POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Jul 17th 2004, 7:40 pm
#46
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Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Nancy Kay writes:
> They would catch on quick to the unpleasant meaning of Merkin if they
> accessed this newsgroup.
Pleasant or unpleasant is in the eyes of the beholder.
--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
> They would catch on quick to the unpleasant meaning of Merkin if they
> accessed this newsgroup.
Pleasant or unpleasant is in the eyes of the beholder.
--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
Jul 17th 2004, 9:21 pm
#47
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Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
"jenn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
...
> Frog, Kraut, Dago and Wop are NEVER said in a non derogatory fashion
You are certainly wrong about the use of Frog. In Britain, it can be used
almost as a term of affection.
Colin Bignell
news:[email protected]...
...
> Frog, Kraut, Dago and Wop are NEVER said in a non derogatory fashion
You are certainly wrong about the use of Frog. In Britain, it can be used
almost as a term of affection.
Colin Bignell
Jul 17th 2004, 9:27 pm
#48
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Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Having no culture means the advantage of not being offended.
Jens
Jens
Jul 17th 2004, 9:39 pm
#49
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Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 01:38:11 +0100, in rec.travel.europe, "Des O'Donoghue"
<[email protected]> arranged some electrons, so they looked like this :
... Tim Kroesen wrote:
... ...
... > How far in life has Magda's intelligence brought her; and what funny
... > accent might she suffer???
... >
... > Tim K
...
... or vice-versa..
My accent is "funny" ? How does he know ? LOL
<[email protected]> arranged some electrons, so they looked like this :
... Tim Kroesen wrote:
... ...
... > How far in life has Magda's intelligence brought her; and what funny
... > accent might she suffer???
... >
... > Tim K
...
... or vice-versa..
My accent is "funny" ? How does he know ? LOL
Jul 17th 2004, 11:32 pm
#50
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Mxsmanic <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Nancy Kay writes:
>
>> They would catch on quick to the unpleasant meaning of Merkin if they
>> accessed this newsgroup.
>
> Pleasant or unpleasant is in the eyes of the beholder.
>
Ok frfom the Straight Dope website
Dear Cecil:
What exactly is a "merkin"? Ever since the word was thrust into my
consciousness it's been tormenting me. My Oxford English Dictionary
defines it as the "female pudendum," which seems a trifle sedate, given
the listed quote of 1714, "This put a strange Whim in his Head; which
was, to get the hairy circle of her Merkin ... This he dry'd well and
comb'd out, and then return'd to the Cardinal, telling him, he had
brought Saint Peter's Beard."
And it's downhill from there. The OED "b" definition says a merkin is a
"counterfeit hair for women's privy parts," and another dictionary calls
it a "pubic hair wig." Sorry, but these explanations defy understanding.
I mean, I've heard of niche markets, but this is ridiculous. My own
interest in the word isn't just academic, as I'd like to make use of the
fine quote of 1680, "Or wear some stinking Merkin for a Beard," but I
want to make damn sure I know what the original item was. --Andrew
Scheinman, Los Angeles
Dear Andrew:
Cecil doesn't have the most reputable sources for this kind of thing. In
fact, I blush to admit, I have been fishing for tips once
again on the Internet. I do not want to give the impression I spend all
my time on the Internet, but in the right hands it is a
wondrous tool, and in the wrong hands it is an even better one. Here's
what's turned up so far:
A merkin is somebody who lives in Merika. (Har!)
They used to shave off all the pubic hair as a cure for syphillis, so
the well-to-do used wigs.
Before penicillin was around to ease the lives of the promiscuous, these
were used to cover up any sores prostitutes may have obtained in the
line of duty.
They used to treat the syphilitic with mercury, which caused baldness.
The merkin is for women with no pubic hair. Some people just don't
develop hair down there, and this can be embarrassing.
In days of old a common problem was lice. One of the ways people dealt
with this was to shave all the hair off their bodies, including arms,
legs, and pubes. Wigs became very popular. Pubic wigs caught on slowly,
starting among the kinkier set, but eventually became halfway
respectable.
A merkin is a crotch wig for both men and women and is usually worn on
the outside. Have you ever seen a Scot in full regalia? That little fur
"purse" in front is a merkin.
<<MINOR Quibble: this last is wwrong itis a Sporran>>
In a country of mainly dark haired people, a prostitute may wear a blond
merkin to be unusual and therefore more desirable. (Got this from a
dictionary of sex.)
