The exocentric verb-noun compound agent noun. (Say What?)

[MelissaBaby]

Have you ever heard the term "exocentric verb-noun compound agent noun"?

I had not, until I read this fascinating twitter thread.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1569366666844192769

For those who are twitter allergic, an agent noun is a word that describes someone who does something. Someone who fights is a fighter. That's an agent noun.

Compound agent nouns add a noun to make it more specific. Someone who fights fires is a firefighter.

That's the way it was done in Old English, and that's the way it's done in Modern English.

But, for a short period, from about 1550-1700, there was another construct, the exocentric verb-noun compound agent noun, in which the verb preceded the agent noun. It didn't exist before that period, it virtually died out afterwards.

Examples: Pickpocket, spendthrift, swashbuckler, turncoat, cutthroat, scofflaw.

There might have been many more which have been lost.

And what is really interesting is that nearly all of them are insults or describe someone unsavory.

Personally, I think we ought to bring the construct back. Any ideas?

 

[ElectricBlue]

And what is really interesting is that nearly all of them are insults or describe someone unsavory.

Personally, I think we ought to bright the construct back. Any ideas?

Is "scumbag" used in America? That's the first one that came to mind.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Is "scumbag" used in America? That's the first one that came to mind.

Yes, it is.

It's interesting, because I believe the origin of the term was as a slang term for condom. So if you are referring to a condom, it's just a compound noun, a bag for scum. But referring to a person, yeah, I think that works.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Stirshit

Suckcock

Wankdick

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yes, it is.

It's interesting, because I believe the origin of the term was as a slang term for condom. So if you are referring to a condom, it's just a compound noun, a bag for scum. But referring to a person, yeah, I think that works.

Here in Oz it's a reference to a person. I've never heard it used as a reference to a condom, but that might be its origin - I don't know.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Ive

Here in Oz it's a reference to a person. I've never heard it used as a reference to a condom, but that might be its origin - I don't know.

I've never heard scum as a verb, though. You skim scum...

Wankpuffin and such I think are using 'wank' as a noun rather than verb (cf cockwomble, dickbrain, shitcanoe).

I like Melissa's suggestions. How about:
Thievewife (wife who steals another man)
Diecock (incident of impotence)
Thwapprick (man in a sex club who waves his cock about)

 

[MelissaBaby]

Here in Oz it's a reference to a person. I've never heard it used as a reference to a condom, but that might be its origin - I don't know.

From https://www.etymonline.com/word/scumbag:

scumbag (n.)​

by 1939, "condom," slang, from scum + bag (n.). Earlier (by 1817) it was used in sugar refining as the name of a frame covered in coarse cloth used in straining. The meaning "despicable person" is attested by 1971.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Ive

I've never heard scum as a verb, though. You skim scum...

Wankpuffin and such I think are using 'wank' as a noun rather than verb (cf cockwomble, dickbrain, shitcanoe).

I like Melissa's suggestions. How about:
Thievewife (wife who steals another man)
Diecock (incident of impotence)
Thwapprick (man in a sex club who waves his cock about)

Brilliant!

How about Watchfuck for a voyeur?

 

[DarkRaven13]

Ok this was all kinds of word-nerd fantastic. I now can't get the term noun-compound agent noun from my head

 

[NC_Coastal]

Slapdick.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Pukeface

slaphappy

shitfaced

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Personally, I vote for "stirshit" because that's a concept/kind of person that could use a more succinct descriptor. Plus, with the harshness of those t's you can really have fun with varying the pronunciation depending on how angry you are.

 

[HectorBidon]

Have you ever heard the term "exocentric verb-noun compound agent noun"?

Interesting post. I must say though that most of the attempts I've come up with so far don't seem to have an immediate understandability. Like "fightfire" or your "suckcock." You can work out what they mean, but the meaning doesn't come right to mind. I guess we've gotten out of the habit of this formation in the last 300 years, and mainly understand words like "turncoat" and "pickpocket" now because we've learned their meanings. You may have to keep this in mind in your crusade to restore the usage. But I'm sure people will learn.

One term that's kind of similar is "kickass," but I guess it's really an exocentric verb-noun compound adjective. "Show-off" is an agent noun, but more of a verb-preposition compound.

Anyway, you're a kickass pensmut, disseminatetwitter, (and show-off :- ) .

 

[Bubo_bubo]

fuckhroat
cumthrift
gobblecock
lickdick
dropcoat
suckclit

I think French does this a lot by the way, but more for items than people.
essui-glace wipe-glass windscreen wiper
pare-brise fend-off-breeze windscreen
pare-buffle fend-off-buffalo bull bar

 

[Winter_Fare]

Fuckpuppet?
Wanksock?
Lickspittle?

 

[Winter_Fare]

There was a real place called gropecunt lane...
*Edit* there were hundreds of them ,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gropecunt_Lane

 

[XerXesXu]

Stopcock for tights or chastity belt.

 

[Thefireflies]

If a wright is someone who builds or creates, and playwright is someone who creates plays, perhaps it follows some of us are LitEwrights, i.e., someone who writes at Literotica? Am I right?

…I’ll go away now…

 

[Lovecraft_Lore]

Spreadthigh

 

[TheRedChamber]

There was a real place called gropecunt lane...
*Edit* there were hundreds of them ,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gropecunt_Lane

Adding to my list of titles that just need a story.

Alas street numbers were only introduced well after the name was phased out. Pity, I liked the idea of the impoverished vicar who lives at 12 Gropecunt Lane and has to runt the gauntlet of devilish temptation every morning on his way to church.

 

[Winter_Fare]

Adding to my list of titles that just need a story.

Alas street numbers were only introduced well after the name was phased out. Pity, I liked the idea of the impoverished vicar who lives at 12 Gropecunt Lane and has to runt the gauntlet of devilish temptation every morning on his way to church.

There was a young cleric from Stains
Whose cock was in charge of his brains
With an inch out the top
Of his trousers he'd stop
To oil his wood in gropecunt lane

A prostitute carrying shears
Was enough to reduce him to tears
It gave him a shock
When she trimmed off his cock
Cut his purse and then both of his ears

 

[HectorBidon]

How about "Shakespeare?" According to houseofnames.com

Shakespeare is an ancient Norman name, that would have been used in Britain soon after the Conquest of the island in 1066. This name was given to a person who was a confrontational or argumentative person. The name was originally derived from the Old English schakken, meaning to brandish, and speer, meaning spear.

Interestingly, this considerably predates the era of popularity of the EVNCAN mentioned in the OP.

 

[MelissaBaby]

How about "Shakespeare?" According to houseofnames.com


Interestingly, this considerably predates the era of popularity of the EVNCAN mentioned in the OP.

Bubo made the point that the construct is common in French, so if it’s Norman in origin, the French influence could account for it.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I wonder if ‘vainglorious” would be one such?

 

[Duleigh]

This must be the origin of the word dipshit, I never could figure out why it exists

Here's a list of 25 survivors