TwatFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For other meanings of 'Twat' and similar, see Twat (disambiguation).
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Twat has various meanings, clearly dependent upon which regional dialect. It is generally used as a vulgar synonym for the human vulva,[1] vagina, or clitoris, and is be used as a derogatory epithet. In British English, 'twat' is often pronounced /twæt/ (to rhyme with bat). In other areas (eg. Australia, New Zealand and North America) it is also pronounced /twt/ (to rhyme with watt), as was common in British English usage in the past.
The word possibly originates from the Old Norse thveit meaning cut, slit, or forest clearing.[1]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Historical usage
* 2 Cultural references
* 3 Usage
* 4 See also
* 5 References
[edit] Historical usage
Robert Browning famously misused the term in his 1841 poem 'Pippa Passes', believing it to be an item of nun's clothing:[2]
Then owls and bats
Cowls and twats
Monks and nuns in a cloister's moods
Adjourn to the oak-stump pantry
Its meaning was in reality the same then as now, Browning's misconception probably having arisen from a line in a 1660 satirical poem, Vanity of Vanities:
They talk't of his having a Cardinalls Hat
They'd send him as soon an Old Nuns Twat
Another mistaken (or perhaps dialectal) use was in Lord Lytton's 1870 science fiction novel The Coming Race, in an apparent satire on Darwin:
Among the pithy sayings which, according to tradition, the philosopher bequeathed to posterity in rhythmical form and sententious brevity, this is notably recorded: 'Humble yourselves, my descendants; the father of your race was a 'twat' (tadpole): exalt yourselves, my descendants, for it was the same Divine Thought which created your father that develops itself in exalting you.'
[edit] Cultural references
* Although the term was not notable enough to be included in George Carlin's original seven dirty words, it was one of three words (the others being fart and turd) that later made his slightly expanded 10-word version. Carlin explained that part of the word's allure lay in the fact that - unlike snatch, box, and pussy - twat had no meanings other than reference to female genetalia. He also used it in a sports cheer during a standup routine: 'Rat shit, bat shit, dirty old twat. Sixty-nine assholes tied in a knot. Hooray, lizard shit, fuck!'
* The sign outside of the fictional hotel in the British sitcom Fawlty Towers once displayed FLOWERY TWATS in a reconfiguration, or anagram, of its letters.
* Dane Cook also uses the term twat in his comedy routine 'Nothing Fights' from the comedy album 'Retaliation'.
* The word is used numerous times by Brian Posehn in the pre-show section of the comedy film Jesus Is Magic, and Sarah Silverman later uses it in a song, referencing three popular actresses she considers unsuitable for her show.
* The track 'Such a Twat' featured on UK hiphop artist The Streets' 2004 album A Grand Don't Come For Free
* The track 'Family Reunion' from the Blink-182 album The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back has the repeated lyrics 'Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cock Sucker, Mother Fucker, Tits, Fart, Turd and Twat' - lifted from Carlin's expanded list of dirty words.
* Featured in Lilly Allen's song, 'Alfie.'
[edit] Usage
Although it can also refer to the female genitalia, the word is used as a more general term in various ways:
* As a derogatory word for a man - 'That twat pisses me off'
* A fool, synonymous with the word twit - 'You are a real twat and a half'
* One who behaves in a childish, extroverted manner to the annoyance of others - 'He can be an annoying twat sometimes'
* To hit something (or someone) really hard or violently - 'I twatted him one'
* To become drunk or otherwise intoxicated - 'Let's get twatted'
Note that in these contexts the word carries far less force than it does in its usage as a synonym for female genitalia.
* Sometimes used as a satirical abbreviation for the War on Terror (TWAT = The War Against Terror)
[edit] See also
* Seven dirty words
[edit] References
1. ^ a b Dictionary definition and etymology of 'twat'
2. ^ Mark Liberman (2005-01-19). Twat v. Browning. Language Log. Retrieved on 2005-07-30.
Retrieved from 'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twat'
Category: Profanity
(• Ten things you may not know about images on Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
For other meanings of 'Twat' and similar, see Twat (disambiguation).
