Guest guest Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 A famous company that designed and made men's jackets (among other things) was called "Members Only." Implying (some jokesters claimed) that they appealed exclusively to people with penises. British English is different from American (or Indian) English. I recall reading that W.H. Auden collapsed into giggles when he read a play which gave these stage instructions: "The maid enters. She is cleaning her chamber." (Apparently for Brits, "chamber" can mean the Female Organ...) -- Len --- colin777au <colinr wrote: > Hello Nora, > > This expression "male member" is not actually > American slang, it is > an old expression of Latin origin - anglicized form > of "membrum > virile". > > The word "member" used to be applicable to parts of > the body in > general, not only that part. > > The double meaning of "member" has its funny side, > but is based on > an ancient, widespread and deep metaphor, > identifying a society or > group with the human body. > > Eg the word "organization" is related to "organ". > "Corporation" is > related to "corpse", for both come from the Latin > word "corpus". > > Similarly, the Sanskrit word "angam" can mean either > a part of the > body, or a division of an army (not to mention > various other > meanings). > > There is a Sukta of the Rig Veda (10:90) that says > the four major > Hindu castes come from four sections of the body > (mouth, arms, > thighs and feet) of one primeval person (the > Purusha). > > Om Shantih > Colin > > , "NMadasamy" > <nmadasamy@s...> > wrote: > > Okay now I understand. Somebody send me an email > to explain what's > > this whole thing is all about. For the benefit of > those who are > blur > > like me, I think this is some American Slang, > perhaps : Male > member > > Im told refer to the male organ. > > > > "If male members choose to post a close up , can > they wear the > > pants on their heads??" > > Now this is hilarious. > > > > > Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 There is a space inside the male body (I have read) that is able to be opened and made into a vagina in sex change operations. And though the British word "chamber" neglects it, I think the clitoris is more analogous to the "male member," and the vagina would be analogous to the "unused space" inside the male anatomy. So it's really all of a piece, as it were , Len Rosenberg <kalipadma108> wrote: > > > A famous company that designed and made men's jackets > (among other things) was called "Members Only." > Implying (some jokesters claimed) that they appealed > exclusively to people with penises. > > British English is different from American (or Indian) > English. I recall reading that W.H. Auden collapsed > into giggles when he read a play which gave these > stage instructions: "The maid enters. She is > cleaning her chamber." > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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