5.0540 Qs: *When God was Woman*; F Word Etymology (2/39)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 17 Dec 1991 23:37:07 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 5, No. 0540. Tuesday, 17 Dec 1991.
(1) Date: Fri, 13 Dec 91 16:51 GMT (13 lines)
From: George Aichele <0004705237@mcimail.com>
Subject: Query
(2) Date: Mon, 16 Dec 91 11:07 EST (26 lines)
From: "Ed Harris, Academic Affairs, So Ct State U"
Subject: The f word
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 91 16:51 GMT
From: George Aichele <0004705237@mcimail.com>
Subject: Query
A friend has asked my opinion of *When God Was a Woman*, by Merlin
Stone (a pseudonym??), Dial Press, 1976. A quick glance indicates
that the book argues that ancient Near Eastern religions featured
powerful female deities. But this is pretty far removed from my
own work, and I'd appreciate any evaluations of it, or suggestions
of other (better?) works on this and related topics. Thanks.
George Aichele
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------32----
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 91 11:07 EST
From: "Ed Harris, Academic Affairs, So Ct State U"
Subject: The f word
My 13-year old came to me yesterday, brandishing his brother's Van Halen
album titled, "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge," and asked if that was what
the 'f word' stood for. He didn't ask the meaning of carnal knowledge,
though.) I, the political scientist, never heard of this; my wife, the
student of victorian literature, thought she had read somewhere that this
was a sign over the entrance to some sort of prison. Adulter's prison?
So I had Matt bring out the OED. Although he normally resists
dictionary work pretty strongly, he took to this task with the same
intensity with which he watched the Thomas confirmation hearings after
hearing the phrase 'long dong silver' on the TV.
The OED supplement (it is not in the _actual_, if that is how one says
it, OED) says that fuck, which it dates to 1508, appears to be formed
regularly from a ME fuken which, however, doesn't appear anywhere. It
is not related to the G ficken (ah, those false friends), and its
ulterior etymology (what is ulterior etymology?) is unknown. Can anyone
help me tell my son where fuck comes from? Now that this, too, is just
a word, there is an opportunity here the conscientious parent doesn't
want to let pass. Thanks in advance.
Ed <HARRIS@CTSTATEU.BITNET>
Southern Connecticut State U, New Haven, CT 06515 USA
Tel: 1 (203) 397-4322 / Fax: 1 (203) 397-7076