shit! (coarse exclamation of annoyance or disgust)

[Jonathan Lighter]

"Not give a rat's ass" is not uncommon in semi-autobiographical fiction
about World War II. One of the earliest novels to include it is Leon Uris's
_Battle Cry_ (1950-52, pub. 1953).

JL
On Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 3:38 PM, Robin Hamilton <
robin.hamilton3 at virginmedia.com> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Robin Hamilton <robin.hamilton3 at VIRGINMEDIA.COM>
> Subject:      Re: shit! (coarse exclamation of annoyance or disgust)
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> From: "Paul Frank" <paulfrank at POST.HARVARD.EDU>
>
> > On Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 7:57 PM, Robin Hamilton
> > <robin.hamilton3 at virginmedia.com> wrote:
> >
> >> ... although "shite" and "shit", while closely related, aren't strictly
> >> commutative. Â (As is also the case with the distinction between "ass"
> >> and
> >> "arse" -- thus, UK "a rat's arse," but no corresponding USA locution, "a
> >> rat's ass", if I have this right.)
> >
> > If I'd had to guess, I would have said that "a rat's arse" came from
> > "a rat's ass." "I don't give a rat's ass" is certainly extremely
> > common in American English.
> >
> > Paul
>
> Called that one wrong, didn't I?  I'll see if I can come up with some
> better
> examples of the non-commutative aspect of shit/shite.  Other than the
> obvious, that "ass" is characteristically USAmerican and "arse" UK.
>
> As to rats and their arses, or asses, there's the term coined by or used by
> the comedian Tony Hancock, "ratbag", which in turn may be a minced from of
> "scumbag."
>
> Further than that, deponent stateth not.
>
> Robin
>
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