Freudian

Ronald Butters ronbutters at AOL.COM
Sun Aug 21 17:46:18 UTC 2011


I guess if there are people around who think that "Freudian" means simply "phallic," then OK. But I doubt that it is that simple for most people. At any rate, people who speak of a "Freudian slip" aren't thinking of a penis popping out of someone's pants. A doughnut can be "Freudian." Grapefruit can be "Freudian." Nuts can be "Freudian." Shoving a banana in a milk jug can be "Freudian." KIlling your Dad and marrying your Mom can be "Freudian."

It is not so much derivation as it is nonce synecdoche.

On Aug 21, 2011, at 10:13 AM, victor steinbok wrote:

> When someone says, "According to Freudian analysis...", that's "pertaining to Freud. On the other hand, when he says, "That looks so Freudian," and means that there is a phallic image, that's not "pertaining to Freud", no matter how that expression might have been derived.
>
> VS-)

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