Literature/IfThisGoesOn'', Zeb does this deliberately, demonstrating that language can be weaponized. Unfortunately, the exact words aren't given, but John's reaction is:
182-->"You leave [[YourMom my mother]] out of this!"\
183[after John calms down]\
184"But what did I say? All I said, in fact, was that you were the legitimate offspring of a legal marriage. Right? What is insulting about that?"\
185"But--" I stopped and ran over in my mind the infuriating, insulting, and degrading things he had said -- and, do you know, that is absolutely all they added up to. I grinned sheepishly. "It was the ''way'' you said it."
186* In ''Literature/TheMysteriousBenedictSociety and the Perilous Journey'', [[BookWorm Sticky's]] girlfriend dumps him for remarking on her "pulchritude." It means beauty.
187* In Creator/AndreiBelyanin's ''Literature/MyWifeIsAWitch'', the protagonist Sergey is a humble poet whose wife turns out to be a witch. After she vanishes, his personal GoodAngelBadAngel suggest he go into the "dark worlds" (magical parallel realities) to find her. In the first of the worlds, he is captured by zealous Jesuit monks and they accuse him of sorcery (in retrospect, wearing a black suit-and-tie is probably not wise during the Dark Ages). At his trial, he decides to use his debate skills and logic to convince the elder monks that he's not a sorcerer. Unfortunately, his speech ends up being full of so much legalese that it results in StunnedSilence, after which the monks, now utterly convinced that he's trying to cast a spell on them, order him captured and executed.
188* In ''Literature/{{Neverwhere}}'', Mr. Vandemar at one point confuses the word "circumlocution" for something else, and indignantly responds that he hasn't got one. He is quickly corrected by Mr. Croup. (Mr. Croup likes words, while Mr. Vandemar is always hungry. It's kind of a running theme that Croup will say something that Vandemar will misunderstand and be somewhat offended by.)
189* ''Literature/PrincessesOfThePizzaParlor'': ''Princesses on the Lonely Isle'': A word mistaken for a general swear, possibly, although, given that it's directed towards enemies, people might mistaken it for an insult:
190--> The langauge of her forefathers had many convenient words, including one which described the feeling of being obliged to help an enemy and not being happy about it. The paired syllables were short, pithy, and frequently mistaken as swear words by foreigners. That was certainly how Selvi was using it now.
191* The short story ''[[http://portuguesonline.no.sapo.pt/palavramagica.htm A Palavra Mágica]]'' (the Magic Word) by Portuguese author Vergílio Ferreira is centered around the chaos sown in a rural village after a heated dispute in which one of the participants calls the other "innocuous", with neither of them knowing what the word really means. The word, corrupted to "inoque" then "noque", then becomes known as a horrifically vile swear.
192* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'': Used in book 3, ''The Titan's Curse''. In this case, it ''is'' an insult, but it doesn't change the fact that Thalia's not sure what it means.
193-->'''Zoe Nightshade:''' You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know ''nothing'' of being a Hunter!\
194'''Thalia Grace:''' Oh, ''scullion''? You're calling ''me'' a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?
195* As quoted above, Creator/MarkTwain's ''Literature/RoughingIt'' is the TropeNamer.
196* In a ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' children's novel, ''Literature/SonicTheHedgehogInTheFourthDimension'', an [[ItMakesSenseInContext imaginary dragon creature]] threatens to redo the universe with his allies (the Mythos creatures) and remake it InTheirOwnImage. In the process, he claims he would erase "you [Sonic] and your ''ilk''". Tails responds indignantly with "I'm a ''fox'', not an ''ilk''!" "Ilk" means "kind"[[note]]Or so it is commonly misused. It's actually Scots for "same", so that "Macrimmon of That Ilk" means "Macrimmon of (Clan) Macrimmon[[/note]], as in things of a similar type, and he was threatening to remove all life forms the universe considers normal, or real. This book was made in 1993, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness before Tails was established to be a genius]].
197* In ''Literature/TheWestingGame'', Flora is shocked that Westing's will refers to his death as a "dastardly deed." "First murder, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking now a swear word]]."
198[[/folder]]
199
200[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
201* And over on ''Series/{{Angel}}'', after everyone loses their memories:
202-->'''Wesley:''' The cross obviously doesn't affect me or our friend, ''[points to Gunn]'' the pugilist.\
203'''Gunn:''' Oh, yo' ass better ''pray'' I don't look that word up.
