I'm a fan of language and I detest the word "twerking"

[NightWatcher]

I do not care that it describes the "dance" originating from strip clubs where participants jiggle their butts. I do not care if it is shown on MTV award shows. I do not care who does it or who doesn't.

I simply hate the word, the way it sounds, the aesthetics of the word, and the gleeful overuse that has even taken it to the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) online edition. It's a horrible sounding word.

Mind you, I love so called obscene words. I love the earthy textures of a well placed "fuck", "piss", or even "c__t" (self censor). Twerk or any tense of the word just sounds ugly.

Re: language, I love this video. (SFW)

[In_The_Wind]

1. I totally agree.

[Iggo]

2. I'm acting like it doesn't exist until it goes away.

[a la izquierda]

3. It sounds like what my dogs do right before they puke.

I hate the word too. My niece told me what it was back in July. I guess I'm happy she did before this whole train wreck.

[olddots]

4. I had no idea it meant that .

remember the word spooning ?

[Xipe Totec]

5. Well, it's ugly because it's new and you don't like it...

I've wondered about the origin of the word.

Probably false cognates, but to me it sounds like the Spanish word tuerca (screw nut) and the Spanicized Nahuatl word güerca (young girl) with hints of the words turn and torque.

[pinboy3niner]

7. More info on the origins of the term:

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/twerking

[Xipe Totec]

8. They're just guessing too

All of the etymology pages I've found say origin uncertain.

[Iggo]

10. Sounds to me like a twisted version of "tweaking".

Like, "Damn! She ain't just tweakin'. That girl right there is twerkin'!"

[Xipe Totec]

11. Your claim is just as valid as any other at the moment.

Why not?

[Iggo]

12. Like the rest, just a guess.

[cliffordu]

6. I refuse to use the word.

I call it twerping

[pipi_k]

9. I kind of

like it.

It sounds like a fun word...like "fart".


OTOH, the word I've always despised and was glad when people stopped using it (except for a few carry over hippies) was "Groovy".

Honestly, it just makes my hair stand on end.

I want to slap people when they say it.

Except for "Leo" on "That 70s Show"

[Tuesday Afternoon]

13. Perfectly good word. Nothing wrong with it at all.

[Taverner]

14. Twerk is the word of the month

One year from now, nobody will know what it means

[Raffi Ella]

15. I agree.

It's just an ugly sounding word, I hate it.

[DinahMoeHum]

16. IMO, it's just another word to describe the merengue. . .

a way of music and of dance involving movement below the waist.

Nothing original here - people in the Dominican Republic have been dancing this for decades.

[reformist2]

17. I think I understand the OP - the word is awkward, and doesn't sound like what it means.

Whenever I see the word, other words like "twist" and "work" and even "twerp" come to mind, none of which convey the supposed actual meaning.