Gloriana

There are reactionary feminists who insist on silly alternate spellings of "woman" because of its perceived base in "man." I give no endorsement of this view, not only because it perpetuates shoddy etymology (I lose count of the teeth I have ground into dust over this subject); not only because it clumsily abuses the noble study of etymology in order to accomplish a political agenda; but because it occurred to me early in my life that "man" could be as easily considered a contraction of "woman" -- a perspective which, while no less etymologically shaky, shows a better sense of humour.

posted at 3:34:20 pm

J f Z
September 4, 2005 08:38 PM PDT

I got your linguistics, *right here*. Heh. Okay, that's a stretch on linguini noodle, but still.

Here's my studied hypothesis of the origin of the word "Woman" based partly upon my years of experience working in urban areas in the construction industry and taking many coffee breaks from the vantage point of chilling out high up on the scaffolding erected against a tall building:

"Hey. Look!"

"Whoa! Man!"

That's it. That's my thesis.
acturi
September 3, 2005 12:08 AM PDT

Of course. I mean, uh, I stole it from you, didn't I? Yeah, that's it...
Gloria
September 2, 2005 11:24 AM PDT

I will pretend that that was my much cleverer joke all along.
acturi
September 1, 2005 11:41 PM PDT

Generally speaking, man *does* come from woman, and at least one contraction is generally involved.
Halcyon
September 1, 2005 09:22 PM PDT

I am man, hear me roar!
Daveman
September 1, 2005 08:44 PM PDT

I suppose there's a misnomer in that if woman came from man - then the word woman must be a contraction of man in that ipso-fatso ramidification placating upon the reticulai in verticed spectralized anaologetics.

FORTHWITH and WHATFORE - in all due candor, the whole phylosophical angle within the etymologically inspired nephitism could have deviated from the primemortial root word which was lost in the last globalized upheaval durint the Druid vs Disney Land wars. But I degrease,

I could be wrong. What do you think?
Toaod
September 1, 2005 03:38 PM PDT

How come there can't be any masculinists? If somebody proclaimed to be a masculinist he would be dragged onto the town square and stoned. And not with Canibus! Those Crazy Phimynists. And if Man is a contraction of Woman I would want to be a mayhn.

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