titties

[Alan W]

As usual, it's a singular/plural issue. Because tittie is allowed, titties is rejected.

Although it seems to be true that titty is the normal spelling of the colloquial word for a single breast, there is also a word (chiefly Scottish) tittie meaning sister. Examples: "My heart is a-breaking, dear Tittie!" (Burns). "Mither's in Glasgow wi' her tittie, and sall plague ye nae mair" (Scott).

This word has titty as an alternate spelling. Dictionaries differ as to which is the primary spelling, but it doesn't really matter, because the breast usage is far more widespread. So, in line with past decisions, I feel titties should be allowed.

However, this raises another issue - common or rare? Logic suggests it should have the same coding as titty, which is currently common. But, despite the great interest in this topic, I'm not sure if that's correct. Do people have any views about how common (in the sense of widespread) the words titty and titties are?

[biggerbirdbrain]

For the single breast, here, it's always titty, Alan.

For the plural form, it's always titties ... and there is no other meaning but that one here. And, it's VERY common! Esp. since we usually talk about them in pairs! 

[bobbi]

I think in NZ, neither are common. We tend to associate these appendages with adults, and they're referred to as tit/tits, not the diminutive titty/-ies. Perhaps we're bigger breasted than others? Somehow, I doubt it. It's just our common colloquial usage.

[Mancklin]

I find myself constantly saying or thinking "tough titties" even though the phrase "tough noogies" (sp?) is more common here, particularly among thirteen year olds (of whom I am not one, thank goodness.)
Nice to be back among company that understands the gravity of such matters.
Mancks

[bobbi]

Now Mancks, at 51, gravity is NOT the friend of my noogies. This much I certainly understand!
Good to have you back chatting. I also play Scrabulous, and Text twirl and Scramble in Facebook.

[Binkie]

Good to have input from you again, Mancks....you Scrabble-playing traitor you ! As you have suggested, still nothing but matters of global importance are discussed here. I do hope that future generations will somehow have access to the Lexigame forum. They will surely find a rich source of social, literary and academic history !

[Mancklin]

Oh is that what noogies are! I never knew! Well Bobbi, all I can say is you are lucky to have big enough noogies that gravity makes a difference.
Mancks

[rogue_mother]

I have never heard of "noogies" used in that context.  In our corner of the world (USA), a noogie is when someone grabs your head and rubs firmly with his knuckles, also known as a Dutch rub.

[biggerbirdbrain]

I always thought that noogies are what you do when you get someone in a headlock and rub the top of the person's head vigorously ... at least, that's what our boys called that! I never realized it pertained to another part of the anatomy! 

PS - and whether they're large or small, gravity will still take its toll ... just at a different rate!

[biggerbirdbrain]

R-M and I had the same thought ... within minutes!

[Alan W]

Tough noogies, "an unsympathetic phrase meaning that's your bad luck", dates from the 1970s, according to Cassell's Dictionary of Slang, and is derived from the head-rubbing meaning of noogie mentioned by R_M and Threeb. According to the same dictionary, noogies can also be used for the testicles, but this appears to be unrelated.

However, just to complicate things, nuggie is a variant form of noogie (in the head rub sense) and tough nuggies is also used, but nuggies can also mean breasts apparently.

Last year, at R_M's request, we accepted noogie for Chihuahua, along with the variants, nuggie and nugie.

Cassell's Dictionary of Slang says that tough titty, tough titties, and other variants, date from the 1920s.

Interestingly, there is an Australian slang word norg, or nork, meaning breast. You can read my discussion of its origin and usage in the Ozlip word list, including the theory that the word is derived from the Norco Co-operative, which depicted a cow's udder on its butter packaging.