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Is Shorthorn a lang word?
I read "Hey, Shorthorn. What president or politician would you trust with your money?..." from http://blog.rockthevote.com/2005/05/michael-medved-twisting-in-wind.html
My dictionary says shorthorn is "an English breed of short-horned cattle". Why would the writer use "shorthorn" here? Does it refer to a specific kind of person?
was that an american who wrote it? because in american slang the word "shorthorn" means "novice, beginner".
Hmmm...I think it was. Because the context looks like:
responsible american said... Hey, Shorthorn. What president or politician would you trust with your money? Can you handle your own money, or do you need someone else to step in for your incompetency? Where you and I differ is that I don't care if it were Bush or your supreme socialist leader, I don't trust any politician with my money, PERIOD. Any ideas? *_* I am under the impression I've also read the word (also refered to a person like the example here) before but couldn't really get the idea...
<<because in american slang the word "shorthorn" means "novice, beginner". >>
No, it doesn't. I think you mean "greenhorn", Melissa. Shorthorn only refers to the cattle in the US.
Uriel, yes, it does. "SHORTHORN" is an american slang word used for newcomers. i have also heard it being used in the above-mentioned meaning.
Oh well, maybe people who used that word did not speak correct american english... but that's what's called slang, right?
Well, I'm American and I've never heard it used that way, not even as slang. The word is "greenhorn".
So does the dictionary:
green·horn (grēn'hôrn') n. An inexperienced or immature person, especially one who is easily deceived. A newcomer, especially one who is unfamiliar with the ways of a place or group. [Middle English greene horn, horn of a newly slaughtered animal : grene, green; see green + horn, horn; see horn.]
But for "shorthorn", all it says is:
short·horn (shôrt'hôrn') n. Any of a breed of beef or dairy cattle that originated in northern England, having short curved horns or no horns and usually red, white, or roan in color. Also called Durham.
http://www.theshorthorn.com/
The ShorthornStudent daily of the University of Texas at Arlington. www.theshorthorn.com/ |