Words

[Lauren Hynde]

Thank you, Homer! I guess I wasn't completely off, then, although "less likely". Here's the complete thing for those of you who are lazy:

dildo - 1593, perhaps a corruption of It. deletto "delight," or (less likely) of Eng. diddle.

diddle - 1806, "to cheat, swindle," from dial. duddle, diddle "to totter." Meaning "to have sex with" is from 1879; that of "to masturbate" (especially of women) is from 1950s.


In the mean time, I finished reading that book, which I highly recommend it to all of you. Other dildic expressions that stuck with me include:

'...she had a massive dildungsroman installed in her butt.'
and
'...felt the thick steadfast dilderstatesman issuing official pleasure-briefings down her legs...'

 

[karmadog]

Hey Lauren! Isn't portuguese a romance language as well? Is there a similar word to deletto in portuguese? Babelfish gives me 'prazer' for 'delight', but 'delicioso' for 'delightful'. Can that be right, or is it a glitch? 'Prazer' looks somehow german to me.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Not exactly a glitch, but not exactly correct either.

prazer > pleasure
deleite > delight

 

[karmadog]

Well if deletto could be the origins of the word dildo, why not deleite?

It could be the Portuguese after all!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Theoretically yes, but I'm here saying both words, pronuncing them in italian and in portuguese and I can almost perceive a possible transition from deletto to dildo, but I can't do it with deleite that easily.

deletto > deledo > deldo > dildo

deleite (noun) is a regressive derivation from deleitar (verb - to delight) (from latin delectare)

 

[karmadog]

Ah well, it was worth a shot.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Interesting fact #3

Burthens of dildos and fadings, 'jump her and thump

The Winter's Tale: IV, iv

Just one last thing before putting the dildos/dildoes/dilda/dildi/dildae to rest. I think everyone should pay more attention to this quote K-dog found for us. It really is interesting:

CLOWN:
He could never come better; he shall come in. I
love a ballad but even too well, if it be doleful
matter merrily set down, or a very pleasant thing
indeed and sung lamentably.

SERVANT:
He hath songs for man or woman, of all sizes; no
milliner can so fit his customers with gloves: he
has the prettiest love-songs for maids; so without
bawdry, which is strange; with such delicate
burthens of dildos and fadings, 'jump her and thump
her;' and where some stretch-mouthed rascal would,
as it were, mean mischief and break a foul gap into
the matter, he makes the maid to answer 'Whoop, do me
no harm, good man;' puts him off, slights him, with
'Whoop, do me no harm, good man.'

POLIXENES:
This is a brave fellow.

 

[karmadog]

I think in Elizabethan english, the word 'dildo' meant something like 'popular song', but I cannot say for sure.

Odd how both meanings fit though, isn't it?

 

[HomerPindar]

Newt

..hey, I just like the word.

and I don't feel like studying for finals.

HomerPindar