The phrase “son of a gun” first appears in print in the early 18th century. To call someone a “son of a gun” was to imply bastardy, criminality, or maritime lowliness. Yet by the 20th century, the same phrase could be used by a grandfather to a mischievous grandchild (e.g., “You little son of a gun, you did it again”). This paper asks: How does a slur become a smirk?
From Cannon to Cradle: A Diachronic Analysis of “Son of a Gun” as a Case Study in Vernacular Resilience Son Of A Gun
Idiom, etymology, semantic change, nautical slang, dysphemism. The phrase “son of a gun” first appears