h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: A Short Guide to Short Words - A688476
Author: agc Ben - wishing wellness to His Holiness the Dalai Lama - and to all of us... - U148580

Well I thought this would get modded away, but it seems it is still here.

A small thing, and not entirely mine own.

a scatolinguist called Ben

I think it should go in. Although it's concentrating on rude words, it's factual, and doesn't sensationalise. Great stuff

Excelent! Truly wonderful, and a necessary addition to the Guide. The more facts you can put in, the better, but there's plenty in there as it is. Just some small notes:

* '...the Sex Pistols’ album Never Mind the Bollocks[’] from being censored.' Apostrophy ntentional?

* 'Finally, [if] a Brit will say...' The 'if' doesn't make sense. I assume you started to write one thing and finished with another. I hate doing that.

* '...front[,] and Americans [verify] from the rear[,] is...' First, either the first comma needs to go (my suggestion) or the second one is necessary. Second, I would leave out this 'verify' to make it read smoother.

* 'The derivation of bugger is from Bulgaria and the Bogomils.' Just a matter of wording: technically, 'bugger' derives from Bulgaria and the Bogomils. (see Through the Looking Glass, ch. 7)

* ‘can I bum a fag off anyone?’ Actually, there's nothing wrong here, but I felt like bringing it up.

* 'C**t' etymology: ME, cunte; MLG, kunte

* 'Frig' etymology: ME, fryggen; OF, unknown, do you know?

* 'F**k' etymology: http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=f**k

* 'F**k! The f*****g[,] f****r’s f****d' Comma should go.

* The verb 'to eff' is used plenty in America, though usually spelled just 'F' (I believe).

* 'SNAFU' is explained twice.

* 'in the way that ‘git[;] is in the rest of the country.[.]' Fairly self explanitory.

* 'belongs to an English person[,] the English person may...and is also ‘pissed’[,] in which case' Need to add.

* Maybe explain 'sod' biblical reference, I'm afraid it went over my head...

* 'British menA Brit will say...' Oops...

* 'it[']s the b******s' To add.

I would also separate the main section and the usage section be giving them each their own header. Sorry for such an exhautsive list, but they're mostly nit-pickings anyway. Other than the very small things above though, very well writen. A much needed contribution.

-Spike A.

Found it hard to get past the B's for ter you've got my vote. Member of peer's. The KID. must read (TV) Will finish when l can stop laughing!!! 2 thumbs up many & seeing how it relates surname FitzGerald the B that cracked me up.
The KID

Hi

Thanks, Spike. I will make the changes today. It went through several incarnations, and is a bit patchy as a result.

And I have had a lot of help with it already, but I want to check with the individual researchers before I credit them. They may or may not want their name associated with such scurrilous stuff.

Pleased it made you laugh KID, that is one of the things it is for. And thanks for the compliment Dr G.

All the best

Ben

Made me laugh, gets an from here.
ing
Though I should say that it has a serious point as well, which is more than just a side effect of the humour...

It *does* have a serious point: well spotted that !

I have added a suggestion of HVL's to the section on dick, and another to the section on c**t. I have also added Gropecunte Ally to the same section.

(You have NO IDEA how surreal this is to type!)

Spike, I have followed most of your recommendations on punctuation and wording and about Sodom, but couldn't find the last two.

I haven't included all the definitions and etymologies. I did check them all, but this is not a dictionary, and I did not want to slow things down too much.

Thanks again for your laughter, and your suggestions.

Keep 'em coming!

Ben

Stop Press - I have now found the last two, Spike. Thanks again.

B

It's gone again!!!!!!!

Alji

I'm just bookmarking, as I've seen the off h2g2 version, and I'd like to comment when it comes back.

oops, wrong account. Not that it matters really, as I'm still the same person, but I don't want anyone to think I meant comment in any way other than as an Interested Reader.

Too good to last.... Oh well.

I'll update the Geocities version for those who are interested, but I don't know how the footnotes will come out, and the internal links will fail.

Ben

Link on my home page - give me 15 minutes or so.

Ben

This post has been removed.

This post has been removed.

Tsk, tsk. I expected better of you, Ben.

Bitch - it's also used to mean 'subordinate', in prisons, often in relationships about power, ie 'Mina's Bitches'. (But don't take that too seriously) It's been used that way in sitcom's such as 'Friends', by Phoebe. It's been used that way on h2g2 and left alone. (Is it normally starred out?)

B*****ks - During the Sex Pistols Obscenity trial the defense managed to prove that the word ‘b*****k’ was a thousand year-old Anglo-Saxon word which originally meant a small ball, and in the last century it was used of clergymen who were considered as "people talking a great deal of rubbish". That's the story I found when I was researching my Obscene Publications Act, if it adds to your entry.

Cock - the cock in 'wotcher cock!' comes from the term 'cock sparrow' (pronounced 'sparrah') and is a general term for a man, although cock sparrow was usually saved for small boys. It's been used for about 300 years.
And don't forget the admirable 'cock-up'.


I'm posting this now, in case my pc crashes (as is it's normal behaviour), but I'm still reading.

Was no one else ever b*****ked at school? Recieving a right good b*****king meant to be strongly told off, usually by a teacher.

vp

T**t came from the Old Norse 'thviet', meaning cut or slit. It became 'thwat' in Old English, and dropped the h in about 1500. It was found in print around 1660, when an anonymous poet stated :

"They talked of his having a Cardinal's Hat,
They'd send him as soon an Old Nun's T**t."

Which is why Browning thought it meant a piece of nun's clothing, specifically a wimple.

Since then it's not often been used in print, although novelist Norman Mailor, and Germaine Greer, and now agc Ben do.

PS - just seen at the bottom, you have included cock up. Sorry about that.