[lit-ideas] Re: The Sexual History of Chastity
- From: Robert Paul <rpaul@xxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:00:13 -0700
JL cites some authority
*1897* /Science of Generation/ xx. 235
The use of various mechanical contrivances, such as French Safes, Condom
Sheaths, etc.
A 'French safe' sounds like an imaginary device for keeping French
letters in.
'O.E. frencisc "of the Franks" (see frank). Euphemistic meaning "bad
language" (pardon my French) is from 1895. Used in many
combination-words, often dealing with food or sex. French fries is 1918
Amer.Eng., from French fried potatoes (1894, first attested in O.Henry);
French dressing first recorded 1900; French toast is from 1660. French
letter "condom" (c.1856), French (v.) "perform oral sex on" (c.1917) and
French kiss (1923) all probably stem from the Anglo-Saxon equation of
Gallic culture and sexual sophistication, a sense first recorded 1749 in
French novel. To take French leave, "depart without telling the host,"
is 1771, from a social custom then prevalent. However, in France this is
said to be called filer à l'anglaise, lit. "to take English leave."
http://www.etymonline.com
Robert Paul
------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
Other related posts:
