Chapter 32 Summary

The narrator explains his theories about British swear words and slang. He thinks swear words lose their original meaning after regular use, and that after a while, the empty expletives lose their shock value and become accepted in fine society. He also lists current slang words and their meanings.

Chapter 32 Analysis

The content of this chapter seems to have little or no relevance to the plot of the novel, but it shows that the narrator is still a thinking person. Paddy is not a thinking person, but Bozo has inspired the narrator to keep thinking and learning despite his poverty. Also, having recently returned from France, the narrator is still adjusting to the differences in culture and language.