Thursday 23 February 2012

See you next Tuesday...

Cunt. Probably, the most offensive word in the English language. It's quite fashionable to say fuck; not an evening passes at the best parties without its mention - even the Royals use it. Cunt, however, is a different matter altogether. Germaine Greer has said that "it is one of the few remaining words in the English language with a genuine power to shock."

The etymology of the word is disputed. It is thought by some that the word is related to the Old Norse, kunta and Middle High German kotze meaning prostitute. It's been linked to the etymology of country and kin, although this again is disputed, as has its connection with the Latin word cuneus, meaning wedge. It has even been suggested that the Welsh word cwm, meaning valley, is also related.

Offensive as it maybe throughout the English speaking world, in other languages I get the feeling it doesn't have quite the same taboo status. Take, for example, the Spanish equivalent word coño, which, when used as an exclamation, seems to be on a par with damn or shit in English.

Many people will be aware of using the motor-racing driver's name James Hunt to reference cunt and most people are now aware of the phrase See you next Tuesday as an allusion to the word. I'm guessing though that many will not know that the term berk is short for Berkeley Hunt; rhyming slang for cunt.

My favorite witticism involving the word has to be Stephen Fry's definition of countryside - the murder of Piers Morgan. And you can't really discuss cunt without paying homage to Kenny Everett's creation, Cupid Stunt.
Today's run at 17:09
Distance4.01 kmTime21:24
Pace5:20 min/kmCadence80 spm
Comments: Blustery.

1 comment:

  1. nice one today very interesting

    your trolley boy

    ReplyDelete