Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site mot.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!wjh12!harvard!seismo!ut-sally!oakhill!mot!al From: al@mot.UUCP (Al Filipski) Newsgroups: net.jokes.d,net.nlang Subject: Re: Origin of that strongest of words Message-ID: <17@mot.UUCP> Date: Sun, 21-Oct-84 17:13:35 EDT Article-I.D.: mot.17 Posted: Sun Oct 21 17:13:35 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 23-Oct-84 06:02:10 EDT References: <208@turing.UUCP> Organization: Motorola Microsystems, Phoenix AZ Lines: 11 It's possible origin as a corruption of the English "firk" is not to be discounted. This was a very common word in the 11th to 17th centuries. Meanings of "firk" include "to press hard", "to move sharply", "to stroke", "to stir up", "to move about briskly". the OED gives "Your soberest jades are firkers in corners"--Gayton, 1634. Partridges "Slang Today and Yesterday" gives "given to caressing women" for "firking". The loss of the "r" is analogous to the loss of the "r" in "arse". alan filipski {allegra | ihnp4} ! sftig ! mot ! al