blunderer

How rude is the word "blunderer"?
For example, could a chief say it to his employee, if he doesn't want to be rude, but only strict?

Ptak, please elaborate on your context. How is the word being used by the boss to his employee? Although "blunderer" is a fairly benign word, the context in which it's said could be rude enough to make the word, itself, rude. Depending on what's said, it could mean anything from "You're always making mistakes. Please shape up." to "You're a walking mistake. Quit being such a moron!"

In AE, it is not common to call a person a blunderer. It is not rude to call a mistake a blunder, but it is stronger than describing the mistake as a "slip up" or "accident." It may be rude to call a small mistake a blunder.

Perhaps a more common word to describe the employee is "careless."

Hi,

I'm not a native speaker, so I can only offer my limited experience:

Blunder isn't that harsh, it's a way to call a really daft thing someone did. Blunderer is a lot nastier: it's not the act that it criticises, but the person. I think it's more powerful than "clumsy," for instance. It's also pretty informal so I don't think a "strict but not rude" chief would use it.

(the word always makes me think of cartoon baddies shouting "You blundering fool!")


EDIT: Oh, so late yet again...

I see, thanks for the replies.