Taint

[poliphilo]

 I said, "This week is sometimes called "Twixtmas"

And Judy said she'd seen it called "Taint week because 't'aint Christmas and 't'ain't New Year. There is,"  she added, "another connotation."

Well, I have to know these things so I looked it up and found taint is a slang term for the perineum- which ain't the genitals and ain't the anus. Is this in common usage or am I not alone in having had it pass me by? 

Origin of the term? Uncertain, but probably US of A, mid 20th century.

Actually I've learned two things, because if you'd asked me before today where the perineum was I wouldn't have had a clue.

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

I've seen "taint" as a body part mostly in Southern English.

Re: Thoughts

[poliphilo]

That surprises me. I was thinking it had to be American.

Re: Thoughts

[mtbc]

Yeah, I'd noticed it more as a rural American term but I could have easily missed a Southern English thing.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

It is American, insofar as I know -- I haven't found it outside there -- but it seems to be part of the Southern dialect(s). I think I first encountered it as a Louisiana term.

[wantedonvoyage]

I got recently an email invite for a very naughty party at a bar using the latter metaphor, but that was my first time hearing it.

[mallorys_camera]

It ain't pussy, it ain't arse... 😀

[poliphilo]

How can I have gone through nearly 75 years on the planet and not heard this before?

[paserbyp]

Why is it called Twixmas? Is 'Twixmas' a real word? In short: no. It's an unofficial blend of two words; 'betwixt' (an old English word that means 'between') and 'Christmas'.

[cmcmck]

The older meaning 'go off' or 'spoil' goes way back to middle English

[haertstitch]

t'aint saint or devil

kinda like the divot under your nose

it is fun :)