penfield | A for Effort

"One great use of words is to hide our thoughts"
- Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet, elightenment thinker and all-around big-mouth)

In previous instances I have mentioned my untraditional thoughts about cursing and my general discomfort with adults-only topics in mainstream discourse, but here's something else I have to admit on this topic: some of these adult phrases are sort of a mystery to me.

For example, I often hear people -- usually "tough guys" like Charles Bronson or John "Die Hard 5: Die, Already" McLaine -- use the term "F#&king A." At least I think it's "F#&king A." It could be "F#&king Hey!" or the vaguely Canadian "F#&king, Eh." Whatever it is, I don't know what it is supposed to mean. It is apparently used as a communication of agreement, like "right on." But that is of no denotative help. Does the "A" stand for something, and if so, why abbreviate it? Does it represent the "A" word? If so, how can we explain this exchange from Office Space:

Peter Gibbons: This isn't so bad, huh? Makin' bucks, gettin' exercise, workin' outside.
Lawrence: F#&kin' A[ssh*le].
Peter Gibbons: [nods] Fuckin' A[ssh*le].

If anyone can shed any light on this issue, I would be most appreciative.