News:

Look, I haven't mentioned Zeus, Buddah, or some religion.

Main Menu

Words

Started by Dave, August 14, 2016, 01:36:17 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Dave

The mention of "sumbitch" got me wondering.

"Bitch's son" goes back to Middle English in its written form, then degrades via "son of a bitch" and "sonuvabitch"  to "sumbitch" in modern times.

One interesting ref in its use history, in Wikipedia, is:

(pejorative, slang) An objectionable, despicable person.
1685 John Eachard, The grounds & occasions of the contempt of the clergy and religion enquired into, London, 9th ed. 1685, page 252: "There's that snarling cur, and son of a Bitch Boccaline."
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Icarus

I had always taken the expression as a pejorative that questioned the ancestry of the accused.  In the dog world a perfectly acceptable and proper word that describes the female dog is: Bitch.  Therefore a son of a bitch is the progeny of a female canine.  The son of a bitch  can and does mature sexually.  In that case he may very well impregnate his mother in a perfectly natural chain of vents.  That individual can then be accurately labeled as a mother fucking son of a bitch. An accusation of that sort applied to a human could be among the ultimate insults or the inoffensive utterings of a drunken companion.

Words like "Sumbitch" has become so common that it no longer carries the  shock value that it once had in a pristine society.   

Sorry about the crude ethology commentary.  Hey I did not invent the lexicon so excuse please.  ::)

No one

When it comes to describing the wilfully retarded, I like to go with asshat,  or fucktard.

Dave

Quote from: Icarus on August 16, 2016, 11:34:02 PM
Sorry about the crude ethology commentary.  Hey I did not invent the lexicon so excuse please.  ::)

No need to appologise IMO, Icarus, in a discussion of language. Or even when "rude" words are used "apprpriately" or for effect! It's only the gratuitous use of swear words that annoys me.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74