Perhaps a couple of centuries ago, the answer to the question of who such a bastard would not cause much difficulty. The villagers, without delving into the intricacies of the reproduction of domestic animals, called this word any creature that was born as a result of mating individuals of different species. That is, the bastard was considered a puppy born to a dog from a wolf, or a foal conceived by a mare from a donkey. In the modern language, this word has become a curse word, it has a pronounced negative connotation.
The origin and meaning of the word
So we found out who the bastard is. Now let's try to understand what word this noun is derived from. Obviously, in its sound, a slightly modified root is present, which is present in the verbs “fornication” or “wander”.
Our ancestors called so crossbreeding (hybrid) offspring of animals for the reason that it was unplanned. That is, the yard dog escaped into the forest, wandered there for a while, and then it was bewildered by an awkward creature that had common features with both a wolf and a dog. The same thing could happen with a donkey or a horse if they mated with males of a different kind.
Answering the question of who the bastard is, it can be assumed that this word in ancient times had a negative meaning. Surely the owners of livestock did not feel much enthusiasm when their pets brought offspring that did not meet established standards or, worse, was incapable of further reproduction.
How a word turned into a curse word
Over time, the term began to be used not only in relation to animals, but also in relation to people, that is, to children born out of wedlock. Initially, this was the name of the offspring of a servant who conceived a child from a gentleman, or a child whose mother was considered a walking woman. Based on this, it is not difficult to understand who the bastard is. In other words, this is the son of a harlot. It is not known whether the illegitimate girls were called with a similar word, since it still does not have a feminine gender.
In post-revolutionary Russia, when the birth of children without a father ceased to be considered a great sin, and at the end of the Great Patriotic War it became a necessity and was encouraged by the state, what is a "bastard" in the literal sense, gradually forgotten. Now this word can be heard in abusive speech addressed to a person who does not observe generally accepted moral principles, has low-lying animal instincts.