Look up Twat in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Twat has various meanings, clearly dependent upon which regional dialect. It is generally used as a vulgar synonym for the human vulva,[1] vagina, or clitoris, and is be used as a derogatory epithet. In British English, 'twat' is often pronounced /twæt/ (to rhyme with bat). In other areas (eg. Australia, New Zealand and North America) it is also pronounced /twt/ (to rhyme with watt), as was common in British English usage in the past.
The word possibly originates from the Old Norse thveit meaning cut, slit, or forest clearing.[1]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Historical usage
* 2 Cultural references
* 3 Usage
* 4 See also
* 5 References
[edit] Historical usage
Robert Browning famously misused the term in his 1841 poem 'Pippa Passes', believing it to be an item of nun's clothing:[2]
Then owls and bats
Cowls and twats
Monks and nuns in a cloister's moods
Adjourn to the oak-stump pantry
Its meaning was in reality the same then as now, Browning's misconception probably having arisen from a line in a 1660 satirical poem, Vanity of Vanities:
They talk't of his having a Cardinalls Hat
They'd send him as soon an Old Nuns Twat
Another mistaken (or perhaps dialectal) use was in Lord Lytton's 1870 science fiction novel The Coming Race, in an apparent satire on Darwin:
Among the pithy sayings which, according to tradition, the philosopher bequeathed to posterity in rhythmical form and sententious brevity, this is notably recorded: 'Humble yourselves, my descendants; the father of your race was a 'twat' (tadpole): exalt yourselves, my descendants, for it was the same Divine Thought which created your father that develops itself in exalting you.'
[edit] Cultural references
* Although the term was not notable enough to be included in George Carlin's original seven dirty words, it was one of three words (the others being fart and turd) that later made his slightly expanded 10-word version. Carlin explained that part of the word's allure lay in the fact that - unlike snatch, box, and pussy - twat had no meanings other than reference to female genetalia. He also used it in a sports cheer during a standup routine: 'Rat shit, bat shit, dirty old twat. Sixty-nine assholes tied in a knot. Hooray, lizard shit, fuck!'
* The sign outside of the fictional hotel in the British sitcom Fawlty Towers once displayed FLOWERY TWATS in a reconfiguration, or anagram, of its letters.
* Dane Cook also uses the term twat in his comedy routine 'Nothing Fights' from the comedy album 'Retaliation'.
* The word is used numerous times by Brian Posehn in the pre-show section of the comedy film Jesus Is Magic, and Sarah Silverman later uses it in a song, referencing three popular actresses she considers unsuitable for her show.
* The track 'Such a Twat' featured on UK hiphop artist The Streets' 2004 album A Grand Don't Come For Free
* The track 'Family Reunion' from the Blink-182 album The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back has the repeated lyrics 'Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cock Sucker, Mother Fucker, Tits, Fart, Turd and Twat' - lifted from Carlin's expanded list of dirty words.
* Featured in Lilly Allen's song, 'Alfie.'
[edit] Usage
Although it can also refer to the female genitalia, the word is used as a more general term in various ways:
* As a derogatory word for a man - 'That twat pisses me off'
* A fool, synonymous with the word twit - 'You are a real twat and a half'
* One who behaves in a childish, extroverted manner to the annoyance of others - 'He can be an annoying twat sometimes'
* To hit something (or someone) really hard or violently - 'I twatted him one'
* To become drunk or otherwise intoxicated - 'Let's get twatted'
Note that in these contexts the word carries far less force than it does in its usage as a synonym for female genitalia.
* Sometimes used as a satirical abbreviation for the War on Terror (TWAT = The War Against Terror)
[edit] See also
* Seven dirty words
[edit] References
1. ^ a b Dictionary definition and etymology of 'twat'
2. ^ Mark Liberman (2005-01-19). Twat v. Browning. Language Log. Retrieved on 2005-07-30.
Retrieved from 'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twat'
Category: Profanity
ClanSoul,
Sat 27 Oct 2007, 20:43,
archived)
