First of all, let me just say that I completely love Achewood. The comic is funny, clever, well written, hip, profane, and sometimes astonishing.
In a recent strip, Beef commiserates with Ray because Ray is going bald (or is it mange?), and he uses an expression to describe going bald: monk dimin’.
I did a little searching around and found several other references to the term, all meaning that same thing, but nothing in the urban dictionary and I’m coming up short trying to figure out where it comes from.
I assume it’s a reference to the monk’s tonsure, ok, but what’s diming? I’m tempted to think it’s actually from “diminishing” or something like that but it doesn’t add up.
Anyone care to hep me?
Comments
One response to “Etymology of monk dimin'?”
As one who has been “monk diming” for some time, here’s my take. The word “diming” is a rather awkward reference to a spot the size of a dime appearing on the top of the head. Of course, this changes the pronunciation. In my case, a better term is “monk silver dollarin.” Actually, “monk headin” would cover all stages of tonsuring, and we wouldn’t run out of coins. Why don’t you just ask a monk?