When Apples Were Golden And Songs Were Sweet And Summer Had Passed Away,
John Melhuish Strudwick,
Manchester City Art Galleries.
Wench is such a great word. A naughty, flirty word. Like eyes above a fan, like an interested male gaze across a crowded room.
So I was delighted when Raine ( see sidebar) named me a Rockin' Babe/Wench - which comes with a neat little icon:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sKZmLEsU84c/Rn2-JTV4TPI/AAAAAAAAAPM/B4otdtIX5M8/s1600-h/rockin%2Bblogger%2Bgirl.jpg
or, for the wench...http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ectqrhzW4TA/RoEMjJs4DmI/AAAAAAAAAss/u-mFMjVuNr8/s1600-h/rockinWENCHblogger.jpg
or, for the wench...http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ectqrhzW4TA/RoEMjJs4DmI/AAAAAAAAAss/u-mFMjVuNr8/s1600-h/rockinWENCHblogger.jpg
It's just too cute not to pass on.
And so I label - from my sidebar - as toothsome, pulchritudinous wenches ( though nothing the least bit unladylike is implied herewith):
Written Wyrdd ( heh, heh),
Spy Scribbler,
December/Stacia,
Karen (My Big Publishing Adventure)
and rockin' Robyn (Snarkling Clean).
Wench is, historically, a man's word, unfortunately.
A chauvenistic, alpha word. One that might linger on a man's tongue, half-lustful, half-amused.
How times have changed.
Today, if a male used the word, I'd laugh and conclude he was trying way to hard and wonder if he was a dork. Both reactions probably anachronistic.In an earlier time I might not have been impressed either.
Today, women are chicks, birds, babes, scores or sometimes just ass.
Sometimes, I'm not sure equality has improved either the language or the romance.
26 comments:
She's a beaut. Could be a woman or a fishing pole. Or whatever one is looking at.
"Huh?" - she said inelegantly.
I always loved the word "Dame." When I was younger I read a series of books set in the 50s where the guys talked about "dames". It always had such a smoky, Lauren Bacall/Veronica Lake feel to me.
And South Pacific, December - "There Ain't Nothing Like A Dame!"
The terms "dames" and "gams" always tickled my fancy. Thanks for calling me a wench. I was more of one during the late 70s and 80s, but one always likes to think they are still young and saucy. Now I'm not young, but I'm saucy enough. And snarky now, too.
Don't forget the ever-charming "Ho." Actually, I'd be fine if we all forgot that one.
Quite.
A term which describes more about the user than about the female subject, Jaye.
Well, word choice generally does tell something about the user. ;) But some words more than others.
I LOVE the word 'wench', lol!
As modern and independent a woman as I am, there's just something about that word that makes me break into a secretive little smile.
It's saucy and sassy and hip-swinging sexy. Makes me think of being perched upon the knee of a rogue with a definite gleam in his eye, and waking with a smile and his boots beneath me bed.
Ah, those were the days... ;-D
Thank you for the title. I shall happily make use of it.
Still have to make use of the Thinking Blogger Award somewhere on my blog... Forgot about it actually. Heh heh. How's that for thinking?
Wench - I really think of you more as a dame, Bernita - smoky, mysterious, elegant, interesting, articulate, sensual, cerebral and physical at the same time, in jewels, flowers, satin, with quality and just a touch of the patrician.
Wench - man weren't we all? Those were the days! It's hard to be a wench when your back hurts. But you can always still be a dame...
Could we rehabilitate "wench," bring it back into general usuage with a slightly modern slant to it's meaning? I'll vote for it.
Heh, heh, Written, you saucy wench!
You've described a type of male who might use the word so well, Raine!
That sounds so nice, Kate! Thank you.
Taken by Raine's description, Charles?
Good post, Bernita. Equality has improved neither language nor romance, unfortunately.
"Could we rehabilitate "wench," bring it back into general usuage with a slightly modern slant to it's meaning?"
We could start a joint blog (open to all genders, of course) entitled "Wenches Who Write" or similar. Qualifications t.b.d. but related to a list of "wenchness" factors. LOL.
Bernita can be the Dame of Wenchness, our version of the Grand Pubah.
Dork? Is yon wench talking about us! EEgad sir!
Actually, where I come from, 'wench' is a term of endearment! seriously! But it's very, very local!We also say 'yous'instead of 'you.'
Bye for now all yous wenches! :-)
Sad that some words have lost their savour, my Demon.
Don't need to go that far, Written. Just everyone use the words and maybe they will spread.
"Actually, where I come from, 'wench' is a term of endearment!"
That's charming, Jon.
I'm a SAUCY wench, thank you!
Eobyn, you rock!
I second Writtenwrd! I'm already almost 42, and I've never had a chance to be a wench in my whole entire life!
What do you have to do to acquire 'wenchness?' Is there a guide or handbook somewhere? Anywhere?
Eyes over a fan? A real wench just comes right up, not even pretending to be coy.
But what I first think of is an old cartoon, an irate king glaring at a servant who brought him a cranking mechanism. "I said bring me the wench, you idiot, the wench!"
Dammit, now I'm trying to remembe what cartoon that was...
Didn't they do that bit in Army of Darkness too?
I do not believe, Takoda, that you have never been in contact with your Inner Wench!
Do you really think, Rick, that "eyes over fan" is coy?
Dear me.
The Wizard of Id, Seeley?
Eyes over the fan are pretending to be coy - a classic mode of seduction, but not what I associate with "wench."
The cartoon I'm remembering wasn't Wizard of Id - it was a stand-alone, the sort you'd see in the New Yorker or (in its heyday) in Playboy.
Oh man, I can picture a hot, historical English lord calling me a wench in just the right way, and ... yummy. :-)
It's all in the delivery. Ranger can call me 'babe' any day. Anyone else? Hah!
Thanks! See, I go away for a couple days and I miss the best stuff!
"It's all in the delivery."
Yup. It is.
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