Arnold Zwicky's Blog

Today’s Zits:

The strip embodies the popular idea that males are easily aroused, by almost anything, while females require very specific triggers. And it plays on the ambiguity of the V + Prt idioms turn on and turn off.  From NOAD2:

turn someone on   informal   excite or stimulate the interest of someone, esp. sexually.

turn something on   start the flow or operation of something by means of a valve, switch, or button: she turned on the TV.

turn someone off    informal   induce a feeling of boredom or disgust in someone.

turn something off    stop the operation or flow of something by means of a valve, switch, or button: remember to turn off the gas.

This entry was posted on July 16, 2013 at 10:04 am and is filed under Ambiguity, Gender and sexuality, Idioms. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.