204* A recurring sketch from the series ''Series/BallsOfSteel'' features [[ScaryBlackMan the "Militant Black Guy"]], who always takes [[BerserkButton great offense]] to what he thinks are racial slurs, but are obviously totally innocent terms in context. For instance, when he enters a bakery and is shocked to hear the cake he asked for is called a ''black forest'' gateaux.
205* In the ''Series/BarneyMiller'' "Asylum" episode, Stevens reproves Wojo for his unauthorized actions in preventing Jininsky from being kidnapped:
206-->'''Wojo:''' I just think somebody ought to tell this guy that people don't get away with kidnapping around this precinct. I don't care what country they're from.\
207'''Stevens:''' You might have taken alternative actions if you had been a bit more perspicacious.\
208'''Wojo:''' ''(pausing)'' Oh yeah?
209* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'':
210** Similar to the variant in ''Home Improvement'':
211--->'''Leonard:''' Okay, I understand your impulse to try to physically intimidate me. I mean, you can't compete with me on an intellectual level and so you're driven to animalistic puffery.\
212'''Kurt:''' Are you calling me a puffy animal?
213** In another episode, after the group has returned from an investigation at the polar circle, Sheldon is having a phone conversation with his (very religious) mother.
214--->'''Sheldon:''' No, mom, the fact that we returned safely is not proof that your prayer group's prayers worked, that's ''post hoc ergo propter hoc''. ''[{{beat}}]'' No mom, I'm not sassing you in Eskimo language.[[note]]"post hoc ergo propter hoc" is Latin for "after this, therefore because of this".[[/note]]
215* The ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' episode "Bad Eggs". In this case, he may have known what the word meant; he was just genuinely unsure if that was a compliment or insult.
216-->'''Giles:''' I suppose there is a sort of... Machiavellian ingenuity to your transgression.\
217'''Xander:''' I resent that! Or possibly thank you.
218* On an episode of ''Series/{{Castle|2009}}'', a safe deposit box belonging to a mob figure is broken into. The mobster claims it contained his stamp collection. One of the cops asks him how long he has been a philatelist. His response is "Hey! I don't roll that way!"
219* In an episode of ''Series/ElChavoDelOcho'', Professor Jirafales comes at night to give Doña Florinda a serenade with a mariachi, but with Mr. Barriga lurking around pretending to be a ghost, she pulls out a shotgun and fires at the air, scaring them away. After the misunderstanding is cleared, Professor Jirafales says he'll sing "Acapella", and Doña Florinda first assumes he's going to sing for someone named "Capella", before he explains "Acapella" means without music.
220** As as semi-regular gag, Don Ramón would just as often play this trope straight or sometimes invert it (not catching when a word or expression is meant to be an insult), when Professor Jirafales used unusual words.
221--->'''Prof. Jirafales:''' Leave this to me, I'm a pedagogue.\
222'''Don Ramón:''' And how is that my fault?
223* ''Series/{{Cheers}}'':
224-->"Billiards, Carts, these are things you're adroit at, Sam."\
225"Listen, nobody calls me a 'droit'."
226* A ''[[Series/DrakeAndJosh Drake & Josh]]'' episode had Craig telling Drake that Eric is a pacifist. [[TheDitz Drake]] responds with "I thought he was Jewish."
227* ''Series/{{Eureka}}'': A RunningGag has Sheriff Carter mistaking terms like "p-brane" as insults to his intelligence.
228* In ''Series/FamilyTies Vacation'', William calls Mallory "a complete revelation to me." Mallory says, "Oh. Sorry, I don't mean to be."
229* ''Series/GetSmart'':
230** During a HuntingTheMostDangerousGame episode, the bad guy calls Max a "Homo sapien."[[note]]Making a common mistake. "Sapiens" is already singular despite the trailing s (there are numerous other examples in Latin)[[/note]] Max replied: "Hey, I'm as normal as the next guy."
231** Another example deals with Hymie the Robot, and why he [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfXK0d7YHsc shouldn't date the Chief's niece.]]
232--->'''Chief:''' Max, Hymie is a cybernaut.\
233'''Max:''' What's his religion got to do with it?
