Could we say that Jamie’s and Mace’s assertion (i.e. “tight” is originally associated with the assumed tightness of a virgin’s vagina) has now lost such connotation for most users of the word?
Hi Mace,
I don’t support any of those v-word theories. A lot of American slang travels the sea, and – in my mind – the word tight being used instead of cool, sound or fab (the latter in the 1980s/90s) triggers no other connotation than screwing something tight. If the screw is tight, it’s cool.
Ralf, if you were in the US and had a feel for the general provenance of current slang expressions, you’d understand why we subscribe to the V-word theory. Basically, virtually any new slang word among kids nowadays has some kind of sexual association derived from rap music. The kids may use the words in all innocence, but eventually they become aware of the source of the term. In particular, the slang terms used to address girls and women are demeaning, humiliating, and outrageously obscene, and parents have to try to exterminate them in their kids’ speech.
Be careful, you might be accused of being condescending. :lol:
Ralf didn’t say, “Hi! I’m in Spain, and everybody uses a filthy word for vagina here without any intention of insulting anyone, and even though everyone knows it’s a filthy word for vagina, no one is aware that it’s a filthy word for vagina, even though it obviously is, so don’t worry about your kids using filthy words.”
Ralf didn’t say, “Hi! I’m in Spain, and everybody uses a filthy word for vagina here without any intention of insulting anyone, and even though everyone knows it’s a filthy word for vagina, no one is aware that it’s a filthy word for vagina, even though it obviously is, so don’t worry about your kids using filthy words.”
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Again, how is that condescending? Ralf is saying exactly the same as me.
And it looks like you may be wrong on the vagina connection, doesn’t it?
No he’s not. You said it’s perfectly normal and wholesome to use obscene words as slang without any obscene intention. Ralf said he associated the slang term with a completely different idea.
No, I know I’m right about it.
Thank you! That’s a great explanation. “Pornified”, I like that, or sould I say that’s tight! True Dat Yo! Ehemm, I mean, Well said!
I said, it happens and is seen as normal by some people. Description versus prescription, Jamie.
Now, when you’ve finished with trying to earn Brownie points, we can move on.
Yes, Jamie, that’s all fine, but where is your proof of origin of the use of “tight”. Proof would be useful.
Ralf calls it a theory, but you say it’s fact. So, show us the facts.
How difficult is the life (in the USA)! We can distinguish easily the origin of our (Russian) slang. Either we have ‘legal’ words (like ‘classno’ or ‘finenko’ from ‘class’ or ‘fine’) but they, of course, are not acceptable in formal conversations; or we have ‘illegal’ words, obscene language, and everybody knows that there is no situation they can be used in(but nevertheless everybody uses them at least in familiar surroundings).
Is this true, Inga?
“As the educated Russians got an extensive opportunity to mingle with criminals under the Soviet regime (espescially in the many gulags) many terms from the thieves’ language spread throughout the whole Russian society and should be understood, even if they are often judged not to be printable (нецензурные выражения).”
Ух ты! (Wow, I meant)
Never know you are so sophisticated! 
Actually, I don’t think many of such words are in use in modern Russian. Of course, almost everybody (except maybe little children) knows what they are.
even more: not only printable, but you can’t pronounce them - they are considered rude and obscene! (at work, in public transport, etc.) The problem is that many people (almost everybody) use them everyday and our children can hear and remember them. They think it is possible to use such words since adults do so. And they can appear older than they really are and more experienced.
:roll: Any of you who are so sheltered and ignorant to accept the fact that the original origin is from “a tight vagina” need to grow up.
You may not like it but too bad. I’m only 24 and I grew up when this word first became popular (over 10 years ago). I’m surprised if you’ve just recently noticed the word being used. I’m originally from North Cali and it was used everywhere by everyone. Most people of course just used it because everyone else did, not knowing what it “originally” meant.
Which makes sense since it sounds like a “clean” word when you first hear it.
It pretty much started as gang slang so of course it makes sense for it to have a “dirty” origin.
But who cares. The meaning of the word has obviously changed as is barely tied to the origin now.
Just don’t tell your kids where it came from and they’ll probably never know. It seems most people haven’t a clue anyway.
So “most people are clueless anyways”? Thank you for setting me straight. I guess your right. It is better to be ignorant of the meaning and value of the words we use. Being clueless to all that might make us responsible for the things we say is a much easier way to live. Works for the dixie chicks right? :roll: