The Hindu Business Line : Who shall cast the first stone?

INDIA is shaped like a `v' at the southern end. As if to match, the debate that rages on in this part of the world is about one `v' or the other. Thus, high-voltage vocalising isn't rare about vendetta or vandalism, vulgarity or vice, verbiage or violence, all with great verve and vitriolic vibration. In the process, what often get vacuumed or vaporised are many vital things of value such as virtue and value, veneration and viability, vibrancy and vision. The word now vrooming is virginity, on which almost everybody seems to have an opinion to share or a question to ask. For the latter, here's some help.

Can we trace virgin?

Yes, Online Etymology Dictionary traces the word to 1200, and explains thus: "unmarried or chaste woman... from Old French virgine, from Latin virginem (nom. virgo) `maiden, unwedded girl or woman,' also an adj., `fresh, unused,' probably related to virga `young shoot.'"

V for?

Victory, generally. "The V sign is a hand gesture in which the first and second fingers are raised and parted, whilst the remaining fingers are clenched," explains Wikipedia. "In the modern world, the gesture has a very confused meaning, as it depends on the culture to which the people using it belong, and what they are trying to signify." For instance, the sign with palm inwards may be considered `highly insulting'.

Shall I tell you about `losing my virginity'?

I guess you want to share your views about Virgin boss Richard Branson's autobiography! Here is a joke on the topic cited on www.etymonline.com: "Distraught pretty girl: `I've lost my virginity!' Benny Hill: `Do you still have the box it came in?'"

Is this a case of virus attack or venom spitting?

You may choose from these too: Sheer vanity, obsessive voyeurism, blind villainy, empty vessels, jobless vilification, fanatic vomit, compulsive victimisation, exploiting vulnerability, and malignant voodoo.

Vox populi, I thought?

TV-viewers and casual visitors may tend to think that the virginity dispute is of such volcanic proportions as to be the collective voice of the people. Virtual reality, that is, with vulpine forces at the vortex.

Won't Artemis help?

Being associated with chastity, Artemis asked her father, Zeus, to grant her eternal virginity, narrates www.pantheon.org. "Artemis was very protective of her purity, and gave grave punishment to any man who attempted to dishonour her in any form." The problem now is of many vultures donning her cloak. Wish Artemis directed her arrows at those harassing women.

A vote on the subject may help?

Provided it is on the lines as in the Bible (John 8:7), where Jesus said, "He that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her."

SayCheek@TheHindu.co.in

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