234** Later on, after Max learns that the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbinrA9i6bY Chief's niece has fallen for Hymie:]]
235--->'''Max:''' Hymie is a cybernaut.\
236'''Phoebe:''' Uncle Max, I'm ashamed of you. [[StrangeMindsThinkAlike A person's religion doesn't make any difference.]]
237* In an episode of ''Series/GilligansIsland'', the Howells are scandalized by the Professor's TechnoBabble.
238* A variant on ''Series/HomeImprovement'': Randy actually does mean to insult Tim, but not in the way he thinks.
239-->'''Randy:''' You're acting like some tyrannical fascist!\
240'''Tim:''' ''[to Jill]'' Did he just call me a dinosaur?
241* On ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', when he tries breaking up with Natalie by saying she's "not the one":
242-->'''Ted:''' I can't explain it.... It's ineffable.\
243'''Natalie:''' ''[livid]'' ...I'm not [[UnusualEuphemism F-able]]?
244* ''Series/JonathanCreek'' had a streaker who after interrupting the show one day, ended up being hired by Adam as a good form of misdirection. He ended up complaining about his dressing room and abusing the staff. Jonathan fired him and pointed out that a streaker's dressing room was an oxymoron. The streaker replied that Jonathan was the poxy moron.[[note]]poxy being slang for worthless[[/note]]
245* A first-season episode of ''Series/NightCourt'' involved a woman who remarried after her husband was declared dead, only to have him return to her life. Hubby #1 is a career soldier, and #2 is a nerd. #2 criticizes #1 for his use of violence as "typical homo-sapien behavior". #1 responded by saying "I never even hugged my father."
246* On ''Series/{{Psych}}'' season four, Juliet calls Shawn "prophetic," who childishly retorts that she's the one who's [[NoYou prophetic]].
247* Inverted in ''Series/TheSingOff'', where Music/BenFolds joked "Are you calling me a {{sesquipedalian|loquaciousness}}?" The joke is that he ''is'' and knows exactly what that word means, [[HypocriticalHumor and his use of it is proof]].
248* In ''Series/StrangerThings'', an inversion of the usual trope is found, in which a character is flattered by an insult because they don't know what the insulting word means. Dustin and Lucas are inviting Max to go trick-or-treating with them in a way which is kind of assuming that she automatically wants to go with them. Max witheringly calls them presumptuous. Dustin, clearly not knowing what that means, obliviously thanks her and then, when she's gone, spends a few moments preening over it... until he sees the look on Lucas's face and worriedly begins to realise that it might mean something bad.
249* On ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'' episode "The First Day of High School", Cody says "kudos" to the school bully, who answers, "What did you just call me?"
250* In the Eighties episode of ''Series/TheSupersizersEat'', Giles's character offers Sue's character a Pop-Tart, and she assumes he's calling her one.
251* In an episode of ''Series/That70sShow'', Hyde is trying to teach Fez to pick up girls by being cool and aloof. Fez hears it as Hyde calling him a "loof", which is apparently an insult in his native language ([[FunnyForeigner whatever the heck it is]]).
252* A sketch on ''Series/TheTraceyUllmanShow'' had a girl asking her friend what "satiated" meant, and then phoning her boyfriend to apologize for [[NoodleIncident what she had done]] after he had said he was satiated following sex.
253* ''Series/TheWire''. Brother Mouzone says to his associate Lamar about finding a guy in a gay bar, "You're the perfect bait. They'll see you as conflicted; your homophobia is so visceral." Lamar replies, "You see that? I ain't even stepped inside the joint yet, and you callin' me a cocksucker."
254[[/folder]]
255
256[[folder:Poetry]]
257* "Americans", a short TakeThat poem by Gavin Ewart:
258-->Americans have very small vocabularies.\
259They don't understand words like "constabularies".\
260If you went up to a cop in New York and you said,\
261"I perceive you are indigenous", he would hit you on the head.
262[[/folder]]
263
264[[folder:Radio]]
265* In ''Radio/TheMenFromTheMinistry'', when assessing Mr. Lamb, Ministry's psychiatrist Dr. Schwein states that he has many latent aptitudes and unplunged propensities. Lamb immediately assumes that Schwein is insulting him, and Lennox-Brown has to tell him that Schwein is complementing him.
