Just to hoik this thread back to the subject, with a true story. As Mrs Duck carefully pointed out, the American 'fanny' is different from the British use of the word, although very close on the female anatomy.

When I was working for a daily paper some years back, a beautiful American movie star was in Britain doing a photo-shoot. Many of our British photographers were calling out requests for her to look this way, that way, would she pose this way or that way, etc.

Being helpful, her American manager called out: 'sure, guys, just pat her on the fanny and she'll do anything for ya!'

A very rare momnent of stunned silence from the British press.

- Ian B