"blue"(English)=obscene. Why "green" in Spanish?

[Sam Clements]

Doug,

Just so I don't misunderstand--the Spanish dictionary cites the "obscene"
(or some such) meaning from 1852?

As usual, I value your input.

SC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET>

> >.... Is the poster correct about Spanish?
>
> Yes. As for the fine semantic distinctions, I can only plead gross
> ignorance of Spanish.
>
> I find this sense of "verde" in the on-line Spanish Royal Academy
> dictionary from 1852 on, but not in the 1843 edition.
>
> >If so, why the color difference?
>
> I don't know. Compare also "pinku" = "pink" in Japanese which is somewhat
> comparable .... e.g., "pinku eiga" = "pink movie[s]" refers more-or-less
to
> soft-core pornography as I understand it ... something like "blue
movie[s]"
> in English.
>
> According to my naive and casual speculation, the Spanish "verde" =
> "obscene" may arise from a sense like "youthful"/"vigorous", thence
> "forward"/"shameless".
>
> Again from ignorance, I speculate that the Japanese "pinku" might refer
> simply to skin, or to blushing skin maybe (a less mentionable possibility
> which might seem superficially plausible to some is actually unlikely
IMHO).
>
> The English "blue" is harder for me to explain offhand and I can't add
> anything to Quinion's piece right now.
>
> Corrections are welcome as always.
>
> -- Doug Wilson
>