266[[/folder]]
267
268[[folder:Theatre]]
269* In ''Theatre/TheGondoliers'', the characters are trying to resolve a LoveDodecahedron by working out who's legally married to whom. Someone points out that if between two men there are three wives, [[InsaneTrollLogic then each wife gets 2/3 of a husband]]. Upon which:
270--> '''Tessa:''' My good sir, one can't marry a vulgar fraction! \
271'''Giuseppe:''' You've no right to call me a vulgar fraction.
272* In ''Theatre/ThePiratesOfPenzance'', Major-General Stanley asks the pirates "You're not thespians, are you?" Depending on the production, the pirates' reaction to this can be priceless.
273* ''Theatre/ARaisinInTheSun'': Beneatha's rich suitor refers to Walter as "Prometheus" to mock him for pretending that he knows more than he really does. He becomes even more offended than he would have been otherwise because he has no idea who Prometheus is.
274* In ''Theatre/YoureAGoodManCharlieBrown'', one number has a bunch of the kids getting in an argument in the middle of singing "Home on the Range". Lucy tells Sally that "[Linus] said -- he said you were -- an ''enigma''!" This shocks the rest of the kids, and Sally spends the rest of the song alternating between being mad and asking "What's an enigma?"
275[[/folder]]
276
277[[folder:Video Games]]
278* ''VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift'': In the ''Calamity Trigger Reloaded'' story, [[LittleMissSnarker Rachel]] ends her conversation with Ragna with "Well... ''tempers fugit'', Ragna". Ragna responds with "Hey, what the hell'd you call me?!"
279* In the DS translation of ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', after [[spoiler:making him generous through his ancestors]], one of the Porre Mayor's daughters in 1000 AD says "Everybody says Daddy's magnanimous, but he says [[IAmBigBoned he's just big-boned]]."
280* In a ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''-related example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U8NZOAy7m4 this video]] involves asking [[VoxPops random passersby]] what a [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Chocobo Chocobo]] is. At least one person interprets the word as a slur.
281* ''VideoGame/TheNamelessMod'': has this quote from a Board Guest: "I can't believe the moderators won't do anything! Every time I ask something, people call me a faq!"
282* ''VideoGame/NEOTheWorldEndsWithYou'': Happens as beat drop banter when you have resident MadMathematician Minamimoto and high-octane IdiotHero [[spoiler:Beat]] both as active party members.
283-->'''Minamimoto:''' It's all exponential!\
284'''[[spoiler:Beat]]:''' What'chu just call me!?
285* In ''VideoGame/PokerNight2'', when Sam laments that he wishes he had a large mandible like Ash and Brock, Ash is briefly offended until Brock tells Ash that Sam's talking about their chins.
286[[/folder]]
287
288[[folder:Web Animation]]
289* In the first episode of ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'', Stolas calls Blitzo over the phone over the matter of his grimoire. Blitzo demands to know in an aggressive tone what Stolas just called him, forcing Stolas to elaborate that he's referring to the spellbook Blitzo uses to go from Hell to the living world.
290* In the ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' episode "Round One", Ruby laments being starving. Weiss goes into SarcasmMode about there not being any food around while the group is in the middle of the Vytal Festival grounds with all of their food stalls. Ruby, being SarcasmBlind, tries to console Weiss about being absent-minded by admitting she forgets about the fairgrounds too.
291-->'''Weiss:''' ''I'' was being facetious?\
292'''Ruby:''' [stammers] Well, If you were hungry then why didn't you say so?!
293[[/folder]]
294
295[[folder:Webcomics]]
296* Inverted in ''Webcomic/DeanNalaVinny'' after Nala proposes they travel from Scotland to UsefulNotes/{{Iceland}} ''by van'':
297-->'''Vinny''': Do I have to bring out my globe? [[GlobalIgnorance Your knowledge of world geography is ABYSMAL]].\
298'''Nala''': ''(genuinely touched)'' Why, thank you, Vinny. That's kind of you to say. I'm quite sure you're just as abysmal.
299* In ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'', Complains-of-Names says that Minmax's name is an oxymoron, to which Minmax replies "Well, you are a moron."