One of the more recent uses is to allow exotic dancers to comply with
local laws prohibiting full nudity. They wear what amounts to a flesh-
colored panty with hair on the front, appearing to the patrons of the
establishment to disrobe completely without actually doing so.
In a sci fi story by John Varley called something like "The Barbie
Murders," a group of women gives up individuality (and sex) and
undergoes surgery to become perfect nonsexual beings resembling Barbie
dolls. This involves losing genitals, pubic hair, etc. One Barbie goes
back to being a woman for a night, painting on nipples and using a
merkin.
Fascinating, ja? Erudite answers from around the globe, and not one of
them duplicates another. Also, one is still left with a nagging
question: who's a merkin supposed to fool? By the time you get to the
level of intimacy where somebody is going to see whether you have pubic
hair or not, your range of observation, as we might say, is such that a
wig is not going to make for a very convincing masquerade, strippers
possibly excepted. VOICE FROM THE NET: Yeah, but during the period when
merkins were popular, the degree of intimacy among the upper class was
low even during sex. ME: What's that supposed to mean, you had your
valet do it for you? You sent it in by mail? Clearly more investigation
needs to be done.
news:[email protected]:
> Nancy Kay writes:
>
>> They would catch on quick to the unpleasant meaning of Merkin if they
>> accessed this newsgroup.
>
> Pleasant or unpleasant is in the eyes of the beholder.
>
Ok frfom the Straight Dope website
Dear Cecil:
What exactly is a "merkin"? Ever since the word was thrust into my
consciousness it's been tormenting me. My Oxford English Dictionary
defines it as the "female pudendum," which seems a trifle sedate, given
the listed quote of 1714, "This put a strange Whim in his Head; which
was, to get the hairy circle of her Merkin ... This he dry'd well and
comb'd out, and then return'd to the Cardinal, telling him, he had
brought Saint Peter's Beard."
And it's downhill from there. The OED "b" definition says a merkin is a
"counterfeit hair for women's privy parts," and another dictionary calls
it a "pubic hair wig." Sorry, but these explanations defy understanding.
I mean, I've heard of niche markets, but this is ridiculous. My own
interest in the word isn't just academic, as I'd like to make use of the
fine quote of 1680, "Or wear some stinking Merkin for a Beard," but I
want to make damn sure I know what the original item was. --Andrew
Scheinman, Los Angeles
Dear Andrew:
Cecil doesn't have the most reputable sources for this kind of thing. In
fact, I blush to admit, I have been fishing for tips once
again on the Internet. I do not want to give the impression I spend all
my time on the Internet, but in the right hands it is a
wondrous tool, and in the wrong hands it is an even better one. Here's
what's turned up so far:
A merkin is somebody who lives in Merika. (Har!)
They used to shave off all the pubic hair as a cure for syphillis, so
the well-to-do used wigs.
Before penicillin was around to ease the lives of the promiscuous, these
were used to cover up any sores prostitutes may have obtained in the
line of duty.
They used to treat the syphilitic with mercury, which caused baldness.
The merkin is for women with no pubic hair. Some people just don't
develop hair down there, and this can be embarrassing.
In days of old a common problem was lice. One of the ways people dealt
with this was to shave all the hair off their bodies, including arms,
legs, and pubes. Wigs became very popular. Pubic wigs caught on slowly,
starting among the kinkier set, but eventually became halfway
respectable.
A merkin is a crotch wig for both men and women and is usually worn on
the outside. Have you ever seen a Scot in full regalia? That little fur
"purse" in front is a merkin.
<<MINOR Quibble: this last is wwrong itis a Sporran>>
In a country of mainly dark haired people, a prostitute may wear a blond
merkin to be unusual and therefore more desirable. (Got this from a
dictionary of sex.)
One of the more recent uses is to allow exotic dancers to comply with
local laws prohibiting full nudity. They wear what amounts to a flesh-
colored panty with hair on the front, appearing to the patrons of the
establishment to disrobe completely without actually doing so.
In a sci fi story by John Varley called something like "The Barbie
Murders," a group of women gives up individuality (and sex) and
undergoes surgery to become perfect nonsexual beings resembling Barbie
dolls. This involves losing genitals, pubic hair, etc. One Barbie goes
back to being a woman for a night, painting on nipples and using a
merkin.
Fascinating, ja? Erudite answers from around the globe, and not one of
them duplicates another. Also, one is still left with a nagging
question: who's a merkin supposed to fool? By the time you get to the
level of intimacy where somebody is going to see whether you have pubic
hair or not, your range of observation, as we might say, is such that a
wig is not going to make for a very convincing masquerade, strippers
possibly excepted. VOICE FROM THE NET: Yeah, but during the period when
merkins were popular, the degree of intimacy among the upper class was
low even during sex. ME: What's that supposed to mean, you had your
valet do it for you? You sent it in by mail? Clearly more investigation
needs to be done.
