why do they call it a blow job if the girl suck on your penis? just wondering?:smack:
[sup]I like that “musical instrument” theory, but “there she blows” ain’t bad either.[/sup]
Because both have a whale of a good time with Moby’s Dick??
Interesting etymology for the word intransitive sensesblow:
Main Entry: 1blow
Pronunciation: 'blO
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): blew /'blü/; blown /'blOn/; blow·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English blAwan; akin to Old High German blAen to blow, Latin flare, Greek phallos penis
Date: before 12th century
How the heck did we get from the Greek root to the modern word?
I heard on a sex show the expression originated in Japan, where fellatio was performed by blowing on the penis with a narrow tube.
That one’s a tickler. Hell No.
Let it never be said that I missed an opportunity to discuss metonymy.
Metonymy is a linguistic trope that allows one mental entity to stand as a reference in place of another. This stand for relationship typically, though not obligatorily, selects for a referring phrase based on inclusion, or association, with the whole of the experience. To put that another way, we select one aspect of a physical experience and use that aspect as a reference for the entirety of the experience.
By way of example, I’ve oft heard people say, “I spent all day in front of the keyboard.” In all reality the person making such a statement has in fact spent the day in front of a desk, a computer screen, a mouse, an empty coffee mug, etc. However, conversation would be a big ol’ pain in the arse if we had to go through the entire list every time we wanted to bitch about our day. For that reason, we select on aspect of the entire experience, the keyboard, and allow that to stand for the whole thing.
Why the keyboard you ask?
Good question. One thing the keyboard has going for it is the fact that it’s the part we interact with. Thus, the keyboard is the most perceptually salient aspect of the big picture. When we’re wrapped up in conversation it makes a bit of sense to keep things as efficient as possible ergo, we select the most salient bits of the experience to represent the whole thing.
Regarding blowjobs, a similar chain of reasoning can be employed. Though there mightn’t be any blowing involved (it’s not like you have a bad burn you know!), one of the things people do do with their mouth’s is blow. The metonymy chain then selects for this aspect to represent the whole of the experience. Why? Dunno. My crackpot theory has it that blowing is typically soothing (see the burn comment above), but it’s just as legitimate to tie this back into the whole Jazz thing.
And come to think of it, ain’t nothing quite like listening to The Bird blow.
I always thought it came from the first thing I (and presumably others) often say after a good one:
Wheeeeeeeeew!
Since the question has been seriously answered I’ll take the bait, what the hell?
Common idiom is often misleading as in this case, it’s not so much a job as an adventure.
<wistful sigh pondering days of youth while on liberty in Ologapo City>
While citing dates of the first appearance of a term in print is dangerous(due to antedating), I’ll offer you the following, from RHDAS:
Blow(to fellate) from ca. 1930. “Ever run up against a fag?” “Plenty.” “What do they do? Blow you?”…“That is all.”
Blow(jazz sense, play on wind instrument) from 1949
Blow Job, from 1942. It was usually used in protitution references.
I personally favor the “puffing on a pipe” meaning which goes back to the 18th century. It was continued into the 20th century with marijuana rather than tobacco. Quite the slang word, obviously in use in circles that weren’t too polite. Drugs, prostitution, etc. You obviously didn’t blow on the pipe, you inhaled(sucked), but the term “blow” was not uncommon.
I have read 17th-18th century or earlier references to a man’s children, especially bastard children, as by blow or blow. This would reinforce the above ejaculate etymolgy.
mipsman any chance you can find one of those cites?
speaking of blowjobs, i used to get jokemail (from myjokemail.com) and it usually has facts at the bottom of the mail. I remember it had this one about how semen changes flavor depending on what you eat, does anyone know what food changes the flavor of your semen.
Is that after giving or receiving?
Padeye’s answer kicks ass.
On a somewhat related note, why is cocaine refered to as blow?
teeming: Pineapple in pathological quantities improves the flavour and I’m told that meat worsens it.
Matt is correct, pineapple seems to be the best (most popular?) um, flavorant, although most citrus fruit has the same effect–at least in my experience. Guys that eat a heavily meat based diet have rather ikky flavored semen (occasionally I see a bumper sticker that says something like “vegetarians taste better” and I’m always amused), as well as heavy alcohol drinkers. Coffee adds somewhat of an acrid flavor, too.
Peace,
~mixie
Using “blow” as a noun for cocaine probably come from the previous usage of “blow” as a verb.
It was used first about tobacco in the 18th century and early in the 20th century about drugs, mainly cocaine. It’s a small jump from talking about blowing to mean “smoke” to calling the substance you smoke “blow.”
During WW2 American pilots called the Me-262 (first operational jet fighter) blow jobs, this was in 1944.
[george carlin]
To give it a little work ethic, kinda like you’re doing something good for the economy.
[/george carlin]