300* In ''WebComic/JL8'', at Diana's birthday party, Karen [[http://limbero.org/jl8/87 gushes]] over how Clark looks, and Diana responds by agreeing that he looks dapper. Karen takes offence on Clark's behalf until Diana clarifies to her that the word 'dapper' means 'well-dressed'.
301* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': In a CutawayGag, Belkar [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1043.html is seen]] [[FunWithHomophones grilling steaks to kill a vampire]], while yelling "no, YOU'RE a homophone!" at the bemused NPC next to him.
302* ''Webcomic/TheRockCocks'': On page #1004, Suria confides to Elizabeth that her dream was to have sex on stage in the middle of a live concert:
303--> '''Elizabeth:''' Oh gosh... You really are an '''exhibitionist...'''
304--> '''Suria:''' Huh? No, dude, I want to get creampied on a concert stage. I'm not gonna do that at a museum.
305--> '''Elizabeth:''' T-That's... Not what that means...?
306[[/folder]]
307
308[[folder:Web Original]]
309* ''Website/NotAlwaysLearning'': [[https://notalwaysright.com/a-specie-ous-argument/33313/ This woman]] takes offense to her daughter's teacher referring to the human species as ''homo sapiens'', unaware that "homo" literally means "human" in Latin and is thus the proper word for the genus containing humans, rather than just a slang term for those attracted to the same gender. (Fortunately, her very embarrassed daughter knows better and does her best to correct the misunderstanding.)
310* ''Website/NotAlwaysRight'':
311** [[http://notalwaysright.com/a-real-oxymoron/4055 This story]], where a cashier uses the word "oxymoron" and a customer thinks the cashier insulted him.
312** [[https://notalwaysright.com/entree-level-knowledge/85618/ This one]] recognizes that the word "entrée" refers to her order, not herself, but is still insulted, because she did not order any "entrée"; only sandwiches.
313* [[http://community.livejournal.com/fanficrants/10239164.html "I'm not a homophone!]] I write SlashFic!"
314* Similarly, there's a semi-Memetic DemotivationalPoster that features a forum exchange between a former stripper and someone else asking if her being "former" means she'd retired. The former stripper mistakes it for retarded, and HilarityEnsues.
315* An inversion where a teacher punished a student for using a term the teacher didn't know but was clearly intended as an insult. The specific term? [[https://imgur.com/gallery/cSCdj "Hanzo main"]].[[note]]An ''{{VideoGame/Overwatch}}'' meme where people who mainly play Hanzo are stereotyped as [[TheMillstone unskilled bunglers who lead the team to defeat]] and then blame their teammates for it[[/note]]
316[[/folder]]
317
318[[folder:Web Videos]]
319* In the "Film/{{Beauty and the Beast|1946}}" episode of ''WebVideo/BrowsHeldHigh'':
320** Oancitizen says the word "orphic". While it isn't clear if WebVideo/SomeJerkWithACamera thinks it's an insult, it is clear that he doesn't think it's a particularly nice thing to say, especially [[NotInFrontOfTheKid in front of kids]].
321--->'''SJWAC:''' [[HypocriticalHumor You watch your fucking mouth, we are in FUCKING DISNEYLAND MOTHERFUCKER!]]
322** A guy later punches Oancitizen in the face for saying Cocteau in front of his kids.
323* In the ''WebVideo/SteamTrain'' series on ''VideoGame/{{VVVVVV}}'', Ross misunderstanding something Arin said leads to them inventing the character of Dinkles, a nerd [[OxymoronicBeing who's also a buff]] JerkJock and a bully. Arin [[ConversationalTroping imagines him using this exact trope]], leading to this exchange:
324-->'''Dinkles:''' You're such a polynigmion!\
325'''Jock:''' What the... I don't even ''know'' what that means! How could I be offended by that?\
326'''Dinkles:''' When you know what it is, you're gonna be ''super'' offended! In like, ten years, when you take Trig 7, you're gonna be super, ''super'' offended!\
327'''Ross:''' Can you imagine the guy, he's just, like, "Whatever, man", and he actually gets to Trig 7 and he starts crying in class?\
328'''Jock:''' HE CALLED ME A POLYNIGMION! THAT FUCKING ASSHOLE!
