The original Secret of Monkey Island had a system called "insult swordfighting". One combatant would taunt the other ("you fight like a dairy farmer!"); if the recipient came up with a good response ("how appropriate. You fight like a cow"), they would take a turn. If not, they would get pushed back. Get pushed far enough back and you lose.
That's what VBProgrammer was referencing. During the Dashing Swordsman sequence in OOTS, Rich recieved a lot of fan mail for referencing MI, but said he'd never heard of it before.
There's also the Pkunk from the Star Control II video game. They recharge their spacecraft by shouting insults at their enemies to drain "emotional energy."
A: Soon you´ll be wearing my sword like a shish kebab! B: First you better stop waiving it like a feather-duster.