I've long wondered about the origins of this "naughty" term. The French, "putain," (prostitute) perhaps? That would be a stretch if so. I can't find anything definitive. Any guesses?

Well, that's strange. I just know we've talked about "poontang" here because I think I brought it up. However, when I search for it, I come up with zilch. Does anyone remember the thread?

Medical Latin includes the term "pudendum..."

For the persistent - pudendus, from gerundive of pudEre to be ashamed. Merriam Webster.

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/pudendum

More info here, here, and here.

K,

We had a PM correspondence about it a couple of years ago. Someone complained his posts were being censored. Remember?

Ohhhhh...that's it! I knew I had posted about it somewhere. A new poster (who hasn't continued with us) had PM'd me, saying that he had tried to post about poontang and complained that our softwared had censored his post; he cited that as American "prudishness." I had PM'd Arnie about it, and of course the guy was all wet. Our software doesn't censor anything.

Besides that, we are surely not only Americans here; we are about 50/50 UK and American. So there!

Forum censoring software is often quite confusing. I've gotten through words you wouldn't believe, but seen my posts get censored like this, "Molotov ****tail".

I assume he meant that the forum software was American-written and -hosted. Infopop/Groupee are based in Seattle, I believe.

We do have the ability to use a censoring system, but we haven't (so far!) needed it.

The notion of censoring software brings to mind a cartoon. The administrative assistant asks the executive "Shall I correct just spelling and grammar, or conceptual errors as well?"

The censor on the APS forum (fondly known as the Net Nanny) sometimes does some extraordinary things to posts.

The most recent was in a discussion of swear words. A poster from Sweden (ex-pat British) mentioned "jävla fitta" which is apparently a Swedish expletive. Net Nanny censored the second word. However, she routinely ignores UK English swear words like "bugger". Interestingly, I created a post containing "poontang" there and Net Nanny ignored it!

One man's meat is another's euphemism.

I recall something about an old Russian word for 'bear,' which originally meant "that which must not be named." Until, of course, it came to be exactly that name.

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UK English swear words like "bugger".

"Bugger" isn't a swear word here at all. How bad is it? I remember when I posted "arse" on the wordcraftjr forum, and Arnie had to delete it! Again, while "ass" isn't so nice here, it isn't horrible.

Speaking of Spoonerisms, there is a children's clothing line call "Rugged Bear."

Imagine if the Reverend Doctor (1844-1930) tried that one.

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fitta" which is apparently a Swedish expletive.

It's the part of the girl that makes her a girl.

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Originally posted by Asa Lovejoy:
It's the part of the girl that makes her a girl.

The second X-chromosome?

Tinman

Speaking in gross anatomical terms, Tinny! It's what you get when you put them there two chromosomes together!

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"Bugger" isn't a swear word here at all. How bad is it?

It's another word for "sodomy" and thus it's quite bad.

As a verb it means to perform sodomy. ("There once was a man from St. Johns / Who wanted to _____ the swans").

But as a noun -- as in "that little bugger" -- does it mean sodomy, or sodomite, or something else?

It's usually used as a slightly better alternative to 'fuck' here. 'Bugger off!' 'It's buggered' 'I'm buggered!'(meaning tired, and I must say, a nice alternative to being knackered!))and the slight alternative, I think, 'I'm buggered if I know....'meaning bafflement. It's very rarely used in it's original sense here.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Erik Johansen,

And talking about 'Net Nanny's' I post on one that replaces any word with 'cock' in it in with 'sausage' hence "sausage*tail", "sausage*pit" and 'arse' with "bottom" hence"he*bottom", also "bugger" becomes 'blighter' and "bloody", 'blinking'! Which makes me think it should be called the Mary Poppins Net Nanny! Ah, yes and Scunthorpe becomes S*spangle*horpe!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Erik Johansen,

And damn it, I've been to the pub tonight! I can't be bothered to edit the last post- sorry!