Jul 17th 2004, 11:53 pm
#51
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
"Magda" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 01:38:11 +0100, in rec.travel.europe, "Des O'Donoghue"
> <[email protected]> arranged some electrons, so they looked like
this :
> ... Tim Kroesen wrote:
> ... ...
> ... > How far in life has Magda's intelligence brought her; and what
funny
> ... > accent might she suffer???
> ... >
> ... > Tim K
> ...
> ... or vice-versa..
> My accent is "funny" ? How does he know ? LOL
He can obviously tell accents from the way postings are typed :-) Another
example of some American's omniscience...
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 01:38:11 +0100, in rec.travel.europe, "Des O'Donoghue"
> <[email protected]> arranged some electrons, so they looked like
this :
> ... Tim Kroesen wrote:
> ... ...
> ... > How far in life has Magda's intelligence brought her; and what
funny
> ... > accent might she suffer???
> ... >
> ... > Tim K
> ...
> ... or vice-versa..
> My accent is "funny" ? How does he know ? LOL
He can obviously tell accents from the way postings are typed :-) Another
example of some American's omniscience...
Jul 18th 2004, 12:09 am
#52
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 09:22:44 -0500, jenn <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>Frog, Kraut, Dago and Wop are NEVER said in a non derogatory fashion
Old buffers like Godfrey Smith use frog affectionately, and see it as
equivalent to rosbif.
>>
>Frog, Kraut, Dago and Wop are NEVER said in a non derogatory fashion
Old buffers like Godfrey Smith use frog affectionately, and see it as
equivalent to rosbif.
Jul 18th 2004, 2:28 am
#53
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
jenn <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:
> Frog, Kraut, Dago and Wop are NEVER said in a non derogatory fashion
Krautrock
What are Dagos and Wops anyway?
Regards
--
Würde ich vier Cousinen haben, wögen sie 312 Kilo.
http://www.wschwanke.de/ usenet_20031215 (AT) wschwanke (DOT) de
> Frog, Kraut, Dago and Wop are NEVER said in a non derogatory fashion
Krautrock
What are Dagos and Wops anyway?
Regards
--
Würde ich vier Cousinen haben, wögen sie 312 Kilo.
http://www.wschwanke.de/ usenet_20031215 (AT) wschwanke (DOT) de
Jul 18th 2004, 2:32 am
#54
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 04:06:12 GMT, [email protected] (Miguel Cruz) wrote:
>Tim Kroesen <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Many of the most successful businessmen in the world 'bankrupted'
>> previous businesses; Donald Trump comes to mind Evelyn...
>Yes, but the different with successful businessmen is that they eventually
>stop doing it.
Some "successful businessmen" believe that bankruptcy is a legitimate
business strategy. Trump's close to using it again.
http://biz.yahoo.com/fool/040528/1085770200_1.html
Gordon
>Tim Kroesen <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Many of the most successful businessmen in the world 'bankrupted'
>> previous businesses; Donald Trump comes to mind Evelyn...
>Yes, but the different with successful businessmen is that they eventually
>stop doing it.
Some "successful businessmen" believe that bankruptcy is a legitimate
business strategy. Trump's close to using it again.
http://biz.yahoo.com/fool/040528/1085770200_1.html
Gordon
Jul 18th 2004, 6:16 am
#55
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Nancy Kay wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>>Sorry Mixi; you're talking 'royalty' now using the term inheritance
>>>regarding political power; no Kennedys in the race this year here...<g>
>>Might be better if there were!
>
>
> We might have a hard time understanding their eastern accent and then
> we'd know for sure they were no smarter that your give Bush credit for.
It's not Bush's ACCENT most of his opponents object to - it's what he
SAYS in that accent! (And how often he changes his story, or refuses to
recognize any actual facts that contradict his preconceived notions.)
>
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>>Sorry Mixi; you're talking 'royalty' now using the term inheritance
>>>regarding political power; no Kennedys in the race this year here...<g>
>>Might be better if there were!
>
>
> We might have a hard time understanding their eastern accent and then
> we'd know for sure they were no smarter that your give Bush credit for.
It's not Bush's ACCENT most of his opponents object to - it's what he
SAYS in that accent! (And how often he changes his story, or refuses to
recognize any actual facts that contradict his preconceived notions.)
