Bloody Mary

[Beverly Flanigan]

My understanding is that 'bloody' refers not to Christ (or his blood) but
to Mary: "by our Lady" --> "bloody" by elision.

At 02:59 PM 9/25/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Actually, "bloody" did use to be a swear word--counted among the many words
>relating to the death of Christ and thus considered profane, including
>"zounds" (short for "God's wounds"). Nowadays it has about the same impact
>as saying "damned."
>
>But to get back to the original question, Bloody Mary is so named because
>of her reputation for having Protestants killed (she didn't physically kill
>them herself--queens have other people to do the nasty work for them)--and
>yes, schoolchildren call her that without a second thought. I doubt they
>even connect it with the "swearing" use of "bloody," which most of them
>employ frequently enough!
>
>Wendalyn Nichols
>
>At 11:38 AM 9/25/03 -0400, you wrote:
>>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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