"pussy" consistent with "tomcat"

[Jonathan Lighter]

Most astute, Jim. Anacreontic verse has never been my _forte_.

JL

"James A. Landau" <JJJRLandau at AOL.COM> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: "James A. Landau"
Subject: Re: "pussy" consistent with "tomcat"
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In a message dated Sun, 21 Aug 2005 17:23:47 -0700,
Jonathan Lighter writes:
>
> For all those enchanted by the subtlest nuances of the lexical world, here
> is historical proof that maleness is compatible with pussycat felinity.
>
> 1800 _The Myrtle and the Vine_ (London: West and Hughes) 8 THE
> CELEBRATED SONG OF THE TOM CAT....' Twas only Tom, our Pussey.

Probably not relevant, but there is another male/female reference here that
you may have missed. The title "The Myrtle and the Vine" is perhaps based on
the final two lines of the first stanza of "To Anacreon in Heaven":

And besides I'll inspire you like me to entwine
The myrtle of Venus and Bacchus's vine.

(same notes as "Oh say does that Star-Spangled banner yet wave/over the land
of the free and the home of the brave".

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jonathan Lighter on Fri, 19 Aug at 18:00:11 said, re "willow pussy"
"...uses the word "willow pussy" on one occasion to describe a weakling.
Obviously this is one of those dialect reversals like "peckerwood"."

Not terribly relevant, but sometime in June 1943 Radio Tokyo said of the
Battle of Midway "Japan's forces outcarried fierce attacks on Midway Island...120
enemy aircraft were downshot"

(Source: Edward F. Stafford "The Big E" New York: Ballantine Books, 1962, no
ISBN, page 109.

- James A. Landau


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