Newsgroups: sci.lang,alt.usage.english
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From: jcf@world.std.com (Joseph C Fineman)
Subject: Re: Tendency of Inflections to Disappear - Why?
Message-ID: <DvFBv0.DL9@world.std.com>
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
References: <4suk93$pob@carrera.intergate.bc.ca> <4sv017$2oa@seagoon.newcastle.edu.au> <4t5nj1$peo@netsrv2.spss.com> <4taeev$8cr@brachio.zrz.TU-Berlin.DE> <4tgg3h$9t9@carrera.intergate.bc.ca> <Pine.OSF.3.93.960729022255.24851C-100000@oak.cats.ohiou.edu> <4tkufq$29o@lyra.csx.cam.ac.uk> <Pine.OSF.3.93.960730234239.3436C-100000@oak.cats.ohiou.edu> <Pine.SOL.3.94.960731121814.18302A-100000@ursa.cus.cam.ac.uk>
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 1996 20:06:36 GMT
Lines: 17

Simon Buck <sjb1@computing-service.cambridge.ac.uk> writes:

>Women i have discussed the word with, and who are quite comfortable with
>other four letter words, say it is not something they can associate with
>any part of their bodies. That"s good enough for me, but i don"t know
>why it should be taboo in general.

I don't understand it either, but it seems that "cunt" has been the
dirtiest word in the English language for quite a long time.  The 1811
_Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue_, which is willing to print "sh-t"
and "a-se" with only one letter missing, makes it "c**t" (presumably
the asterisks are better concealment than mere hyphens) & treats it
very coyly thruout.
-- 
        Joe Fineman             jcf@world.std.com
        495 Pleasant St., #1    (617) 324-6899
        Malden, MA 02148
