"Horny"

[Wilson Gray]

On 11/16/05, Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at yale.edu> wrote:
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster: Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject: Re: "Horny"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >>Ca.1963, IIRC, the late, great Raven McDavid reviewed a slang dictionary
> for
> >>Language. He noted that the compiler claimed that the word, "horny," in
> the
> >>sexual sense was "of unknown origin." McDavid then stated that anyone
> >>familiar with common farm animals knows the origin of the sexual sense
> of
> >>"horny." Further deponent sayeth not.
> >>
> >>Does anyone know what in hell he was talking about?
> >
> >I don't know for sure. Maybe I haven't been familiar enough with the
> animals.
> >
> >Me, I'd naively assume "horny" < "horn" = "erection" as shown in HDAS.
>
> That's always been my assumption, and I should know (whether or not I do).
>
> Eponymously,
> Larry
>

Thanks. That makes sense.
--
-Wilson