>
Jul 18th 2004, 6:19 am
#56
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Nancy Kay wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> jenn <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>Americans from the south don't much like yank but it doesn't bother
>>northerners and most poeple don't know the unpleasant meaning of Merkin
>
>
> They would catch on quick to the unpleasant meaning of Merkin if they
> accessed this newsgroup.
Really? I don't know what it means (and really don't care) - for SOME
of the alleged "Americans" posting here, "unpleasant" pejoratives seem
singularly apt.
>
> In article <[email protected]>,
> jenn <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>Americans from the south don't much like yank but it doesn't bother
>>northerners and most poeple don't know the unpleasant meaning of Merkin
>
>
> They would catch on quick to the unpleasant meaning of Merkin if they
> accessed this newsgroup.
Really? I don't know what it means (and really don't care) - for SOME
of the alleged "Americans" posting here, "unpleasant" pejoratives seem
singularly apt.
>
Jul 18th 2004, 6:20 am
#57
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Nancy Kay wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Mxsmanic <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>I'm never offended by names for my culture.
>
>
> And what is your culture? How much culture to you really have??
More than you, probably - despite his talent for being irritating.
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Mxsmanic <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>I'm never offended by names for my culture.
>
>
> And what is your culture? How much culture to you really have??
More than you, probably - despite his talent for being irritating.
Jul 18th 2004, 6:21 am
#58
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Miguel Cruz wrote:
> Tim Kroesen <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Many of the most successful businessmen in the world 'bankrupted'
>>previous businesses; Donald Trump comes to mind Evelyn...
>
>
> Yes, but the different with successful businessmen is that they eventually
> stop doing it.
Instead of going into politics, and doing their best to bankrupt their
country, instead.
> Tim Kroesen <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Many of the most successful businessmen in the world 'bankrupted'
>>previous businesses; Donald Trump comes to mind Evelyn...
>
>
> Yes, but the different with successful businessmen is that they eventually
> stop doing it.
Instead of going into politics, and doing their best to bankrupt their
country, instead.
Jul 18th 2004, 6:26 am
#59
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
Joan McGalliard wrote:
>
> Wog - which in Australia referred to mostly southern europeans,
> typically greeks and italians. The 1st Australian born generation
> decided to claim back the word (cf "fags" in US) and the cry was "I'm a
> wog and proud". They defused a racist word and gave Australia a great
> deal of it's comedy in 1980s. And words like wogball (soccer) and
> wog-a-vision (foreign language tv station) became acceptable slang.
And of course "Yankee" (in pre-Civil War days) was coined by the British
as a pejorative for th Colonial revolutionaries. (The song, "Yankee
Doodle" was originally sung in derision of the Americans - until the
Revolutionary armies adopted it as their own theme song.)
>
> Wog - which in Australia referred to mostly southern europeans,
> typically greeks and italians. The 1st Australian born generation
> decided to claim back the word (cf "fags" in US) and the cry was "I'm a
> wog and proud". They defused a racist word and gave Australia a great
> deal of it's comedy in 1980s. And words like wogball (soccer) and
> wog-a-vision (foreign language tv station) became acceptable slang.
And of course "Yankee" (in pre-Civil War days) was coined by the British
as a pejorative for th Colonial revolutionaries. (The song, "Yankee
Doodle" was originally sung in derision of the Americans - until the
Revolutionary armies adopted it as their own theme song.)
Jul 18th 2004, 6:59 am
#60
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: POLL: who is offended by names for your culture.
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>> And of course "Yankee" (in pre-Civil War days) was coined by the
British
> as a pejorative for th Colonial revolutionaries. (The song, "Yankee
> Doodle" was originally sung in derision of the Americans - until the
> Revolutionary armies adopted it as their own theme song.)
I believe Yankee Doodle predates the revolution and satirized the
Colonial Militia (George Washington was a Militia colonel) fighting
alongside the British troops. That it was adopted by the Americans is
certainly true.
--
James V. Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA
message news:[email protected]...
>> And of course "Yankee" (in pre-Civil War days) was coined by the
British
> as a pejorative for th Colonial revolutionaries. (The song, "Yankee
> Doodle" was originally sung in derision of the Americans - until the
> Revolutionary armies adopted it as their own theme song.)
I believe Yankee Doodle predates the revolution and satirized the
Colonial Militia (George Washington was a Militia colonel) fighting
alongside the British troops. That it was adopted by the Americans is
certainly true.
--
James V. Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA
