I love substitutes swear words in different languages, especially when they're events where is that don't feel very strong to outsiders.

In French canadian, for example, one set of commons swear words centers around the Church and the rite of communion. Tabernak (for tabernacle) is one such word, and like "bloody hell" it's actually quite profane even if you do hear it quite a bit in certain circles.

I learned the substitute one day having a beer across the street with my Montreal neighbor. His 9-year-old son walked into the room just as he was winding up to the climax of a funny story and started to say tabernak. He caught sight of his son and turned it into tabernoosh, the acceptable substitute, mid-syllable and just in time to avoid his wife's wrath.

Tabernoosh sounds a bit silly to my American ears, but to Yves, it was salvation from the truly coarse Tabernak, which has no emotional impact on me at all, even today when I know how strong it feels to the quebecois.

Languages fascinate me in how they work like that.