Talk:go to the devil

this is listed in dictionaries, but

it sounds a lot like non-native English speakers' use, translating foreign idioms such as those of Greek or Romanian. Has anyone heard this in person from a native speaker? I think I can still find usage in books and all that, but sometimes that can be deceiving and I wonder if it should be marked as rare even if it is amply cited. Thanks, —Soap— 01:36, 1 July 2023 (UTC)

I first heard it in a 1968 episode of Star Trek. I'm pretty sure it mostly only exists as a censor-friendly substitute for go to hell, and as such isn't really used nowadays. The (dated) label would probably be appropriate here, honestly. Binarystep (talk) 01:51, 1 July 2023 (UTC)

Okay thank you. I will look more into this when I get around to it, as it could potentially be used in three different contexts ... 1) historical use with the intent to cause offense, 2) censorship, since it is now seen as too awkward to be offensive, and 3) foreign language learners translating their main language's idiom literally. —Soap— 23:30, 2 July 2023 (UTC)