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From: riddle@ut-sally.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Origin of expletive
Message-ID: <1691@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Apr-85 17:50:16 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-sally.1691
Posted: Tue Apr 23 17:50:16 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Apr-85 07:36:36 EST
References: <1260001@acf4.UUCP>
Organization: U. of Tx. at Houston-in-the-Hills
Lines: 11

> I was told that 'fuck' was placed on placards that were put before unhappy
> souls in the stocks and that it stood for: for use of carnal knowledge.
> Is this true? 

I believe that this story is apocryphal.  As far as I know, the Germanic
origins of 'fuck' are well attested.  The modern German equivalent is
'ficken'.

--- Prentiss Riddle ("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.")
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