Swear Word Analysis: Bitch

OK...before you jump on me I want to do a serious analysis of this word.

Literally, it means female dog. Used mainly in dog breeding. I'm not sure if a bitch can remain a bitch once spayed, but that's irrelavent.

Anyway, its colloquial connotation implies a hard to deal with woman. Shrew (ala the Shakespearean kind) is the closest match in the language.

Now I've worked with dogs ALOT. I've bred them and know bitches to be two things. (1) Horny once a month and (2) tired for the next 63 days. If a match were to be made for the personality of a female breeding dog, it would be 'worn.' Delivering one baby is tough, try delivering a litter.

So where did the word 'bitch' come to have the shrewish connotations?

Quel Chiene.

or 'perracita' has the same meaning as it does in English.

*BRB*

how the word got the negative connotations when used to describe a woman. What matters is that it is now used as an insult to women and many of us find it insulting and it's disheartening to see the number of supposedly "liberal" men on this site who don't give a rat's ass when women tell them it's insulting.

But...I would like to know how it became the word it has.

What does the word "bitch" sound like?

A raindrop hitting a cymbal.

I have almost never used this word to describe a woman per se.

"Bitchy" applies to anyone; the unadorned adjective is often used as Chien(e)! or Comme un(e) chien(e) in French; "Son of a Bitch!" is a nice, time-wasting expletive to allow the person to regain control.

But I still like the part about the raindrop hitting the cymbal.

--bkl

how "f*cker" can sound ugly, yet I would very much like to be a "f*cker" in that one who has sex.

let's not forget that men call eachother bitches too

I use the politically correct "girl dog"

Most girl dogs I know are very sweet, and not "bitchy" in the least

Really? I thought it was a woman who was acting like a jerk. Really mean and bullying.

According to Cassell's Dictionary of Slang (by Jonathon Green)

Bitch as derogatory slang dates back to the early 1600's. It soon came to be seen as the worst insult to give an English woman (worse than whore) and was used to indicate disapproval of her sexuality (think of a dog as a bitch in heat).

Also, in the late 17th century, bitch was used as a verb meaning "to go whoring"

Presumably, bitch was just another insult used for women and by the early 20th century, certain types of men.

So, it kind of makes sense that bitch, originally used to describe a female dog for breeding evolved into describing unpleasant women.

What makes no sense though, is how "bitchen" etc means wonderful

Speaking of which, anyone heard that sound bite where the man with the calm pleasant voice discusses origins and grammatical use of the word "fuck"? I'd like the link if someone has it.

they won't be tired for the next 63 days. That equates to horny every other month.

Two wrongs on your part don't make a right.

But if the dog doesn't get sired correctly, she would be horny again?

That makes me feel better. LOL!

We've had more than enough discussion of this particular issue today.