Re: "Horny"

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

In a message dated 11/18/05 7:37:42 AM, douglas at NB.NET writes:


> >Ca.1963, IIRC, the late, great Raven McDavid reviewed a slang dictionary
> for
> >Language. He noted that the compiler claimed that the word, "horny," in the
> >sexual sense was "of unknown origin." McDavid then stated that anyone
> >familiar with common farm animals knows the origin of the sexual sense of
> >"horny." Further deponent sayeth not.
> >
> >Does anyone know what in hell he was talking about?
>
> I don't know for sure. Maybe I haven't been familiar enough with the
> animals.
>
> Me, I'd naively assume "horny" < "horn" = "erection" as shown in HDAS.
>
> Perhaps it's just that many animals (in season) have more conspicuous and
> unconcealed sexual excitement than typical humans do?
>
> -- Doug Wilson
>
> This would be my guess. I have a vague memory of discussing this word with
Raven, and while I am not sure that his in-person explanation was much less
opaque than the written one, Doug's conjecture strikes me as the right one.
Whether or not Raven was also conjecturing I cannot say for sure, but it sounds like
his etymology owes a lot to "stands to reason."