"taint", anatomical

[Laurence Horn]

I know that the T-containing HDAS volume isn't out, and that the application of the term is indeed unisex (like a bottom, we've all got 'em), but it has occurred to me to wonder whether the standardly assumed etymology is correct ("'taint the one, 'taint t'other", more or less), and if so whether that might imply a deliberate coinage.  Unlike "scofflaw", it's seems unlikely that "taint" was the winner of a lexical competition ("Name That Body-part").  Is it just that "taint" is both intentionally homonymic and easier to pronounce than, say, "twixt" and less Latin-sounding (and less likely to be in the OED) than "perineum" (= 'The part of the body between the anus and the scrotum or vulva, either at the surface of the skin or including the internal tissue immediately below this')?

LH

On Apr 11, 2012, at 2:27 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

> It can apply to either sex. Most HDAS exx. are feminine.
>
> JL
>
> On Wed, Apr 11, 2012 at 2:26 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> The HDAS files have this from California, 1970.
>>
>> JL
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 11, 2012 at 2:10 PM, Mark Mandel <thnidu at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>> -----------------------
>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>> Poster:       Mark Mandel <thnidu at GMAIL.COM>
>>> Subject:      "taint", anatomical
>>>
>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> From a friend's blog, part of a dream. I will give the link if the blog
>>> owner permits it.
>>>
>>> I looked across the street and saw two women (African-American, as I
>>>> recall) being harassed by a white man who wasn't larger than them, but
>>> who
>>>> was being nasty and abusive. They cringed and tried to ignore him, but
>>> he
>>>> got more and more obnoxious. My blood boiled with anger on their behalf.
>>>>
>>>> Suddenly, I found myself yelling, "KICK HIM IN THE TAINT!" There was
>>>> shocked silence for a moment, but then all the women around me started
>>>> yelling it, too. Our corner was swiftly filled with women chanting,
>>> "KICK
>>>> HIM IN THE TAINT! KICK HIM IN THE TAINT! KICK HIM IN THE TAINT!" at the
>>> top
>>>> of our lungs. Thus encouraged, the women across the street began kicking
>>>> this shit out of this guy, who richly deserved it.
>>>>
>>>
>>> My comment:
>>>
>>> Does "taint" mean what I think it does? Is this usage common?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Some pertinent replies:
>>>
>>>  - "Taint" is the space between the balls & the asshole. T'aint balls,
>>>  t'aint asshole.
>>>  And yes, it's pretty common.
>>>  - I still remember the first time I encountered the term. A woman I was
>>>  dating mentioned it as part of an overall rant about her ex's hygiene.
>>> It
>>>  was a very colorful, creative and somewhat nauseating monologue.
>>>  - is *that* where the word came from? I had no idea. Also never heard it
>>>  used to mean this until about a year ago.
>>>
>>> Mark Mandel
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>>
>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org