The only words that I would call “wonton words” are “crispy,” “steamed,” “Szechuan,” and maybe “soup.” I can’t imagine anyone whispering any of those to young maids, whether said maids are chambermaids, French maids, Merry Maids—or young girls, maidens, fair maids.
Perhaps my student was thinking of fortune cookies instead of wontons? The best cookie fortune I ever got is “Everyone needs a porpoise in life.” I would love to have a porpoise, although I don’t think my house would accommodate one. Maybe he would live in Long Island Sound and consent to come to my whistle: that would be delightful! I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say I need a porpoise, but fortune cookies are supposed to tell us things we don’t already know, so maybe I do.
Of course I knew what she meant, and so do you: (only one letter off, why blame her?) wanton words. And shame on him, that lecher. Here’s Webster’s: “playfully mean or cruel, mischievous; lewd, bawdy; causing sexual excitement, lustful, sensual; inhumane; having no just foundation or provocation; without check or limitation.” Take your pick. This is a foul seducer of youth (note the “young” maids), without any provocation mischievously whispering wild and lewd words in hopes of producing sexual arousal. (I think I got all the definitions in!) I don’t remember now whom she was referring to, but whoever it was, Shame on him I say again.
But just for a moment keep that wonton in mind. “Wanton” can also, of course, be used as a noun: “a frolicsome child or animal; a person given to luxurious self-enjoyment; a lewd or lascivious person.” It’s only part of a person in Robert Graves’ witty poem “Down, Wanton, Down”…but what a part, and how much fun the poem is once the reader gets the, um, point.
Go and read the poem.
And now, replace “wanton” with “wonton.” Not quite the same, is it?
July 25th, 2012 at 11:14 am
In an acting class I once took, there was a young man who had a line, to a beautiful young woman. It was supposed to read, “I can see you’re wanton.” Instead, yup, you know how he pronounced it. Perhaps “wonton” is a euphemism. Pull that skirt down, young lady.
July 25th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Maybe he meant “fortune cookie”?
July 25th, 2012 at 11:36 am
Ha. Wanton is a ninth grade vocab word at our school, and, over the years, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read wonton in its place. Cracks me up every time.
July 25th, 2012 at 11:45 am
I guess it’s a matter of what people see most often. There was a local car dealership called Helmut Chevrolet (not sure if it was Chevrolet, but I do know it was Helmut, the name of the owner)…and you guessed it, no END of comments in the newspapers and from my students protesting a proposed “Helmut Law” for motorcyclists.
July 25th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
“it’s a matter of what people see most often”–You’re so right. That’s why, after almost two decades teaching high school English, my spelling has deteriorated. I find myself spelling “ur” for “your” and “ya” for “yeah”–the list goes on–it’s worrisome….
July 25th, 2012 at 6:51 pm
Best post title ever – still chuckling over it.
Delightful read. Thanks
July 26th, 2012 at 7:06 am
What a great laugh early in the morning. I can imagine the lecherous cook in a Chinese restaurant leering at the pretty young servers and whispering wonton words.
July 26th, 2012 at 10:16 am
Nice picture! All that steam….
August 21st, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Wanton (unwarranted) cruelty or destruction, yes, but wanton (lewd) words? I would think it’s rather archaic. Or is it still used like that in the US?
Same issue for maids, really, unless they make beds…