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Spanking

 
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Blossom



Joined: 30 May 2005
Posts: 291
Location: Beijing China

PostPosted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:23 pm    Post subject: Spanking Reply with quote

When something is very new it is sometimes said to be spanking new, as in the sentence, �He was driving a spanking new Mercedes.� Why spanking?

If something is moving at a spanking pace it is moving quickly. Why spanking?

Neither of these seem to have any connection with spanking (hitting a child�s bottom with the hand)
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iitimone7



Joined: 09 Aug 2005
Posts: 400
Location: Indiana, USA

PostPosted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:31 am    Post subject: spanking Reply with quote

...it all depends on the context. using spanking as an adjective to describe is more of a regional thing.

in the first example, it means that he's driving a completely new car. it also infers (since the car is new) that it is shiny and gorgeous.

in the second example, you are correct.

i don't used spanking as an adjective...i think brits use it more.
correct, anyone?

iitimone7
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Bob S.



Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal

PostPosted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 6:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Spanking Reply with quote

Blossom wrote:
When something is very new it is sometimes said to be spanking new, as in the sentence, �He was driving a spanking new Mercedes.� Why spanking?

If something is moving at a spanking pace it is moving quickly. Why spanking?

Neither of these seem to have any connection with spanking (hitting a child�s bottom with the hand)

From my impression they are related to "spanking" as in striking a bottom.

Traditionally, when a baby was born, the doctor or midwife would spank the newborn to get it to cry and clear the amniotic fluid from its lungs. (I think now they just use some suction device. I'll let you know when we finally have a baby.)
So if something is "spanking new" or "brand spanking new", it implies it is like a newborn, that is, very new.

Now, changing gears here, when riding a horse, to make it run faster, you can reach behind your seat and spank the horse's hind quarters (its hip or thigh). This will scare the horse and maybe make it run faster.
So if something is going at a "spanking pace" (it does sound like a metaphor in British English more than American English), it could imply that it is going at a quick speed like a spanked horse.
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advoca



Joined: 09 Oct 2003
Posts: 422
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 7:14 pm    Post subject: Spanking Reply with quote

This is a very interesting question, Blossom. I have tried to find out for you but have had only limited success.

The term, �Moving at a spanking pace� is usually applied in England to horses and is now somewhat old-fashioned and out of date. However, its use goes back a long way and it certainly appeared as far back as 1738. Its source is possibly Danish (Spanke = to strut).

Another theory is that it has the same origin as the sea-faring term spanker, a small sail set upon the mizzen-mast of a three-masted vessel, and the jigger-mast of a four-masted vessel. If a ship was moving at a spanking pace then it was moving briskly in the breeze.

Anyway, although the origin of the term is obscure it certainly has been in use for many years.

When it comes to the use of spanking in connection with newness there seems to be no information at all about the origin. The adjective has been in use for many years (certainly as far back as 1736) and is used informally to indicate extremely, strikingly, remarkably, or very. An example would be, �I saw three little girls in spanking new dresses�. However, as I said, there is no information (that I can find) about the origin of this usage.

In neither case, I feel sure, is there any connection with the punishment of slapping a child�s bottom several times with the hand, but Bud's suggestion about the link to birth is intriguing.
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bud



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US

PostPosted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I found Bob's (and your) commentary interesting, too.
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