What Does the Phrase "Smelling Herself" Mean?
When you were around 12 or 13-years old, and you acting out a bit talking back or something like that, did your mother or grandmother ever declare that you were “smelling yourself”? Of course they—the mother or grandmother—would have to have been African American and of southern origin if they did. As strange as it may seem, I think this aphorism may have something to do with body odor at least figuratively. As far as I can tell it relates to puberty when a kid becomes headstrong, rebellious, or a little too assertive, particularly in the case of girls. This is also a time of dramatic hormonal changes. Sweat and oil glands become more active and body odor changes--gets stronger, stinkier (I don’t know if that is a word, but it should be). The kid starts acting a fool, and she also stinks in both senses of the word. You could say she is drunk on the intoxicating odor of their own funk--smelling herself. Rather poetic.
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Shereen
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Jan 28, 2016 01:53PM
That sounds disparaging and as if the adults don't want the child to be assured in who the child is becoming. There doesn't seem to be a celebration of milestones in the young person's development, but ridicule, cynicism and speculation instead. It doesn't sound like the adults are guiding the youth. Just snubbing and confusing them. I, for one, was confused when someone said that to me as a youth. It's just as easy to say 'you're becoming a young adult and I'm proud of you. I trust that you are capable of making quality decisions for your life and I'm here for you.' I'm repulsed by terms like 'smellin' yourself' and 'feeling yourself.' To me they conjur images of funk (or in need of a bath) and masturbation. It's also like that term 'fleek.' What the hell is that? It doesn't sound pleasing to the ear. To each, his/her own, but that term makes me cringe. Listen to Rebecca Black's song 'Friday' and you'll understand how irritating it can feel when your intelligence is insulted.
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Shereen wrote: "That sounds disparaging and as if the adults don't want the child to be assured in who the child is becoming. There doesn't seem to be a celebration of milestones in the young person's development,..."Shereen, well put. I agree with you wholeheartedly. It's also about control through denigration. It makes growing up harder than it has to be.
Yes it’s true. The children reaching the age of puberty or involved in exercises or sports activities usually face the problem of odour. As the kids are dependent on the parents, it is their responsibility to guide them as how to deal with the bad body odour in children. It is usually recommended to guide the children about the deodorants so that stinky smell can be reduced to a maximum extent. http://www.wekeepitkind.com/uk/fresh/
Yall are so racist.Its not a downgrade,it comes from when a girl begin to have odor from down under which is brought on from puebaty which also bring on a change in attitude.A mother would say to a girl if she challenged her,"your starting to smell yourself "Meaning changing attitude
I know I’m late but yall are seriously lost it’s kinda sad. It has absolutely nothing to do with order or a person smelling them self and the fact the op haven’t figured it out after stating it’s usually during puberty and teens start talking bout snd being rebellious is funny snd sad. It means when a teen starts getting “spoody”
