Bloody Mary

[Thomas M. Paikeday]

Yeah, otherwise "My Fair Lady" wouldn't have used it. I remember one of my
teachers (a Presbyterian Scot) warning us never to use the word as an
adverb. He apparently dared not give examples! Maybe he thought it obscene?

T.M.P.
www.paikeday.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Victoria Neufeldt" <vneufeldt at MERRIAM-WEBSTER.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 10:17 AM
Subject: Re: Bloody Mary


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Victoria Neufeldt <vneufeldt at MERRIAM-WEBSTER.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Bloody Mary
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
>
> 'Bloody' isn't obscene in British English.
>
> Victoria
>
> Victoria Neufeldt
> 727 9th Street East
> Saskatoon, Sask.
> S7H 0M6
> Canada
> Tel: 306-955-8910
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: American Dialect Society
> > [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> > Of James A. Landau
> > Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 6:49 AM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: Bloody Mary
> >
> >
> > My daughter wants to know whether Mary Tudor was called
> > "Bloody Mary" because
> > she killed so many people or acquired the nickname "Bloody"
> > because so many
> > people disliked her and used "Bloody" as a perjorative.
> >
> > Also, considering that "Bl**dy" is an obscene term in
> > British English, are
> > British schoolchildren allowed to refer to Mary Tudor as
> > "Bloody Mary"?
> >
> >                - Jim Landau
> >
> > "When I say I like your ruddy complexion, that doesn't mean
> > I like your
> > bloody cheek!"
> >     - W. S. Gilbert, to someone who objected to the name "Ruddigore"
>
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