Morning wood (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Jeff Prucher]

>________________________________
> From: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2012 1:55 PM
>Subject: Re: Morning wood (UNCLASSIFIED)
>
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>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
>Subject:      Re: Morning wood (UNCLASSIFIED)
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>HDAS files have a "stiff" from ca 1930, with a 1938 ex. saying that it was
>becoming "obsolete" in favor of "hard-on." (OED:1980)
>
>A "stiffer" appears in 1968 (OED: 1980), with "stiffie" (no OED) pop. by
>Beavis & Butthead in 1992.

"Stiffy" appears in Monty Python's "Penis Song" (from "The Meaning of Life", 1983). I'd always assumed it was established British slang, but have no evidence to support that.

Jeff Prucher


>
>JL
>
>On Sat, Nov 17, 2012 at 9:11 AM, Douglas G. Wilson <douglas at nb.net> wrote:
>
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>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET>
>> Subject:      Re: Morning wood (UNCLASSIFIED)
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> On 11/17/2012 8:22 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>> > ....
>> >
>> > A "woodie" is slightly earlier. And "stiffie" is a little earlier than
>> > that. In print, anyway.
>> --
>>
>> I recall this "stiffy" from the 1960's. It seems such a natural way to
>> say "something stiff" that I suppose it may have been coined multiply
>> over the decades/centuries. I see it in "Tales of the French Riviera" (I
>> think published about 1968 although the G-books printing may be much
>> later).
>>
>> This "woody" was novel to me around 1990 or 1992 IIRC. I suppose it
>> didn't have wide US currency in the time of the Beach Boys ... let alone
>> in Woody Woodpecker's early days ....
>>
>> When are the early dictionary citations? (Pardon me if I've missed part
>> of the discussion.)
>>
>> --
>> >
>> > I suggest "woodie"  is the origin of both " Woodrow" and "morning wood
>> --
>>
>> Seems highly likely!
>>
>> -- Doug Wilson
>>
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