Burdash again

[Alan H. Hartley]

Two entries from the OED:

BERDACHE. Also berdash.
[ad. F. bardache: see bardash.]
Among N. American Indians: a transvestite (see esp. quot. 1955).
1806 A. Henry Jrnl. 21 July in E. Coues New Light Hist. Greater
Northwest (1897) I. 348 The Mandanes..often prefer a young man to a
woman. They have many berdashes amongst them, who make it their business
to satisfy such beastly passions.
1843 H. S. Lloyd tr. Maximilian’s Trav. N. Amer. xxv. 351 Among all the
North American Indian nations there are men dressed and treated like
women, called, by the Canadians, Bardaches.
1906 R. G. Thwaites Early Western Trav. XXIII. 284 The berdash was noted
by most early travellers among Western Indians.
1912 Anthrop. Pap. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. IX. 226 Berdaches naturally
associate with girls and pretend to have sweethearts among men.
1949 M. Mead Male & Female vi. 129 Among many American Indian tribes the
berdache, the man who dressed and lived as a woman, was a recognized
social institution.
1955 Angelino & Shedd in Amer. Anthropologist LVIII. 125 In view of the
data we propose that berdache be characterized as an individual of a
definite physiological sex (male or female) who assumes the role and
status of the opposite sex, and who is viewed by the community..as
having assumed the role and status of the opposite sex.

† BARDASH. Obs. Also 6 bardass 6­7 bardasso, 7 -assa, -achio.
[a. F. bardache, cogn. with It. bardascia, Sp. bardajo, -axo; perh. ad.
Arab. bardaj slave.]
A catamite, ‘cinædus.’
1548 Thomas Ital. Dict., Zanzeri, bardasses.
1600 O. E. Repl. Libel i. ii. 43 Publikely maintaining bardassaes and
concubines.
1653 Urquhart Rabelais iii. xxv, Bardachio that thou art!
1721 S. Centlivre Plat. Lady Epil. 190 With your false Calves, Bardash,
and Fav’rites.
Hence
bardashing, vbl. n. Obs.
1678 Butler Hud. iii. i. 278 Raptures of Platonick Lashing, And chast
Contemplative Bardashing.