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

C**n... I can understand it being banned when used to refer to blacks, but in hillbilly c**n just means c**n.. The ring-tailed, four-legged, washes-their-food, fun-to-watch, fury kind.

Aside: The box on your naughty words page directed me to a non-existant conversation dangling from Merkin's page... If not for a quick "back" finger my words would have been echoes on the cyber breeze.

Hi Anonymouse, this Posting was referred because of the way this word was being used.

We decided to leave it asterisked out because although Americans would know that it is short for racoon, English readers wouldn't make the connection as we don't have them in this country.

Cheers Anonymouse - hopefully the submit box is fixed now.

> "English readers wouldn't make the connection as we don't have them in this country"

Only the ignorant and/or stupid ones. Normal English people will have read about racoons in The Children's Bumper Book of Animals.

-MyRedDice (insert more smilies as appropriate)

In a bit of a huff over some as yet unexplained Moderation elsewhere I was going to take a gratifying, but otherwise pointless, pedantic swipe at you all and point out that raccoon is spelled with two 'c's.

But a more mature and reasonable reflex sent me off to dictionary dot com where I found the single 'c' is 'variable' - which of course is the way English dictionaries deal with Yankee spelling and Yankee dictionaries deal with British spelling. We Canadians know better.


rac·coon also ra·coon (r-kn)
n. pl. rac·coons or raccoon also ra·coons or racoon
1.A carnivorous North American mammal (Procyon lotor) having grayish-brown fur, black masklike facial markings, and a black-ringed bushy tail.
2.The fur of this mammal.
3.Any of various similar or related animals.
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


As a Canadian, all too familiar with these carnivores, you've now got me wondering what Brits must have thought John Lennon was on about in 'Rocky Raccoon'. Surely no one thought Mister Lennon was taking a racist shot. Or is all that before your time then?

Ah well. Those who don't know their history will get the best seats in the deja vu.

[A long list of euphemisms for 'coon (note the apostrophe makes the distinction you are all seeking) has been voluntarily deleted by the authour.]


jwf

There you go, proof the English people have no idea what raCcoons are.

Might I refer you to post number 3.

I don't think there's material here for a big scandal about raccoon censorship. Not least because they're way too cute for that. Yes they are! *tickles imaginary pet raccoon on tummy*
-Lucinda

It's a conspiracy, I tell you!



<'c**n>