AboutTed Nesbitt Expertise I have an interest in the meanings of words and phrases, as well as how and when they became part of the English language. I enjoy
researching idioms, colloquialisms, dialects, and obscurities of
all kinds. I prefer short questions on a particular subject, and
I will not accept lengthy research projects or term papers. NOTE: ALLEXPERTS CLAIMS THAT I TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN AND FROM LATIN TO ENGLISH. I DO NOT. ALLEXPERTS REFUSES TO DELETE THE LATIN-TO-ENGLISH SERVICE -- ONE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE.
TRUST ME ON THIS: ALLEXPERTS IS WRONG. I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LANGUAGE. LOOK FOR A LANGUAGE EXPERT INSTEAD. ETYMOLOGY AND TRANSLATING SERVICES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. ALLEXPERTS SHOULD KNOW THAT. ALLEXPERTS DOES NOT KNOW THAT. I HAVE TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO CHANGE. THEY WILL NOT. SORRY, BUT I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN.
Experience I am the bibliographic instruction and reference librarian at a public
college. My master's thesis concerns William Faulkner's tragic novels. I formerly taught advanced placement English at two schools in the Philadelphia area.
I have been a member of the grammar and writing section of Allexperts
for more than a year.
Education/Credentials Masters degrees in English, philosophy, and library science.
Question You had told the original person who asked for the etymology of "bite me" that you would check the regional dictionaries of the United States about the phrase's origin if a follow up is requested. If possible I would like to request that follow up to learn more about the origins ands different meanings of the phrase. Thanks so much
Jared
Answer Jared:
It took me quite a while to look through the regionalisms dictionaries, along with many slang and jargon dictionaries.
I have typed several citation from one of the dictionaries -- Random House -- and am pasting it in below.
I found nothing in the slang and jargon dictionaries that reveals any information that has not already been posted.
DARE -- The Dictionary of American Regional English from Harvard University's Belknap Press -- does NOT mention it, which I find peculiar. Perhaps they do not consider it to be a "regionalism," but rather, of widespread usage.
Never having watched the TV program "Married with Children," I don't understand how the "bite me" phrase was popularized by this program.
Ted Nesbitt
Here's the information. I had to type it all, so I hope there are no blatant errors.
“Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang,” Vol. 1, 1994.
In the sense of “to bother, annoy, make irritable,” as well as the vulgar “bite (one’s) ass, bite (one’s) britches –
In the sense of “bite it,” bite me,” or “go to hell” the phrase means “fuck you!” – usually considered vulgar –
1948 – Cozzens – “Guard of Honor” – “Bite it!” Sergeant Pellerino said amiably.
1949 – R. MacDonald – “Moving Target” – “Why don’t you take a bite of me? . . . I said.”
1963 – J. Ross – Dead Are Mine – “Bite me in the ass, Stein.”
1971 – National Lampoon – “Oh, yeah! Then take a bite of this, buddy [indicating his penis].
According to this dictionary, two phrases were made popular beginning in 1992 on the Fox TV show, “Married With Children” – “Drop dead.” And “Bite me!”