329[[/folder]]
330
331[[folder:Western Animation]]
332* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'':
333** Pesto from the "Goodfeathers" cartoons uses something similar to this trope. From their first episode:
334--->'''Squit:''' I wanna be a tough bird, like you, Pesto.\
335'''Pesto:''' Whaddaya mean by that?\
336'''Squit:''' I just mean you're tough, that's all.\
337'''Pesto:''' Are you sayin' I'm an overdone piece of meat? Is that what you're sayin'?\
338'''Squit:''' No, that's not what I'm saying.\
339'''Pesto:''' I am tough?\
340'''Squit:''' Yeah, that's what I'm sayin'.\
341'''Pesto:''' '''''DAT'S IT!!!!''''' ''[he starts to beat up Squit]''
342** Also happens with "Rita and Runt". Rita describes Runt's actions as "chivalric". Runt apologizes.
343* The ''WesternAnimation/CowAndChicken'' episode "Black Sheep of the Family" features the... well, black sheep of the family (a literal black sheep). Everyone would mistake his SesquipedalianLoquaciousness for insults or swearing.
344* A rather serious, if brief example on ''WesternAnimation/DaveyAndGoliath'', a French cobbler says to Davey's little sister Sally, "Dulce, dulce," or "sweet." The children not only take it as an insult but tell their father, which leads to problems when Sally is missing and the father confronts the cobbler over where she is.
345* Done a few times in ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'', such as Edd's reaction to [[RashomonStyle Eddy's side of the story]] in "Once Upon an Ed"
346-->'''Edd:''' Pure fiction, Eddy. Your exaggerated tale can only be described as cockamamie!\
347'''Ed:''' Tsk, tsk, tsk, I have never heard such language.
348* From the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode [[Recap/FamilyGuyS3E1TheThinWhiteLine "The Thin White Line"]].
349-->'''Rehab Center Overseer:''' ''(speaking to Brian and referring to Peter)'' You know this degenerate?\
350'''Peter:''' A degenerate, huh? Well, you are a festizio. See? I can make up words too.
351** An early episode has Meg observe a situation as ironic. Peter responds by telling her that her mother is not an i-ron.
352** In "Dog Gone", PETA causes confusion for Peter:
353--->'''Brian:''' See, I thought I'd start locally, and then maybe try to merge with one of the larger groups.\
354'''Lois:''' That's a great idea, Brian! Maybe you could join PETA!\
355'''Peter:''' Join me for what?\
356'''Lois:''' No, PETA, the organization.\
357'''Peter:''' What organization?\
358'''Lois:''' PETA.\
359'''Peter:''' What?\
360'''Lois:''' PETA is an acronym, Peter.\
361'''Peter:''' No, I'm not, I'm Catholic!\
362'''Stewie:''' Are we really doing this?\
363'''Lois:''' No, Peter, I'm just saying, maybe if this meeting goes well, Brian could be part of a PETA rally.\
364'''Peter:''' Somebody is having a rally for me now?\
365'''Lois:''' No, for PETA!\
366'''Peter:''' That's me! I'm Peter!\
367'''Lois:''' I'm not talking about you, Peter, I'm talking about PETA!\
368'''Peter:''' Somebody better have something to say to me pretty damn soon, or I'm gonna have something to say to them! I'm very busy!\
369'''Chris:''' I think Betty White is in PETA.\
370'''Peter:''' THAT DOSEN'T EVEN MAKE ANY SENSE!
371* In ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', Grim uses the word "aerodynamic" for describing how gnomes fly better in the cold. Billy takes offense.
372-->'''Billy:''' Grim, please! Watch your language! [[ThinkOfTheChildren There are children present]]!\
373'''Grim:''' ''[utterly gobsmacked]''
374** Another instance has Mandy insulting Sperg by... talking nicely about [[YourMom his mom]].
375-->'''Sperg:''' You got something to say to me, squirt?\
376'''Mandy:''' Your mother has a job and is a respected member of the community.\
377'''Sperg:''' No one talks about my mother that way!
378* On ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', Peggy asks the wrestling coach to let Connie on the team, and brings up [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_IX Title IX]], which is the American law that bans gender discrimination in sports, among other things. He replies, "Roe v. Wade has nothing to do with this."
379* In ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop2012'', after Blythe trounces Whittany and Brittany Biskit in a debate.
380-->'''Blythe:''' ''[to Whittany and Brittany]'' Your rebuttal, ladies?\
381'''Brittany:''' Ugh! ''You're'' a butthole, Blythe Baxter!
