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Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

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Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#51

Post by hunter2_ »

JadeNB wrote: post #43
hunter2_ wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A minor issue with that reasoning is that it doesn't explain why you might use the word asshat to refer to a person who is wearing an asshat. Asshatter would make a bit more sense, akin to brownnoser. On the other hand, I guess words like fatass have this same problem of equating the person with something the person possesses.

> On the other hand, I guess words like fatass have this same problem of equating the person with something the person possesses. On the third hand, I'm not sure that "fatass" really means "your ass is fat" specifically; I've always understood it to mean "you are fat, and an ass." That is, I take it in this respect to be like "dumbass": "you are dumb, and an ass", not "your ass is dumb".

Touché (or tushy, as the case may be).

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#52

Post by tshaddox »

JadeNB wrote: post #43
hunter2_ wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A minor issue with that reasoning is that it doesn't explain why you might use the word asshat to refer to a person who is wearing an asshat. Asshatter would make a bit more sense, akin to brownnoser. On the other hand, I guess words like fatass have this same problem of equating the person with something the person possesses.

> On the other hand, I guess words like fatass have this same problem of equating the person with something the person possesses. On the third hand, I'm not sure that "fatass" really means "your ass is fat" specifically; I've always understood it to mean "you are fat, and an ass." That is, I take it in this respect to be like "dumbass": "you are dumb, and an ass", not "your ass is dumb".

I've never been aware of your interpretation. I've always understood "fat-ass" to just mean "fat," or perhaps closely-associated derogatory traits like "sedentary" or "lazy."

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#53

Post by benhoyt »

zdw wrote: post #12

> There is a profound difference between being in possession of a “sweet-ass hat” and a “sweet asshat” Someone at MW has read: https://xkcd.com/37/

In Kiwi (New Zealand) slang we often add "as" to adjectives, like "sweet as" or "good as" to mean "no problem!" or similar ... without something after the "as" to compare it to (kind of like "good as gold" but without the word "gold"). Anyway, my Kiwi friend (a guy) studied in the U.S. for a while, and once he held open the door for a girl, and she said, "Thanks!" He called after her in chirpy Kiwi slang, "sweet as!" She heard, "Sweet ass!" and was not impressed! After a moment he realized what she'd heard and tried to explain, I'm not sure whether she believed him or not. :-)

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#54

Post by GuB-42 »

tlb wrote: post #17

> the etymological note we have describes the linking of ass and hat as “seemingly nonsensical” What? It's obviously a reference to having your head up your ass, thus turning your ass into a hat.

Etymology can be complicated...

As a French, I have another explanation. The french equivalent to a "dunce cap" is "bonnet d'âne". "bonnet" means "cap" and "âne" means "donkey", so "bonnet d'âne" literally translates into "asshat".

It is probably not the true origin of the word, but it is not impossible either. Also, words can have several origins.

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#55

Post by deaddodo »

> It occupies the space between assez and asshead.

The fact that asshead, a word I can honestly say I've never heard used in any English dialect, merited inclusion before asshat, a word I've heard a dozen times this last week, boggles my mind.

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#56

Post by deaddodo »

samatman wrote: post #29

Is the etymology actually obscure? I seem to recall it gaining currency in the warblog era (late but not lamented) and it's a way of saying someone has their head up their ass. They're wearing their ass as a hat. I remember this being explained a lot in various comment sections where folks would yell at each other about the war. It's hard for me to see this as folk etymology since afaik it's where the word itself com…

I can remember "asshat" being used among punks, goths, metalheads, hackers, etc during the 90s; for sure. At least, in Southern California.

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#57

Post by User23 »

bitwize wrote: post #31

Thought it came from Jeff K. on Something Awful, back when Something Awful was good.

That’s my recollection as well. It spread to the forums, and like so many other terrible things spawned by that site, metastasized into the Internet.

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#58

Post by thrower123 »

deaddodo wrote: post #56
samatman wrote: post #29

Is the etymology actually obscure? I seem to recall it gaining currency in the warblog era (late but not lamented) and it's a way of saying someone has their head up their ass. They're wearing their ass as a hat. I remember this being explained a lot in various comment sections where folks would yell at each other about the war. It's hard for me to see this as folk etymology since afaik it's where the word itself com…

I can remember "asshat" being used among punks, goths, metalheads, hackers, etc during the 90s; for sure . At least, in Southern California.

This may be false memory, but I'm almost certain Beevis or Butthead introduced me to asshat heckling 90s metal videos

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#59

Post by pseudalopex »

samatman wrote: post #29

Is the etymology actually obscure? I seem to recall it gaining currency in the warblog era (late but not lamented) and it's a way of saying someone has their head up their ass. They're wearing their ass as a hat. I remember this being explained a lot in various comment sections where folks would yell at each other about the war. It's hard for me to see this as folk etymology since afaik it's where the word itself com…

The examples in the article were older and from a different community.

Re: Some notes on 'asshat' (2018)

#60

Post by elevaet »

GuB-42 wrote: post #54
tlb wrote: post #17

> the etymological note we have describes the linking of ass and hat as “seemingly nonsensical” What? It's obviously a reference to having your head up your ass, thus turning your ass into a hat.

Etymology can be complicated... As a French, I have another explanation. The french equivalent to a "dunce cap" is "bonnet d'âne". "bonnet" means "cap" and "âne" means "donkey", so "bonnet d'âne" literally translates into "asshat". It is probably not the true origin of the word, but it is not impossible either. Also, words can have several origins.

Multiple origins are probably more common than we think. We tend to be biased to want to see singular causes of things, but language is often a murky soup full of feedback cycles.

In the example you gave, if it is not an origin, it could at least be a lingual context that supports the expression, because it does not contradict it.

Language evolution must be full of nuances like that, that we can barely observe.

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