(fairly) new (but unlisted) "benefits"

[Laurence Horn]

On Aug 5, 2011, at 10:43 AM, Jesse Sheidlower wrote:

> On Fri, Aug 05, 2011 at 10:37:55AM -0400, Joel S. Berson wrote:
>>
>> Successively telling GBooks Advanced Search to
>> search before xxxx for "[best] friend[s] with
>> benefits" (quoted; all 4 combinations) arrives at
>> just 9 hits before Dec 31, 2003, the earliest of
>> which (that appears relevant) is alleged to be
>> Apr 21, 1997, in New York Magazine, Vol. 30, No.
>> 15, page 106, a personal ad (a believable source, surely):
>>
>> "Wanted: Best Friend With Benefits  I'm an
>> outgoing, fun, family-oriented 33-year-old (hell
>> of a catch), with a lot to offer.
>> Nonanorexic-looking Jewish female, living in
>> central NJ. I have a lot of plans for the spring
>> and summer ... I realized I was missing the
>> special guy to share the good times with. You
>> should be 31-40, just a bit romantic, ...
>
> But in context this looks like it means 'committed romantic/sexual
> partner who is also a close friend', i.e. emphasizing the fact that the
> advertiser is looking for someone who will be not only a lover but also
> a close friend. She's not just looking for a friend to sleep with on
> occasion.
>
That seems to be the case in the Morissette song as well, FWIW.  A speculation: maybe the FWB locution was recruited as a kind of euphemism for the already existing "fuck buddy".

LH

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