Twerpette (named for my dachshund Molley, the original twerpette or "goofy girl") seeks to tweak the long nose of life with humor, affection, and gravitas. Topics include dating and relationships, faith and spirituality, language and writing, journalism, technology, arts, academe, whimsy and humanity. Cheeky and tweaky, Twerpette is rated PG13 for mature language and themes. This weblog began May 10, 2005. Copyright 2005-2016 Steve Deyo.
Function: noun
posted by Twerpette @ 2:08 PM
1 comments
Technology journalist, strategic communications consultant, speaker, teacher, author, poet, musician; known to friends and associates as "the voice of reason."
1 Comments:
"Hussy" is one of those words rarely used today, though occasionally still heard from the lips of an older relative, probably one who also rails against "whippersnappers" and all things "newfangled." In its heyday, "hussy" was the sort of noun that attracted intensifiers -- any woman worth labeling a "hussy" would almost certainly, upon closer examination, turn out to be a "brazen hussy," a "shameless hussy," or at least a "bold hussy."
Given the pejorative connotations of the term "hussy" (not quite a prostitute, but close), the origins and early uses of the word are rather remarkable. "Hussy" is simply a modified form of the word "housewife," and when "hussy" first appeared back in the 16th century, it meant just "mistress of the household," corresponding to "husband" (from the Old Norse "husbondi," meaning "master of the house"). The term "hussy" at that time even carried connotations of "a thrifty, orderly woman."
For some reason, however, the sense of "hussy" shifted in the 17th century, and took on the meaning of a rural woman or one of the lower urban classes. From there it unfairly (but predictably) acquired connotations of less than sterling character and low moral standards, until by the 18th and 19th centuries "hussy" had become a slur on a par with "harlot" or "floozy." (http://www.word-detective.com/032404.html)
Personal note: Sounds like a mental shift in the socioeconomic status of the mistress of the household that caused the change in the terminology. The higher status mistress' (housewife) wanted to be separated from the lower caste (hussy). Notice this is a female change, the male kept the “husband” term...That type of little status striking must not have mattered to them! Ah, the female way of digging and stabbing! B-)
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