"Poo-tang joint" (1935)

[Douglas G. Wilson]

 From N'archive:

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_Chicago Heights Star_, 23 Aug. 1935: p. 16:

"China Seas", "adapted by Lebbeus Mitchell from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
picture": Ch. III:

<<Then China Doll's voice[,] throaty but very distinct[,] cut through the
hum of general conversation[.] ["]Speaking of meetings, James, remember
that night in that poo-tang joint in Saigon when you and I met up with a
certain party?">>

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What is "poo-tang"? Saigon was of course French territory at the time, so
an easy guess presents itself.

"Poontang" was already in use (and in print) in its current sense (=
"pussy") in the US.

Some might suggest that such a thing could not readily have been printed in
the newspaper.

Or was it something else after all? I noted earlier on this list the
Frederick MD "Poo Tang Club" (sense unknown to me) mentioned in the papers
in 1904-1912.

Did the movie "China Seas" contain this lexical item? Is it known elsewhere?

-- Doug Wilson


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