ETYMOLOGY FUN
VULVA
1548, from L. vulva, earlier volva "womb, female sexual organ," lit. "wrapper," from volvere "to turn, twist, roll, revolve," also "turn over in the mind," from PIE base *wel- "to turn, revolve" (cf. Skt. valate "turns round," ulvam "womb, vulva;" Lith. valtis "twine, net," apvalus "round;" O.C.S. valiti "roll, welter," vluna "wave;" Gk. eluo "wind, wrap," helix "spiral object," eilein "to turn, squeeze;" Goth. walwjan "to roll;" O.E. wealwian "roll," weoloc "whelk, spiral-shelled mollusk;" O.H.G. walzan "to roll, waltz;" O.Ir. fulumain "rolling;" Welsh olwyn "wheel").
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posted by md at 4:53 PM
3 Comments:
"turn over in the mind," ... that's great... so much more interesting than wife, female, woman....
I know! I like that, too.
The etymology for wife goes to the OE for woman, but some say it may also connect to "weaver" (since so many women worked in the textile arts). And many references to writing/poetry/singing in OE also refer to weaving (one is when the geatish woman at the end of Beowulf "weaves a grief song"). Cool, eh?
All the references to rolling and turning over are great. The vulva is so malleable and plastic and yet so protective and strong.
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