Didn't they get the news? It's the week to celebrate cuss words, not prevent them from roaming free!
California's government should be spending their time worrying about more important matters than regulating people's language.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
The "C-Word"
“What is the difference between a circus and a strip club? The circus has a bunch of cunning stunts.” This spoonerism creates a word play just like the bumper sticker “Buck Fush.” Although, I have to admit this one is cleverer because “fush” isn’t even a word.
But what, exactly, does the “c-word” mean? Here are a few theories:
When used with a positive qualifier (such as “good”) it can take on a positive connotation in New Zealand or Australia.
Feminists reclaim the word
As an abusive term, the “c-word” implies that a woman’s primary usefulness is as a sexual object. Many feminists have tried to reclaim the word the same way the LGBT community has reclaimed “queer.”
Inga Muscio’s book Cunt: A Declaration of Independence claims that
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales uses the word as a non-offensive term, closely associated with “quaint.”
Shakespeare used wordplay to suggest the then-offensive word with the phrase “country matters” in Hamlet.
A few CANOEs
A "cuntline" is the space between casks stored side by side on a ship, and a "cunt splice" refers to a type of rigging.
Okay, I will finally type it out. Cunt.
But what, exactly, does the “c-word” mean? Here are a few theories:
1. A reference to female genitalia
2. Unpleasant or stupid person
3. A disparaging term for a woman
4. A despicable man
5. A term of endearment
When used with a positive qualifier (such as “good”) it can take on a positive connotation in New Zealand or Australia.
Feminists reclaim the word
As an abusive term, the “c-word” implies that a woman’s primary usefulness is as a sexual object. Many feminists have tried to reclaim the word the same way the LGBT community has reclaimed “queer.”
Inga Muscio’s book Cunt: A Declaration of Independence claims that
“only by reconnecting with a love for their genitalia can women achieve personal and political power.”Literary references
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales uses the word as a non-offensive term, closely associated with “quaint.”
Shakespeare used wordplay to suggest the then-offensive word with the phrase “country matters” in Hamlet.
A few CANOEs
A "cuntline" is the space between casks stored side by side on a ship, and a "cunt splice" refers to a type of rigging.
Okay, I will finally type it out. Cunt.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Fornicating Under Consent of the King
Although acronymic origins for words are rare, many people insist that the word “fuck” was derived from one of two acronyms: Fornication Under Consent of the King or For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.
The story behind the first is that married couples were required to obtain the king’s permission to engage in intercourse. Beyond the fact that this never happened, the original definition of “fornication” betrays this theory. Traditionally, “fornication” did not refer to sex within the context of marriage.
As far as the other acronym is concerned, it is unlikely that prisoners would be labeled as such, if for nothing else the fact that the word “for” was not usually used to mark crimes in the 18th and 19th centuries. For example, a wrongdoer in the stocks might be sentenced to wear a sign that says “stealing,” not “for stealing.”
The “f-word,” which is very versatile, is usually used in relation to sex, as an insult, or to express distress, frustration, pain, and almost any other emotion you can think of. It is also a word that lies at the heart of the Free Speech debate, so it tends to polarize public opinion.
The actual origins of the word are much less exciting than the false acronyms. With its earliest usage in 1503, the word “fuck” comes from the Dutch “fokken” (to breed, as in cattle), from Swedish dialect “fokka” (to copulate) or “focca” (to strike, push), and Norwegian dialect “fukka” (to copulate).
Steven Anderson’s 2005 documentary “Fuck” explores the word’s origins and why it offends. But watch out: they use the “f-word” a whopping 824 times in this film. With the exclusion of pornographic films, the next runner up is “Nil by Mouth” (1997) with a mere 470 uses.
The story behind the first is that married couples were required to obtain the king’s permission to engage in intercourse. Beyond the fact that this never happened, the original definition of “fornication” betrays this theory. Traditionally, “fornication” did not refer to sex within the context of marriage.
As far as the other acronym is concerned, it is unlikely that prisoners would be labeled as such, if for nothing else the fact that the word “for” was not usually used to mark crimes in the 18th and 19th centuries. For example, a wrongdoer in the stocks might be sentenced to wear a sign that says “stealing,” not “for stealing.”
The “f-word,” which is very versatile, is usually used in relation to sex, as an insult, or to express distress, frustration, pain, and almost any other emotion you can think of. It is also a word that lies at the heart of the Free Speech debate, so it tends to polarize public opinion.
The actual origins of the word are much less exciting than the false acronyms. With its earliest usage in 1503, the word “fuck” comes from the Dutch “fokken” (to breed, as in cattle), from Swedish dialect “fokka” (to copulate) or “focca” (to strike, push), and Norwegian dialect “fukka” (to copulate).
Steven Anderson’s 2005 documentary “Fuck” explores the word’s origins and why it offends. But watch out: they use the “f-word” a whopping 824 times in this film. With the exclusion of pornographic films, the next runner up is “Nil by Mouth” (1997) with a mere 470 uses.
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