|
A fishwife, fish-fag or fishlass is a woman who sells fish. In this context, the word ''wife'' means ''woman'' rather than ''married woman''.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=fishwife&searchmode=none )〕 This usage stems from Old English ''wif'' (woman) and is similar to the German ''Weib'', also meaning "woman" (nowadays rarely used and usually in a pejorative sense). Often the wives and daughters of fishermen, fishwives were notoriously loud and foul-mouthed, as noted in the expression, ''To swear like a fishwife''. One reason for their outspokenness is that their wares were highly perishable and so lost value if not sold quickly. Fishwives in fishing villages such as Cullercoats and Newhaven were noted for their beauty, hardiness and industry and were celebrated by artists and royalty. ==Billingsgate== London's traditional fish market was frequented by such types who were known as "''the wives of Billingsgate''". "''They dressed in strong 'stuff' gowns and quilted petticoats; their hair, caps and bonnets were flattened into one indistinguishable mass upon their heads. ... They smoked small pipes of tobacco, took snuff, drank gin and were known for their colourful language.''" In the 18th century, fishwives frequently appeared in satires as fearsome scourges of fops and foreigners. Their vigorous and decisive mien was contrasted with that of politicians who were, by contrast, portrayed as vacillating and weak. For example, in Isaac Cruikshank's ''A New Catamaran Expedition!!!'', a fleet of Billingsgate fishwives sails across the English Channel to terrorise the French and shame the British Prime Minister Pitt for his inaction. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「fishwife」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|