He doesn't know jack-shit
James M Hoskins
This was a potent insult reserved for special occasions when
I was a child here in Ohio. Sometimes people would say "She
doesn't know jack" to decrease the intensity of the insult. To
go all the way with the insult you'd have to pronounce "jack"
in just a certain abusive way. If you know the etymology
of jack-shit, let me know. Thanks.
JH
Karen Schneider
>JH
In the military (USAF), I often heard a wonderful variant, "he
{she} doesn't know shit from Shinola." I presume that referred
to the shoe polish sold under that brand name?
Other militarisms (and they were legion) included "deep kim-chi"
(referring to the Korean comestible) and "in a heartbeat" (as in
"without hesitation").
I still use "jack-shit," though in some circles I replace it
with "diddly-squat" or "bupkas." No, didn't know THE Jack
:-). He probably was PCS or TDY when I DEROS'ed his unit,
and I was probably in CBPO (pronounced CEE-BOH) when my squadron
was in his rear-view mirror.
And I wonder--
Did he have to suck rubber? (That is, practice military exercises
while wearing a gas mask)
Did he ever eat bag nasties? (Slang for MRE's--Meals Ready To
Eat--K Rats of the future, in plastic pouches)
Did he spit-shine his low-quarters? Was he ever bedposted?
Did he ever get called a sissy la-la?
If Jack answered two out of the three last questions--then Jack
is short for Jacqueline! (Low-quarters are women's military
oxfords; a sissy la-la is a woman who acts wussy--that is, she
demurs from routine military activities, such as crawling under
barbed wire or diving into muddy holes.)
Shoot, I don't remember jack-shit...
--
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K.G.Schneider k...@panix.com "Clear your mind of cant!"--Samuel Johnson
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har...@indyvax.iupui.edu
A milder variant I have heard is "You don't know Jack Merde."
--
James Harvey
har...@iupui.edu har...@indiana.edu uucp:iugate!harvey bitnet:harvey@indyvax
Ad absurdum per aspera
inducing variation on it ("I know jack-shit") appears to have
been incorporated into the small talk, if not the official
writings, of various 12-step programs.
The subject came up once on rec.humor; someone said that there's
a movie, a cult item amongst the motocross crowd, with a character
named Jack Shit. He didn't mention the title.
Joe
"The pallid pimp of the dead-line/The enervate of the pen" --Robert Service
James M Hoskins
writes:
>TO: jhos...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (James M Hoskins)
>
>
>JM>If you know the etymology
>JM>of jack-shit, let me know. Thanks.
>
>A jack is a male mule. Mules are rich in folklorical value. This
>may have something to do with it.
>---
Thanks, that must be it; and I didn't know jack-shit about mules before
today.
JH
David Casseres
It's a lot of fun to read up on "jack" in the OED. The story goes on for
many columns.
--
David Casseres
Exclaimer: Wow!
Bob Hemler
My co-workers tell me that I know jack-shit. Is that better than not
knowing? I don't know beans about this jack-shit stuff.
Bob Hemler
Paul Burnett
JM>This was a potent insult reserved for special occasions
JM>If you know the etymology
JM>of jack-shit, let me know. Thanks.
A jack is a male mule. Mules are rich in folklorical value. This
may have something to do with it.
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. EZ 1.39 . Entered Thursday, 10/29/92, 6:47 pm, San Jose, CA