To Sherry Amatenstein, Important

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2004
To Sherry Amatenstein, Important
2
Sun, 08-22-2004 - 6:31pm
This is a comment in regards to your repsonse to someone's question:

Dear Erinn14:

The rule of thumb -- and other body parts -- is that anytime you're contemplating doing the bedroom boogie with a man you're dating, you are entitled to inquire if you're the sole woman in his life. After all, you must protect your sexual, as well as your emotional, health.

Now I don't know if you know this or not, but the phrase "rule of thumb" comes from the old law that a man couldn't beat his wife with anything wider than his thumb. I am not making this up. You might want to refrain from using this VERY NEGATIVE phrase again. :) Thanks.

-Tonia

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-05-2003
Mon, 08-23-2004 - 7:16pm
Tonia,

I encourage you to read the full article http://dynamic.uoregon.edu/~jjf/essays/ruleofthumb.html

But here's the first paragraph:

Like many folk etymologies, the commonly understood origin of "rule of thumb" seems to have some inaccuracy. The Oxford English Dictionary indicates that the phrase has been used for about 300 years to refer to measurements that are based on experience instead of exact science. However, some people currently believe that the phrase "rule of thumb" originated from English common law, and that the phrase reflects a law which allowed a husband to beat his wife with a whip or stick no bigger in diameter than his thumb.

I myself have always related it to the *experience* and not a tool for which to beat someone.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2004
Thu, 08-26-2004 - 11:07pm
Thank you for the info. However, I still believe it is best to not use the term as many people DO believe this and for those poor women out there who are beaten and abused it must be horrible to see it, just as it is hard for victims of rape to hear or see that word.

It's always best to err on the side of caution.