382* This is probably how the word "nimrod", originally the name of a great hunter from the Bible (and thus a nickname for a hunter), became to mean "a fool, a klutz." In the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short, "Rabbit Every Monday", Bugs Bunny called Yosemite Sam a "little Nimrod," and the kids watching it thought it was some fancy insult they never heard before.
383* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': In "Bugs & Daffy Get a Job", Dr. Wiseberg tells Daffy he has a deviated septum. Daffy slaps him in the face and declares "There's nothing wrong with my septum! (''{{beat}}'') [[IveHeardOfThatWhatIsIt What's a septum?]]"
384* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/MightyMagiswords'', after Vambre complains that Prohyas plays the same songs over and over again, he plays an entirely new one, leading to this exchange:
385-->'''Vambre:''' Now are you going to play it ad nauseum now?\
386'''Prohyas:''' One, ''you're'' a nauseum. And two, I'm never playing it again.
387* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E1TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return of Harmony, Part 1]]", Sweetie Belle calls Scootaloo a dodo. Scootaloo's response? "Don't call me things I don't know the meaning of!" (Though in this particular case, it actually was clearly intended as an insult.)
388* A RunningGag on ''WesternAnimation/PinkyElmyraAndTheBrain'' is Elmyra scolding Brain for being a "naughty-waughty potty mouth" whenever he uses a big word she doesn't understand.
389* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'':
390-->'''Roach Coach:''' I am the future ruler of this planet, you stupid biped!\
391'''Bubbles:''' [[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne Who you calling biped]]?
392* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'':
393** After Squidward finds himself accidentally stuck down a deep well with [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick:
394--->'''Squidward:''' Could you not stand so close? You're making me claustrophobic.\
395'''Patrick:''' What does claustrophobic mean?\
396'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' It means he's afraid of Santa Claus.\
397'''Squidward:''' No, it doesn't.\
398'''Patrick:''' Ho, ho, ho! ''[giggles]''\
399'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Stop it, Patrick; you're scaring him!\
400'''Patrick:''' Ho, ho, ho!\
401'''Squidward:''' It's not working, Patrick.\
402'''Patrick:''' Darn.
403** In "Frozen Face-Off" [=SpongeBob=] takes offense to Sandy using the word "simulacrum" to describe [[ActuallyADoombot Plankton's robotic double]] that they just destroyed.
404* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'', after a legitimate insult to Michelangelo, Fishface calls Casey "[[TokenHuman the obligatory human ally]]". Casey shoots back that he's not "oblidary".
405* An episode of US Acres in ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' had the running gag of someone mentioning procrastination and the other person answers by covering his mouth and saying "Watch your language, [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall this is a kids show!]]"
406* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'', after arriving in Sweden, a guy approaches Tuddrussel and says "Guten Morgen!"[[note]]which is German, not Swedish, but whatever[[/note]]. Tuddrussel automatically assumes he's being insulted and decks the guy. Larry 3000 scolds him and says the guy said, "Good morning."
407[[/folder]]
408
409[[folder:Real Life]]
410* There is an anecdote with frequently changing dramatis personae, where a professor or someone gets caught in an exchange of abuse with a fishwife or female peddler, and finally reduces her to tears by calling her things like "a hypotenuse" or "an isosceles triangle!"
411* An apocryphal story claims that during the 1950 [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem Senate]] campaign in Florida, George Smathers delivered what was called the "redneck speech", in which he referred to his opponent, Claude Pepper, as "a shameless extrovert", whose brother was "a known ''Homo sapiens''". He also mentions that his opponent was found matriculating in Harvard, habitually indulged in celibacy before marriage, practiced nepotism with his niece in Washington, had a sister who was a thespian in New York, and vacillated on the Senate floor.
412* There have been a number of highly publicized cases where people used the word "niggardly" and were accused of racism by people who assumed it was a racial slur. It really means "cheap" or "stingy", and is, in fact, completely unrelated to the n-word, having been borrowed from the Norse language. On the other hand, there's really no benefit to using "niggardly" instead of "stingy".
413* Others have been offended by the supposed race-baiting after hearing the term "black-and-white thinking".
