March is Women's History Month (or, as I prefer to think of it, Women's History Eternity). In honor of that, let's continue with the history theme I started in my last entry, but now with a bit of etymology. That would be the study of word origins. YES! Words are so sexy, aren't they? There's nothin' like a word-a-day calendar or style manual to get my heart pitter-pattin', I'll tell ya. I'm not a size queen in the traditional sense as much as a vocabulary size queen. If you can define a few, say, eight-syllable words or hold any spelling bee championship titles, I'm all yours.Did you know that the word ?pussy? (when used in reference to vulva, not as a synonym for kittycat) has origins in the Old Norse word ?puss,? meaning pocket or pouch? ?Pocket? is a great nickname for vulva (and now the popular vibe Pocket Rocket takes on an explosive new spin), though the best I may have ever heard was when a friend of mine called hers a ?mitten.?Another name for vulva that I've been curious about is the word ?poontang.? Where the heck did it come from? Come on, take a guess. Was it a flavor of an ancient powdered beverage? A kind of boot? Alas, since there are a number of different schools of thought on the origin of this word, from French to Chinese to American Indian (and isn't it great that there are so many people out there researching vulva nicknames?), there's no definitive answer.Now, I can't end this without mentioning what is to some the most taboo word for vulva, a word that elicits very powerful reactions in many. I think it's a shame that the word ?cunt? has taken on such a negative tone over time, as it was not originally intended to be derogatory. ?Cunt? has roots in Old Norse, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch words for ?hollow place? or ?sheath.? It's really my favorite word for vulva. It's visceral but simple; not immature-sounding like ?pussy? or violent-sounding like ?snatch.? And don't even get me started on ?vagina,? which is often used synonymously with vulva, though it actually just refers to one part of it (the canal only) and doesn't include the labia or the clit. I love introducing the idea of reclaiming Cunt as a positive word. Maybe soon I can change the name of this to the Cunt Blog, and everyone will know it's a good thing.For lots more info on the history of the word ?cunt? and how to reclaim it, do read the book Cunt by Inga Muscio.