Reflections on 1831 "Jazz"

[Laurence Horn]

At 5:10 PM -0500 10/31/01, Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>
>"Tu as les genoux chauds, tu veux jaser."
>
>What does this "comic proverb" mean? What is the significance of "avoir les
>genoux chauds" (I guess = "have warm knees")? Presumably the "proverb" is a
>satire on the above conventional expressions involving "avoir les pieds
>chauds" = "be comfortable" or so -- I imagine originally referring to a
>warm house, with a cozy fire?
>
>Maybe it's just my profound ignorance of French, but I still have trouble
>making this "comic proverb" support "jaser = coiter".
>
>Any help from any of the scholars?
>
>-- Doug Wilson

I think those 'hot knees' of yore are like our 'hot pants'.  (cf.
also 'hot to trot')  The RHHDAS listing for 'hot (adj.)' 1a
emphasizes the general tendency for "hot" in early English to take on
a range of meanings centering around 'lustful', 'sexually aroused',
or (of animals) 'in heat', senses that still accrue but are now
perceived of as slangy.  There's no entry for "hot-kneed", but
"hot-assed" and "hot rocks" appear, with similar meanings  ("I've got
hot rocks...Let's get layed [sic]" (1947-51) seems not that distant
from "Tu as les genoux chauds, tu veux jaser".)

larry