origins of certain slurs
Oct. 13th, 2009 02:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
etymological origin of 'whore' -- the Proto-Indo-European root qar transformed in other languages into 'lover', 'friend', 'desire'
'prostitute' -- literally means "before" + "to stand, establish"; no original negative connotation
'harlot' -- literally means "vagabond"; had both positive and negative connotations in Chaucer's time
'strumpet' -- hilarious backstory for this mysterious word--not all nouns can verb
'prostitute' -- literally means "before" + "to stand, establish"; no original negative connotation
'harlot' -- literally means "vagabond"; had both positive and negative connotations in Chaucer's time
'strumpet' -- hilarious backstory for this mysterious word--not all nouns can verb
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-13 11:03 pm (UTC)There was also something from Sumerian lore about the Goddess Inanna having mercy on the asshole god Marduk but later when Marduk's patriarchy gained power, the term "inane" came to mean stupid, empty, shallow, a slur on the goddess and all women.