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Re: vulgarisms

From:Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...>
Date:Thursday, November 12, 1998, 1:52
John Cowan wrote:
> Most ironically, it comes from French "cretin" < "chretien" = "Christian"! > Why, I do not know. English also has "cretin".
In English, the word was originally a euphemism for the mentally challenged, but soon became a term of abuse. -- "It has occured to me more than once that holy boredom is good and sufficient reason for the invention of free will." - "Lord Leto II" (Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert) http://members.tripod.com/~Nik_Taylor/X-Files/ ICQ #: 18656696 AOL screen-name: NikTailor