BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'

Subject: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:14 PM

"stupid people"

"fools"

"dolts"

"numbskulls"

That is what "boobs" means. And that is all there is to it. Look it up in Webster's if you don't belive me.

Man, I pity the culture of today with its infantile mentality and vocabulary.

(one of my pet peeves, obviously)

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: bobad
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:17 PM

You're right, they're tits, godammit.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:18 PM

You can also have one boob, as in the case of George Bush, for example, or you can have a whole lot of boobs, as in the case of the people who voted for him...

(cheap shot, I admit it...) ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Amos
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:20 PM

Of course ONE meaninig of the words is doltish individuals LH. But one meaning of spirit is alcoholic drink, too. So?

The much MORE important meaning of "boobs" is that they represent the key to staying in touch with the Divine, if you get my point.

Frater Tacitus Blissultimum
Temple of the Golden Globe

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:21 PM

Actually, a tit is a type of small bird. However, it's not a word that trivializes female breasts in quite as ridiculous a fashion as to call them "boobs", at least. Though it's a bit rawer...

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: GUEST,Wayne Monroe
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:23 PM

Back in the 60's the Humorist Roger Price published a magazine called "Grump" and he called them "Roobs".

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:23 PM

Your point is a worthy one, Amos. I just don't think that the word "boobs" gives breasts the grace and respect that they merit. It lacks dignity or appreciation of something that deserves maximum appreciation. It's denigrating.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:25 PM

They have also been called "hooters", which is even more ridiculous sounding.

What is WRONG with this culture? Too much TV. That's my theory.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:34 PM

Booby
G.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 07:00 PM

You beat me to it, Giok. I wonder which came first: the name of the booby or the breast appelation?

Films I have seen that show the booby taking off and landing are very funny. Is that as in 'stupid'?

Perhaps the question should be: What are women being called?

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 07:04 PM

Boswell refers to then as "bubbies".

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 08:20 PM

The "folk associated" question here is whether the proliferation of "alternative names" comes from:

a.) One does not speak the name of that which is holy.

b.) It is not permissible to speak the actual name of any body part, because that might make people think about SEX.

In my area, I'd vote for b.

John

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Amos
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 08:39 PM

Yeah..in Kansas yer not alllowed to talk about sex for fear it will lead to dancing.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 08:58 PM

LOL

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:02 PM

Ha! Ha! Sounds like Kansas, all right.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: GUEST,The Devil
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:06 PM

And may I ask what's wrong with Kansas?

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:11 PM

You oughta know... ;-) Ever been to Schenectady? It's even worse.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: GUEST,The Devil
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:14 PM

Where I went to, I can't say.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: M.Ted
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:20 PM

For some reason, the Kansas-Nebraska Act comes to mind--I don't remember which it is, sex or dance--

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Peace
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:21 PM

Post a pic of Bush and Cheney. Now, there's a pair of boobs for ya.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: number 6
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:29 PM

I've certainly seen better Peace ! :)

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 04:19 AM

Boobs = breasts...O.K but in the U.K it also means mistakes......I have boobed again. He made a real boob.....
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 05:05 AM

I know what you mean about Schenectady I keep getting lost when I try to find the route through going west east towards Boston.
When I was a child around Glasgow tits were also called diddies.

Giok

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: BuckMulligan
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 09:02 AM

Dictionaries do not prescribe "real" meanings of words. They describe the senses in which words have been used and are currently used. Meanings are determined by usage, and meanings shift as usage shifts. THe only "rules" language follows are its own organic rules; these too are descriptive rather than prescriptive. Words shift and change meanings over time, and at any given time a word may have multiple meanings. That's just the way it works. Might as well complain that the leaves on your maple tree are the "wrong" shade of green. Language is not something humanity designed, it's something our brains do on their own, to their own rules.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Emma B
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 10:36 AM

Boobs are simply the modern pronunciation of the old word "bubby" recorded as early as the C17th from German bubbi meaning "teat"
I really don't see anything "offensive" in it as it has no relationship in fact to the word Booby (dunce/stupid person) which comes from a totally different stem (Latin via Spanish I believe)

BTW Little Hawk I have had my knuckles slapped by the PC police for using the "offensive" word denigrate in the past!

