Another of those kind of questions...

[RavenSpirit2k4]

Do you remember when the polite version of "pain in the ass" was "pain in the neck"? The latter fell out of favor because people didn't want to softpedal the saying.

But why would a pain in the ass be worse than a pain in the neck? I've had pains in both, and pains in the neck are much more annoying. So shouldn't "pain in the neck" be someone or something that even more aggravating than a pain in the ass?

Discuss.

 

[gauchecritic]

Except that pain in the neck doesn't have the necessary sexual innuendo that is the forte of the great unwashed.

Pain in the ass, as you probably are aware, is hardly an insult at all over here. We don't even own donkeys much less have pain in their crossbred offspring.

Gauche

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Have you ever had a bad case of hemaroids? Then you would understand.

 

[pop_54]

Do you remember when the polite version of "pain in the ass" was "pain in the neck"? The latter fell out of favor because people didn't want to softpedal the saying.

But why would a pain in the ass be worse than a pain in the neck? I've had pains in both, and pains in the neck are much more annoying. So shouldn't "pain in the neck" be someone or something that even more aggravating than a pain in the ass?

Discuss.

Depends on what's giving you the pain in the arse

I get your meaning though, and goodness knows why other than to deliberately lower the moral tone of the phrase.

 

[McKenna]

Do you remember when the polite version of "pain in the ass" was "pain in the neck"? The latter fell out of favor because people didn't want to softpedal the saying.

But why would a pain in the ass be worse than a pain in the neck? I've had pains in both, and pains in the neck are much more annoying. So shouldn't "pain in the neck" be someone or something that even more aggravating than a pain in the ass?

Discuss.

What about the pain that isn't specifically identified?

For example:

"You're such a pain!"

 

[RavenSpirit2k4]

Have you ever had a bad case of hemaroids? Then you would understand.

We have a winner! I hadn't thought of that.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

We have a winner! I hadn't thought of that.

My ass thanks you