I think I'd stop posting on any board that tried to censor my language. I did, indeed, leave the APS for that very reason.

Any adult word board should be able to discuss "swearwords" in a dispassionate manner, as, to its great credit, did "Balderdash and Piffle" - now sadly finished for the moment.

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Originally posted by Richard English:
I think I'd stop posting on any board that tried to censor my language. I did, indeed, leave the APS for that very reason.

Any adult word board should be able to discuss "swearwords" in a dispassionate manner, as, to its great credit, did "Balderdash and Piffle" - now sadly finished for the moment.

I must disagree on one small point. It's my belief that B&P discussed swearwords merely in an attempt to attract the more prurient section of the public. While I watched the program and found the content interesting I also found that much about it was extremely irritating and I'd hardly call the style of many of the items "adult" or "dispassionate".

I agree that there shouldn't be taboo areas for discussion though and if censorship is to be imposed (for which there may be perfectly good reasons - a board likely to be visited by many children, for example) it should be clear from the outset what the policy is and why it is there.

The other forum I post on I mentioned isn't a word forum but takes the view that it's a family forum which should be able to be viewed by children if need be, I can't really argue with that as it's a forum discussing cars you shouldn't really need to use expletives although you do need them when skinning your knuckles when you slip with a spanner!
Regarding Balderdash and Piffle, I missed a few as I have a terrible memory. The last one with Germaine Greer discussing 'cunt' felt a little strange! Whilst no surprise to hear Ms. Greer using it (for some reason!), it was a little surreal to hear two ladies discussing it in a polite conversational sort of way- after all only 15 years or so ago virtually all bad language on TV was either edited out or dubbed in typical 'airline' fashion which often sounds comical- "Fun you, you melonfarmer!".

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Erik Johansen,

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The last one with Germaine Greer discussing 'cunt' felt a little strange!

Interesting that the word should come up here since Shu and I just heard it today in "Love's Labour's Lost." I agree though, Erik, about it being strange to hear the word discussed. It really is a very filthy word here.

Chauvinists hereabouts think it's an acronym for "Cannot Understand Normal Thinking." It really has a long history, though, so shouldn't be disparaged.

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It really has a long history, though, so shouldn't be disparaged.

The first OED cite reads: c1230 in Ekwall Street-Names of City of London (1954) 165 Gropecuntelane. And I believe that Chaucer used the word liberally, with an 'e' at the end.

Ah, found some Chaucer. Three just from the prologue to the Wife of Bath's tale:

Lines 331-332:
For, certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve,
Ye shul have queynte right ynogh at eve.
. . . .(For, certainly, old senile fool, by your leave,
. . . .You shall have ______ right enough at eve.)

Lines 443-444:
What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone?
Is it for ye wolde have my queynte allone?
. . . .(What ails you to grouch thus and groan?
. . . .Is it because you want to have my ______ all to yourself?)

Lines 607-608:
And trewely, as myne housbondes tolde me,
I hadde the beste quoniam myghte be.
. . . .(And truly, as my husbands told me,
. . . .I had the best ______ that might be.)

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It really is a very filthy word here.

Strange how such a thing, sought and enjoyed by a large percentage of the population, should be so unmentionable an unviewable.

Contrast that with such things as murder and mutilation, spoke of and shown daily in the media.

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Contrast that with such things as murder and mutilation, spoke of and shown daily in the media.

It does seem a bit twisted, doesn't it?

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Originally posted by Erik Johansen:
It's usually used as a slightly better alternative to 'fuck' here. 'Bugger off!' 'It's buggered' 'I'm buggered!'(meaning tired, and I must say, a nice alternative to being knackered!))and the slight alternative, I think, 'I'm buggered if I know....'meaning bafflement. It's very rarely used in it's original sense here.

Quite right. We English have a more refined mode of common usage! Indeed in EJ's locale the phrase: "Why, you bugger" is a term of endearment or affection with no hint of sodomy.