“Groins” and “butts”—two words which refer to physical
anatomy but are not acceptable in polite company. However, when referring to
features of seascape and landscape, they may be used in conversations outside
of gatherings of junior high schoolers. In other words, they do not always have
to be the butt of Miss Manners’ disapproval.
I first discovered the acceptability of “groin” during our
second sojourn to Folly Beach South Carolina. During the first sojourn, I
passed a sign when walking down the alley to the beach almost every day. I
never read the sign because I knew it was a sign telling me what I should not
do on the beach, so I ignored it. During our second visit, some spirit
possessed me to actually read the sign:
I had no idea that there were groins on the beach that might
do me harm. I had seen numerous surfers and sunbathers, but I never felt
threatened by their groins. Clearly, a type of groin existed that I did not
know about. So I did the logical thing. I continued my walk on the beach, duly
warned, and a few days later when I remembered the nefarious groins on the
beach, I looked up the word, groin. I
discovered that not only is a groin an anatomical feature, but also it is a
feature of architecture. Certainly, it makes sense that vaults can have groins
(see “Furnace”
and “fornicate”: vulgar activities, for the relationship between vaults and
fornication). However, the definition which applied to the beach refers to “a
small jetty extending from a shore to protect a beach against erosion or to
trap shifting sands.” Ironically, the beach groin could do me harm while saving
the beach. Once we figured out what the sign warned us about, Richard took some
pictures of groins – NOT human ones--on Folly Beach.
Anthony Trollope’s The Warden, opens with a situation
involving a man named John Hiram who had “certain meadows and closes [an enclosed place,
especially land surrounding or beside a cathedral or other building] near the
town, still called Hiram’s Butts.” Soon thereafter, the work refers to “tenants
living on the butts and patches.” I found it intriguing that a man could have a
geographical area named after his “rear pelvic
area.” The American Heritage Dictionary on-line defines “butt” in
geographical terms as “an embankment or hollow used as a blind by hunters of
wildfowl.” It identifies “butt” as an informal usage of “buttocks.” For all my
relatives and friends who hunt ducks, geese, and such, the next time you head
out to your wildfowl blind, you can tell whomever is around that you are carrying your bohunkus
to your butt to do a little hunting!
I did a Google search using several different combinations
of “butt” and “geography” in order to include a picture. However, the majority
of hits involved instructions on how to take good butt selfies or celebrities
who have posted pictures of their butts. I am not including those links here.
You are on your own, if you are interested. :-)
The next time you attend a gathering that needs a little
excitement, you may throw around the words “groin” and “butt,” knowing that you
can defend yourself against accusations of juvenile humor.