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: *daylia*
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 10:59 AM

Just looked "boob" up in Webster's, LH. There's 5 definitions, as follows:

boob:

1. a stupid, awkward person : SIMPLETON (short for 'booby', 1909)
2. BOOR : PHILISTINE
3. MISTAKE, BLUNDER (British, 1934)
4. GOOF (British, 1939)
5. BREAST -- sometimes considered vulgar (short for 'booby', 1945)

These are followed immediately by

boob-oi-sie [blend of boob and bourgeoisie] (1922)

: the general public regarded as consisting of boobs


I like the last one best!   :-D

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 11:11 AM

Ha! Yeah, I like it too.

Emma - Who the hell would consider "denigrate" offensive. And why????

My objection to boobs is that it sounds so dumb and unromantic. Note that most of the other definitions of the word imply stupidity, clumsiness, a mistake, a blunder, a dimwit, etc...those are not the associated peripheral images and archetypes that I want flitting through my mind whilst I am contemplating the glorious beauties of the female breast. I am an idealist, you see, and the boob-oi-sie nature of the current modern expression "boobs" simply rubs me the wrong way.

Buck - Tough. I'll complain if I want to. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: BuckMulligan
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 11:46 AM

Well of course we can (and will) complain; that's fine, and also hardwired into us. No problem there, unless you have expectations that it'll change anything.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: bobad
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 11:56 AM

LH maybe it's because of de NIGRA te, you know, hidden subliminal denigrations.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: BuckMulligan
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 02:14 PM

Good thing Emma didn't use the word "niggardly"

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 04:01 PM

Right. I guess we are going to have to ban Ron Nigrini albums too, right? God, give me strength.

Buck - You mean.......you mean that everyone is NOT going to stop saying 'boobs' now???? But I...I...well, that's just....! I am deeply disturbed about this. I am going to roll on the floor and kick and scream until I get MY WAY! (to quote Paul Anka/Sinatra)

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Blowzabella
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 04:25 PM

EmmaB is quite right in what she says - it's all just part of the development of how language is used - like 'tits' or 'titties' (neither of which I particularly like or would use myself) are how we have altered 'teat' (although I wouldn't use that as a descriptive term of my chest protruberances either!).

I remember when I was a young gel, and I spent a lot of time on a farm and around farm animals. The farmer would speak of his milk cow's 'titties'. In my naivete, I thought he was being provocative, in his choice of language, until I thought about it for a moment - then I was able to accept that it was, in fact, a rather archaic use of language, more than him being a 'dirty old man', which had been my first thought!

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 04:33 PM

I find this whole discussion udderly distasteful!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Peace
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 05:55 PM

Main Entry: den·i·grate
Pronunciation: 'de-ni-"grAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -grat·ed; -grat·ing
Etymology: Latin denigratus, past participle of denigrare, from de- + nigrare to blacken, from nigr-, niger black
1 : to cast aspersions on : DEFAME
2 : to deny the importance or validity of : BELITTLE
- den·i·gra·tion /"de-ni-'grA-sh&n/ noun
- den·i·gra·tive /'de-ni-"grA-tiv/ adjective
- den·i·gra·tor /-"grA-t&r/ noun
- den·i·gra·to·ry /'de-ni-gr&-"tOr-E, -"tor-/ adjective   


However, I am not that politically correct, so when the PC police come after Emma, they may as well get me, too.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: lady penelope
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 12:35 PM

I fail to see why one euphamism is more acceptable than another.

They are breasts. If you're not capable of referring to them as that or feel the need to use 'pet' names or such, then I couldn't really give a toss what you call them.

Besides, if blokes start being grown up about breasts, that means women will have to stop using all those amusing words for penises (peni?).......... I mean, there are generations of women who've had fun with men's willies.........   :)

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: Peace
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 12:36 PM

You ought to try it sometime.

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: lady penelope
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 01:41 PM

I do, frequently..........   :)

Subject: RE: BS: The real meaning of 'boobs'
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 10:00 PM

Why did the calf walk around the cow?

To get to de udder side!