Talk:butt-woman
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Possibly should be butt-woman, I found a couple quotes using that variation. Eden Phillpotts (1898) Children of the Mists[1]: “Once butt-woman, or sextoness, of Chagford Church, the lady had dwelt alone, as Miss Mary Reed, for fifty-five years—not because opportunity to change her state was denied her, but owing to the fact that experience of life rendered her averse to all family responsibilities.” Anyone able to cite this fully, especially the unhyphenated version? - [The]DaveRoss 00:56, 18 August 2008 (UTC)
- Hi, I added the entry - the unhyphenated version is as spelled on the memorial tablet in Emmanuel Church, Plymouth. I had never come across the word before. Regards Springnuts 06:17, 18 August 2008 (UTC)
- A butt-woman can also be a woman who sells butts (flatfish). But in this instance it comes from the word butt meaning hassock; she cleans the church and helps the verger or pew-opener show people to their seats. SemperBlotto 07:21, 18 August 2008 (UTC)
- I created a cited entry at the main form, butt-woman and turned buttwoman into an alternative spelling entry. Three citations could probably be found for "buttwoman," but it's hard to track down because of the obscurity. It is certainly clear that that is an existing alternative spelling (and common enough in dictionaries, for what it's worth). Dominic·t 04:36, 21 August 2009 (UTC)
RFV failed, moved to RFD. —RuakhTALK 18:38, 16 December 2009 (UTC)