Linguistics lesson: Fetish
British Member of Parliament Ronnie Campbell recently conducted some linguistics research, according to a Sunday, January 20, 2008 report in the Sunday Sun:
North MP hot under collar at fetish mistake
A NORTH MP was left red-faced last night after accidentally giving his support to National Fetish Day.
Organisers revealed Ronnie Campbell had promised to wear purple to support a day of awareness tomorrow. But the MP for Blyth Valley, Northumberland, withdrew his backing after the Sunday Sun explained the kinky connotations of the word ?fetish? which he was not aware of.
Mr Campbell revealed he thought ?fetish? was just another word for ?worry? instead of a description of people who get their kicks in unusual ways. Fetishists include people who wear rubber and who indulge in bondage, sadism, and masochism.
When we told him, Mr Campbell said: ?Oh my God almighty, my God, is that what a fetish is? ?I thought a fetish was a worry, like worrying about backing the right horse.?
(Thanks to investigator Clara Spofford for bringing this to our attention.)