“Yipee-ki-yay, Motherfucker!”

If you’re a fan, of the Die Hard movies, I shouldn’t have to explain this one to you. But for the unenlightened, “yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker” is what the Bruce Willis’ character says when he does something really cool like killing his nemesis in a violent way or blowing something up. The word “motherfucker” is also a regular feature in the movie Pulp Fiction, which is another totally awesome senseless action movie.

There is some debate about the origins of the word “motherfucker” and how it is used. One theory states that it was used as early as the 1300’s to refer to someone who has sexual intercourse with his own mother, like Oedipus.

A more likely origin comes from World War II, when American soldiers traded food, money and valuables for sex with poor German and French homemakers whose husbands were either at war, in prison, or dead. Calling another soldier a “motherfucker” meant that the soldier either 1. took advantage of poor people with no options or 2. was unable to seduce a woman who was not desperate.

Over the years, the word has become a general insult, with no real reference to incest or sexual intercourse. It is often used as a term of derision or to indicate intensity (used in the same way as the word “fuck”).

Many people have used the word “motherfucker” to label themselves or the things they associate with. A few examples include:

1. Up Against the Wall Motherfuckers, an anarchist affinity group based in New York City, founded in 1966.
2. A variety of alcoholic drinks, including this one: Adios Motherfucker.
3. Librarians Who Say Motherfucker, a LiveJournal group for library workers who express frustration about their jobs.

If you want to jump on the bandwagon, buy your very own “Bad Motherfucker” wallet (like the one in Pulp Fiction), here.