Etymology of "broad" = [approx.] "gal"

[Wilson Gray]

I, on the other hand, have a somewhat similar, personal and
stereotypical - cf., e.g. B.B. King: "34 in the bust, 26 in the waist,
48 in the hips" - but likewise baseless, preference for "referring to
hips."

-Wilson

On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 9:29 PM, Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at yale.edu> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: Etymology of "broad" = [approx.] "gal"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 8:56 PM -0400 6/25/08, Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>>Do any of the esteemed lexicographers or etymologists have a position
>>(or a notion) regarding the origin of "broad" as a slang term applied to
>>a woman?
>>
>>I know of the following conjectures or possibilities:
>>
>>(1) from "bawd";
>>
>>(2) from adjective "broad" (referring to hips or whatever);
>
> I always assumed it was whatever.  But I have no evidence for the assumption.
>
> LH
>
>>
>>(3) from "broad" = "playing card"/"ticket" (etymology asserted in a 1914
>>citation in HDAS);
>>
>>(4) from "abroad" or from "broad" = "journey";
>>
>>(5) from German "Braut" (usually = "bride"), or some cognate.
>>
>>Are there other contenders available?
>>
>>Is there any solid etymology?
>>
>>If not, is there a favorite or default hypothesis?
>>
>>-- Doug Wilson
>>
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