"smack": a recent acroetymythonym

[Jonathan Lighter]

Most of the "terms of address" Doug itemizes are known to have existed during the Civil War.  Were they as widely used then ?  If so, history leaps to life in a way unforeseen by our textbook writers.

If not, what has changed in the heart of man ?

(Actually, this is a pretty interesting question, if you ask me. Too bad we don't know more about bad language in the Civil War.)

JL

"Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: "Douglas G. Wilson"
Subject: Re: "smack": a recent acroetymythonym
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> < SMACK :
> in compliance with Congressional mandates prohibiting abusive
> language, this epithet was adopted to represent all derogatory, obscene,
> or profane terms deemed inappropriate for reviling military
> servicemembers, being a Humpty Dumpty redefinition; see ATTITUDE
> ADJUSTMENT, CALL ON THE CARPET, TALK TRASH, GODDAM. [Swearing is either
> juvenile or crass, but MIL-PERS admire talent and respect skill, so
> creative vulgarity and uncommon scurrility is often appreciated. ....
>
>But that, naturally, isn't the point of this message. Though "dumb smack"
>goes back several decades in civilian speech, the military's crack
>acroetymythonymers have decided that, like any etymologically intriguing
>monosyllable, "smack" has to be an acronym for something - but what
>? Various sites offer
>
>Soldier Minus Ability Coordination [and] Knowledge
>
>Soldier Minus Aptitude Character and Knowledge
>
>Soldier Minus Ability Character and Knowledge
>
>Soldier Minus Any Coordination or Knowledge
>
>Soldier Minus All Competence and Knowledge
>
>Or mix 'n' match ! Be your own acroetymythonymer !

In this case my casual woolgathering suggests that there might be a real
acronym-etymology ... of course nothing like any of the above.

Note above: "... adopted to represent all derogatory, obscene, or profane
terms ...": that says "represent", not "replace" ... just a coincidental
slip of the typing-fingers?

If one is not permitted some of the usual modes of address, viz.,
"son-of-a-*****", "motherf*****", "assh***", and "cocks*****", he can
replace all four with an acronym (with the "k" as an orthographic
prosthesis) and use it freely ... and if some prissy person asks what it
means he can select from the above 'mythical' expansions.

-- Doug Wilson

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com