414* Dallas County, Texas Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield (white) had to explain what a ''black hole'' is when fellow Commissioner John Wiley Price (black) took it as a racial slur, prompting Judge Thomas Jones (also black) to demand that Mayfield apologize for his "racist" comment.
415* Similarly, a University of Pennsylvania student in 1993 got charged with racial harassment when he shouted at a crowd of mostly black sorority sisters creating a ruckus outside his dorm, calling them "water buffalo". While under prosecution, he explained the term comes from the Hebrew slang word ''behema'', used by Jews to refer to a loud, rowdy person -- the student was Jewish.
416* The president of the Lake County, Ohio, NAACP [[http://thegrio.com/2011/09/06/sign-ignites-controversy-after-high-school-football-game/ misconstrued]] a "You mad, bro?" sign at a football game as "racial intimidation" against a losing team.
417* Creationist Ray Comfort [[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreasonablefaith/2013/04/ray-comfort-is-still-an-idiot/ once took umbrage at being called a "bibliophile" on Facebook.]] Ironically, the other person's response ("It means a lover of books. I never meant to cast that aspersion upon you.") could be interpreted as a StealthInsult, calling Ray Comfort BookDumb.
418* Bertrand Russell allegedly once put down a lady by saying, "Madam, you are a parallelogram!"
419* Eleazar Blaze, a captain of UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte's army, tells a variant of this: a colonel commanding a frontier fortress was told to be on guard because the equinox was approaching, meaning that nights would get longer. After reviewing his troops and fortifications, the colonel shouted: "Let that bastard of a General Equinox come here and we'll fuck him."
420* This trope can be inverted by small children. They hear a word that they think sounds like an insult or an ideological term that they only hear used contemptuously by their ideologically opinionated parents, so that they think it's inherently an insult. Cue kids referring to other kids they don't like by the political party that their parents hold in high contempt, despite not knowing what the word means.
421* If someone mentions that another is ObfuscatingStupidity or ObfuscatingDisability, there might be a slight chance that the other person might mistake "obfuscating" as something filthy or nasty; on the other hand, YMMV...
422* "Your epidermis is showing" is a straight example that shows up on occasion among elementary school children who learned the word in science class. It works reasonably often on the younger kids who haven't learned what the word means yet.
423* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNyDxo4mb9o This interview]] concludes with the player saying (in German) that he only lost his nerves after his opponent called him "a pardon" -- and yes, that is a (French-derived) German word meaning "sorry" -- not all that common nowadays, but still in use and understood by non-BookDumb people.
424* Orthodox Jews in Israel generally adhere to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_calendar Hebrew calendar,]] which uses [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gematria gematria]] in place of numbers to mark days in a month. In colloquial Hebrew, the Arabic ''[[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D9%8A%D8%A7 ya]]'', used originally as a vocative particle, is used before insults (kinda like "you" in "YouBastard"). And, it just so happens that the letters used to write ''ya'' in Hebrew (יא) also mean '11' in gematria. All this leads to [[https://www.facebook.com/dosim.metsaitsimm/photos/a.408481085864747.87942.408459909200198/906656129380571 this]] very confusing conversation between a religious soldier and his non-religious IDF commander, who thought "Tammuz" (the name of a month) to be some insult he must have misunderstood:
425-->'''Commander:''' Vaanunu, when's the wedding?\
426'''Soldier:''' Tammuz 11.\
427'''Commander:''' Who are you calling a Tammuz.
428* [[https://ftw.usatoday.com/2022/06/teacher-asks-reddit-students-goat-joke A viral thread]] on the Reddit board "r/nostupidquestions" saw a concerned teacher asking the group why her students continually called her "a goat". She was informed that her students weren't calling her "a goat"; they were calling her "the G.O.A.T." - an acronym meaning "Greatest Of All Time." The teacher was both relieved and overjoyed by this.
429* As described in Creator/BertLahr's biography ''Notes on a Cowardly Lion'', during the rehearsal period for a New York production of ''Theatre/WaitingForGodot'', Lahr once found a statement from the play's director, Herbert Berghof, in a newspaper in which Berghof said that "Lahr's a primitive", followed by a more direct compliment, and "read the statement with interest. He checked the word in his dictionary, making sure it was not perjorative." (Given the context and definition, Berghof likely meant it to mean "original".)
430[[/folder]]

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