Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1998 08:50:40 +1100 From: Sue Blake <sue@welearn.com.au> To: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org> Cc: Mark Ovens <marko@uk.radan.com>, chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Regulated names (was: Crazy Laws) Message-ID: <19981227085040.45844@welearn.com.au> In-Reply-To: <4.1.19981226141941.058890f0@mail.lariat.org>; from Brett Glass on Sat, Dec 26, 1998 at 02:32:37PM -0700 References: <4.1.19981224174155.03dd8670@127.0.0.1> <368378AB.969463E2@uk.radan.com> <4.1.19981225064918.05738f10@127.0.0.1> <19981226021926.65101@welearn.com.au> <4.1.19981225180656.05a34790@mail.lariat.org> <4.1.19981225190800.058aee00@mail.lariat.org> <36852104.F849F0E5@uk.radan.com> <4.1.19981226110528.05881580@mail.lariat.org> <19981227080030.58332@welearn.com.au> <4.1.19981226141941.058890f0@mail.lariat.org>
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On Sat, Dec 26, 1998 at 02:32:37PM -0700, Brett Glass wrote:
> At 08:00 AM 12/27/98 +1100, Sue Blake wrote:
>
> >Close, Brett, but you still don't seem to get it.
>
> Yes, I do get it, in all its inglorious vulgarity.
Oh, I see. You get it, but you're not rude enough to spell it out. In
fact you'll risk being misinterpreted to avoid being seen as indelicate
to your part of the world. But you are naughty enough to continue using
a word that is potentially highly offensive to us (and Australians are
*not* easily offended by words). Bloody typical :-)
> >> You see, in the US, the word "ass," when used to refer a part
> >> of the human body is considered mildly vulgar.
> >
> >And here "ass" is a donkey. Our word "arse" is probably equivalent.
>
> Yes. But there's another twist; see below.
>
> >> But "fanny" doesn't have the connotations it does in other countries,
> >> and so is used as a EUPHEMISM for that word in polite company.
> >
> >No, no, no. You still don't seem to realise what you're saying to us.
> >It's not about connotations; the word has an entirely different
> >*meaning*.
>
> Actually, it seems that the American and British/Australian variants
> have a common origin; the meanings have just drifted apart anatomically
> as well as semantically. See the OED.
>
> >It refers to an importantly different part of the anatomy.
>
> In America, the word "ass" is, in some contexts, used to refer
> to that part of the anatomy, too. As in "piece of ~". (See an
> unabridged American dictionary or, again, the OED.)
Oh, I've always thought that phrase was a euphemism, referring to a
nearby place to feebly hide the real target, rather than actually
naming a different place.
> Nonetheless, an American generally wouldn't interpret the term
> "fanny pack" as being a crude name for a feminine hygeine product
> (which is almost the only possible interpretation in British
> English).
>
> >At this rate I'm surprised we ever managed to interbreed.
>
> I'm not. Partners of different origins seem to like to tease
> one another about such differences. They're often good for a
> giggle.
Yeah, maybe.
I'm intrigued by your response. You've tactfully edited out my "c"
word, but left your "f" word in all its vulgarity.
--
Regards,
-*Sue*-
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