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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1 |
Over the years I have seen the ultimate four letter word explained as being an acronym formed from the term, "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge." Can you tell me if this is a true statement? Can anyone report on the first use of the term?
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
here is some really good dope (you should pardon the expression) from the inestimable Michael Quinion: link
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075 |
A fascinating link. The anecdote towards the end, ending in the phrase, " leading to the (surely apocryphal) story that Dorothy Parker remarked on meeting him, “So you’re the young man who can’t spell fuck?”" is one I heard of Tza Tza Gabor to Paul Brickhill, author of many novels about WWII in which he uses the euphemism, "muck."
This probably supports Quinion's claim that it is apocryphal.
I'm immortal until proven otherwise
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706 |
... story that Dorothy Parker remarked on meeting him, “So you’re the young man who can’t spell fuck?
Yes interesting link Ts...never thought about that word before (I don't use it). but I went of on a tangent with Dorothy Parker...interesting woman. She had some very funny wisecracks, I like this one.... "I don't care what is written about me so long as it isn't true."
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963
old hand
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old hand
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963 |
I keep hoping that people will stop being shocked and upset by it so maybe it will go away. It doesn't upset me, it just makes me tired. If the average Hollywood screenplay had all the fucks taken out, movies would run about seven minutes.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075 |
Unfortunately, the word has become - certainly in england - part of the common parlance of the young. Travel on a bus taking youngsters home from school and it occurs every fourth or fifth word.
The word can be used very creatively, however. I am reminded of a scene at which I was present, some thirty years ago. I was visiting a construction site, and talking to the Site Agent in his office when the JCB (a back-hoe digger) working nearby came to an ear-splittingly grinding halt.
The operator jumped out of the cab and came stumping across to the site office.
"what's up, Pat?" asked the Agent. (the operator was,as one would expect on a British site, Irish.)
He didn't quite spit on the floor, but, with a terrible scowl, uttered this succinct and terribly accurate phrase:
"De fucking fucker's fucking fucked!"
I'm immortal until proven otherwise
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