Re: Re[4]: [tied] Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts

I think that has little to do with their frequency.

More pertinent are factors like novelty, uniqueness, what the current batch
of "stars" have as first names. From the language I regularly hear from
respectable people, there are few taboos left against using sexual
terminology.

Patrick

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@...>
To: "Patrick Ryan" <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 4:19 PM
Subject: Re[4]: [tied] Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts


> At 5:10:00 PM on Thursday, February 7, 2008, Patrick Ryan
> wrote:
>
> > What do Dick and Peter or pussycat have to do with word
> > taboos?
>
> The first two are slang for 'penis'; 'pussycat' contains
> 'pussy', slang for 'vulva'.
>
> Brian
>
>
>