Picking the right word

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Cougar76

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Hello,


I'm looking for a right word to use in a sentence, a word describing an incompetent person who messes up everything they touch. The sentence is:


"Hopefully even a XXX such as yourself can do that!"


What would be the best (non-vulgar) word to use in this context, to sound natural to a native speaker? Gawk, muff, oaf...? Being a non-native speaker I'm not sure which one to pick :) Thanks!
 

emsr2d2

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"Klutz" is a fairly commonly-used word. It comes from Yiddish and means "a clumsy person". Of course, in this day and age of political correctness, you might want to avoid a word which comes from a culture not your own in case someone thinks you are making fun of it.

I can't think of a standard BrE word which suggests a clumsy or incompetent person. I certainly wouldn't use gawk or muff. "Oaf" is close.
 

TomUK

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I looked up 'clumsy' in the online OALD and found 'clodhopper' as a word to describe an awkward or clumsy person, but I have to say that in nearly 17 years in the UK I have never heard anybody using this word.

If I were to address a British person I might say: "Hopefully even a Frank Spencer such as yourself can do that!" (Google "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" for an explanation.)

TomUK
 

SlickVic9000

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Moron, doofus, butterfingers, klutz, lug, and oaf are all fine. I'm a little partial to "clumsy oaf" myself.
 

Grumpy

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Most people of a certain age in the UK would understand "plonker" in this context - as in "You plonker, Rodney", from the TV comedy "Only Fools and Horses".
 

emsr2d2

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Most people of a certain age in the UK would understand "plonker" in this context - as in "You plonker, Rodney", from the TV comedy "Only Fools and Horses".

It's a great word but it doesn't suggest clumsiness, in my opinion.

Clodhopper is a fantastic word but it isn't seen frequently. It's the name of a children's shoe shop where I ilve!

Butterfingers is perfect as an exclamation but I'm not sure I would describe someone as "a butterfingers". It's normally something you say after someone drops something and damages/breaks it. We would just say "Butterfingers!" after witnessing such an accident.
 

TomUK

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Most people of a certain age in the UK would understand "plonker" in this context - as in "You plonker, Rodney", from the TV comedy "Only Fools and Horses".

I never thought it would happen to me, but it seems I am now also a member of the 'people of a certain age' group. Apart from 'plonker' I had also considered 'pillock' and some other more offensive words, but I felt that none of them really said in one word what the OP wanted to express.

TomUK
 

MikeNewYork

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Hello,


I'm looking for a right word to use in a sentence, a word describing an incompetent person who messes up everything they touch. The sentence is:


"Hopefully even a XXX such as yourself can do that!"


What would be the best (non-vulgar) word to use in this context, to sound natural to a native speaker? Gawk, muff, oaf...? Being a non-native speaker I'm not sure which one to pick :) Thanks!

Another Yiddish word that would fit is "schlemiel".
 

susiedq

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screwup could also be used.
 
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