Translation Stuff

[ladorada]

Hello, everyone!

In Sherwood Anderson's book 'Winesburg, Ohio' (see link http://www.electronpress.com/freebooks2/winesburg_ohio.pdf), there is a short story in which some of the characters use a kind of joke or swearing, which I don't get. Throughout the short story entitled 'Queer', the following statement appears four times:

“I’ll be starched,” he said softly. “Well, well, I’ll be washed and ironed and starched!”

I would appreciate it if someone could explain the meaning of it.

D

[shoota]

The urban dictionary defines:
Washed - washed out after excessive drug use
Starched - excessive drug use
Ironed - getting 'laid' in the missionary position.

Personally, given the title, I'd assume they were pseudonyms for homosexual activity.

[jno]

Anderson was born in 1876 (died 1941) so I wouldn't absolutely bet he was using modern drugs/gay slang. It may not be a joke at all, just a person's way of speaking: a bowdlerised version of "I'll be damned" followed by variations on it.

[shoota]

Having quickly scanned through the story I retract my earier suggestions and can quite categorically state, without any fear of contradiction, that I havn't the foggiest......

http://www.bartleby.com/156/20.html

[heathfield]

The word 'starched' is being used by the character as a euphemism for a word that might be rude or offensive.