Preferred name for female genitalia

[Sheldonrs]

Cuntankerous - Crotchety.

[Meursault]

actually, i'v seen female genitalia referred to by the words 'cunnus' and 'cunnie' in a few latin texts, and may even have seen a similiar word, like "kunsos" or something, in greek. i wouldn't be surprised if this one goes back to indo-european. if i had access to books right now i'd try seeing if there were a similar word in an indian language perhaps....

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Sheldonrs

Cuntankerous - Crotchety.

Boom Boom!

Originally Posted by Meursault

actually, i'v seen female genitalia referred to by the words 'cunnus' and 'cunnie' in a few latin texts, and may even have seen a similiar word, like "kunsos" or something, in greek. i wouldn't be surprised if this one goes back to indo-european. if i had access to books right now i'd try seeing if there were a similar word in an indian language perhaps....

From memory, I've read that cunt is derived from latin, Cunare, meaning wedge, and this is the root (ahem) for cunnilingus, the application of the tounge to said area.
I was a bit puzzled though, I guess the pubic hair is vaguely wedge shaped, but I don't see much wedgeiness in the vulva/vagina itself. (I'll have to look into it more closely!)
I can understand, however, cunare meaning wedge being related to cunning, meaning clever/effective. Splitting, lifting or whatever is often made easier by use of a wedge. And golf.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Whatever you call it here's how to pierce it. Obviously NSFW!

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Whatever you call it here's how to pierce it. Obviously NSFW!

I didn't watch it, but just the presence of the word "amateur" in the filename make me cringe.

[Undertoad]

Plus it's useful in DeepLeap when you have the dreaded C and U.

[DanaC]

CUNNING; to know, possessing a practical skill, able, skilful, clever, possessing a magical knowledge
1874 "I threatened to prosecute the village CUNNING WOMAN whose herbal knowledge and other wisdom continued to be held in high esteem by the villagers" (Silbury 112)

Note that the author himself does not hold the woman in high esteem.The villagers hold her in high esteem. He is using the word 'cunning' in its perjorative sense: her knowledge and wisdom is of a dangerous and immoral form. It is not the virtuous learning of an educated man, rather it is the depths to which a woman can sink if her passions and natural proclivities are not contained. By 1874 there had already been at least 100 years of holding up 'cunning' as one of the vices women naturally tend to if not given a proper education. The lower-orders also, were considered to have 'cunning' naturally.

[Cloud]

the one I really can't stand is "vajajay"

blecch

[DanaC]

Yes, her knowledge and wisdom is held in high esteem by the villagers, but his designation of her particular kind of knowledge as 'cunning' is heavily imbued with significance. It could only be, in the gendered semiotic of eighteenth and nineteenth-century British culture. It is perjorative in the same way sinister is. Sinister is perjorative because of it's association with left-handedness and homosexuality; cunning is perjorative because of its feminine associations. The culture that produced that tag had spent a century and more reducing female wisdom's cultural status to something less rational or relevant than male wisdom: 'cunning' despite his other references to knowledge and wisdom is 'untutored' and 'natural' ie. female; and potentially dangerous.

[Meursault]

it's 'pejorative' btw

i'm wondering if 'cunning' mightn't also be related to 'ken' (which sounds scottish to me, but i don't have a proper dictionary around..)

[SteveDallas]

kennen ... German, "to know" in the sense of to be familiar with, to be acquainted with (as opposed to factual knowledge).

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

kennen ... German, "to know" in the sense of to be familiar with, to be acquainted with (as opposed to factual knowledge).

Could well be a connection then. Both are informal types knowledge.

[DanaC]

Ta for the spelling lesson :P

[BrianR]

I'll ask my beloved what she calls hers but beware, she can be a tad, shall we say, graphic?

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by BrianR

I'll ask my beloved what she calls hers but beware, she can be a tad, shall we say, graphic?

and we are, shall I say, graphic-lovers? ask! ask!