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Carpal Tunnel
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I'll bet you're correct, Ted.
And condoms go way back, don't they, to Roman/Greek times? Weren't sheep's intestines used even way back then? In fact, could they have been used by the ubiquitous (in this case, at least) Trojans?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I heard it mentioned on the TV the other night that "condom" came from the name of an English nobleman who invented the modern device in the 19th century...Sir John Condom, or something like that. However, I couldn't find anything about that in Googling. But, I found this...seems "condom" is another "origin unknown" mystery akin to "the whole nine yards' or "the full monty". But, here, the threadmaster likes the Italian origin: http://www.wordwizard.com/clubhouse/founddiscuss.asp?Num=3004
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Carpal Tunnel
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Here's something from another site. The English story actually goes as a "17th Century English physician, a Dr. Condom, the inventor." >History of the Condom 1350 BC Egyptian men wear devices made of papyrus and colored animal membranes as phallic decorations. 1500's Condoms are made from fish membranes and lamb intestines and begin to be used as contraceptives 1600's The use of the name "condom" becomes popularized; named after a 17th Century English physician and courtesan credited with the invention. 1725-98 According to Casanova's memoirs, he was one of the first to popularize the use of condoms as birth control. He was also aware of their use against sexually transmitted diseases. 1843-44 Condom use grows with the invention of vulcanized rubber, making them less expensive. 1861 The New York Times publishes the first known ad for condoms in a US newspaper. The brand? "Dr. Powers' French Preservatives". 1930 Almost all condoms are made from latex because it is less expensive than animal membranes. < For more modern addendum to this chronology, and the full site: http://www.globalprotection.com/history.html
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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and this from "A Collection of Word Oddities and Trivia": >SOME NAMES THAT BECAME WORDS Condom. It is said that the device was invented by a Dr. Condom. However, most dictionaries have "origin unknown." The OED2 has: "Origin unknown; no 18th-cent. physician named Condom or Conton has been traced though a doctor so named is often said to be the inventor of the sheath." < This is an intriguing page/site for linguaphiles, BTW: http://members.aol.com/gulfhigh2/words16.html
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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someone should run a hogpaintŪ on this word. people would send in their etymologies/origins and we could vote for the most likely...
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Papyrus sounds uncomfortable.
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Carpal Tunnel
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It was first used by the Egyptians for birth control among the large cats in their zoos. To this day we "reed between the lions."
TEd
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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no, today it's used "between the sheeps". satin, preferably... though flannel is nice in colder climes...
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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To this day we "reed between the lions."
...'reed between the loins,' too.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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Does anyone have evidence of the use of the term "French Letter" pre-dating the Great war? (1914-1918)
It is my understanding from fairly extensive secondary research, that the British soldiers were issued with condoms for use when on their rest periods away from the front line. They were supplied in envelopes, for use in France - hence the name.
But my sources aren't necessarily correct!
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