Snooze Button Dreams
Snooze Button Dreams
Snooze Button Dreams
April 22, 2004
Heartbreaking etymology
(Category: True Stories )

Warning: This post is
Post contains the word 'FUCK' over and over again, though not in a mean way.



I was having a conversation with Ilyka about cats and, as you'd probably expect, the term "flying fuck" made its way into the conversation. I believe that in context it was something like "I don't actually give a flying fuck" and that it wasn't at a point in the conversation that actually related to my cat problem or even cats in general but it certainly could have been worked into that angle if I'd given it a moment or two of thought.

But now I'm thinking about the phrase itself. "I don't give a flying fuck." That's pretty freaking vulgar, right? I mean, it's got the most commonplace and pedantic cuss word in the world in there, plus flying. Okay, so it's not as vulgar as it appears at first. Still, it's a pretty potent exclamation of disdain. The Allwords dictionary defines the idiom as Not to care about something; not to give a damn about something.

But why? I mean...it depends upon a "flying fuck" being something so worthless and inconsequential that the target of the phrase is practically nonexistent by comparison. It's along the same lines as "I wouldn't give a plugged nickel", if you see what I mean. So a flying fuck has to be roughly equivalent to a plugged nickel in value (that is, completely worthless, bordering on being a burden) to pull off this phrase.

So what exactly is a flying fuck? After a bit of research I've discovered that it is sex on horseback. Sex on horseback, y'all! The etymology of the phrase indicates that it originates with this (not work safe) broadside ballad entitled "New Feats of Horsemanship".

Okay, y'all need to help me out now. I don't get it. That looks pretty freaking cool to me! Any dissenters? Any chicks out there who think that riding the stallion while riding a stallion is of completely negligible value? Any guys out there who think riding in the saddle while riding on the saddle is a totally worthless experience? Hell no! I'm putting this shit on my list of things to do before I croak.

So this phrase is now ruined for me forevermore because I can never leave well enough alone. For me English is a scab that must be constantly picked.

(But at least I've got that broadside ballad now. Anybody know the tune to go along with it?)

Posted by Jim | Permalink
Comments

Psst--Jim!!! Close italics!!!

Posted by: Susie at April 22, 2004 02:28 PM

So, what is it with me catching your typos? Am I just the first to stumble on them? Am I the only one rude enough to point out when someone has TP stuck to their shoe? Or am I the only one anal enough to be bothered by them?

Posted by: Susie at April 22, 2004 02:33 PM

All better now! :-)

Posted by: Jim at April 22, 2004 02:34 PM

Susie's worrying about being anal in the comments to a post dedicated to researching the etymology of the phrase "flying fuck."

Now I've seen everything.

Posted by: ilyka at April 22, 2004 03:01 PM

ahmen... im all about flying fucking..

Posted by: pylorns at April 22, 2004 03:10 PM

Susie - Never ever apologize for being anal.

Posted by: Jim at April 22, 2004 03:33 PM

Didn't there usta be a rolling donut involved somewhere? Or am I just being anal?

Posted by: Claire at April 22, 2004 10:49 PM

Sure I doubted you, until I opened the attachment. And now I have an image that will stay with me until the day I die. And I hate horses - couldn't give a flying fuck about them, to be honest.

I thought the phrase was what you needed to do to join the Mile High Club. I'm so nieve.

Posted by: Simon at April 22, 2004 11:06 PM

You do know that my spies have probably already found that you are on my blogroll and every vulgur thing you say or do they will attribute to me constructively. On well, I don't really give a flying fuck about it anymore.

Posted by: Tiger at April 22, 2004 11:15 PM

There was a variant with a rolling donut but I haven't heard that one used in many a year. In fact, outside of the NYC area I can't remember ever hearing it. It might be a local colloquialism.

Mmmm...donuts....

Posted by: Jim at April 23, 2004 04:57 AM

Am I the only one who looked at that picture and winced, thinking about how bruised her pubic bone would be from that?

Sheesh. Some people debate grammar, others debate pron logistics.

Posted by: Helen at April 23, 2004 09:30 AM

Am I the only one who looked at that picture and winced, thinking about how bruised her pubic bone would be from that?

Sheesh. Some people debate grammar, others debate porn logistics.

Posted by: Helen at April 23, 2004 09:30 AM

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