This is an extract from the book I'm reading at the moment. When I got to this paragraph, I snorted with laughter. You'll soon see why.
It's from James Joyce's Ulysses:
Haines helped himself and snapped the case to. He put it back in his sidepocket and took from his waistcoatpocket a nickel tinderbox, sprang it open too, and, having lit his cigarette, held the flaming spunk towards Stephen in the shell of his hands.James, James, James. You utter pervert.
I think that's mainly a dirty joke on your side of the Atlantic. Over here, "spunk" means "spirit", as in a child with spunk or a spunky puppy (Or even Otis Spunkmeyer's cookies!)
ReplyDeleteIt's one of the more eyebrow raising language conflicts. (Right behind wearing a fanny pack to the park so you don't lose your cash.)
;-)
Flaming spunk? I'd get to the clap clinic sharpish.
ReplyDeletePales in comparison to his filthy, dirty love letters to his wife.
ReplyDeleteYou ought to try reading John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps. Context is a wonderful thing!
ReplyDelete