Sexual slang
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Sexual slang is a set of linguistic terms and phrases used to refer to sexual organs, processes, and activities; they are generally considered colloquial rather than formal or medical, and some may be seen as impolite or improper. Some of these add sexual meanings or referents to words that have non-sexual meanings in ordinary language, such as "pussy" or "gash" for vagina, "prick" or "cock" for penis, "nuts" or "balls" for testicles, etc. Occasionally people's names are used as well for these purposes, e.g. "dick" or "johnson" for penis. Different cultures and languages use different everyday words for sexual purposes. Thus Eier (German), "vajca" (Slovak), Яйца (Yayca) (Russian), huevos (Spanish) بيضات (baydat) (Arabic)Baytzot (Talmudic Aramaic), all meaning "eggs" in those languages, are common slang words for testicles, but "eggs" does not commonly have this referent in English.
Related to sexual slang is slang related to defecation and flatulence (toilet humor, scatolinguistics). References to the anal tract are often given a sexual connotation in the context of anal sex (in particular, in a context of male homosexuality).
While popular usage is incredibly versatile in coining ever new short-lived synonyms, old terms with originally no pejorative colouring may come to be considered inappropriate over time. Thus, terms like arse/ass, cunt, and fuck should not be considered "slang," since they are the inherited common English terms for their referents, but they are often considered vulgarisms and are replaced by euphemisms or scientific terminology in "polite" language.
[edit] Pejorative usage
Term of disparagements are used to refer to members of a given sexual minority, gender, sex, or sexual orientation in a derogatory or pejorative manner. They are used as insults by persons who are not or do not wish to be associated with the group being disparaged. For example, queer can be used as an insult by those seeking to deprecate homo-, bi-, or transsexual people, but the word has also undergone reclaiming, such that it can be used positively within that community (not by outsiders). Which terms are used as slurs is determined by a society's or subculture's set of values, especially its biases against genders (sexism). For example, words such as whore and slut are typically used to refer to sexually active women.
Sexual slurs are common across many cultures and historical periods. The most common slurs directed against men historically include accusations of being a passive homosexual (Aristophanes notably enjoyed using such allusions) or of being effeminate; for example, in the Hittite military oath, oath-breakers are threatened with being made into women (a promise of either actual castration, or of divine revenge on the traitors' manhood).
[edit] Sexual slang and humor
In the popular jargon of many cultures, the use of sexual slang is a form of humor or euphemism that often creates controversy over its public use. Sexual humor has been seen in many circles as crude and unsophisticated, as well as insulting towards the subject it describes. Sexual slang has a long history in literature and comedy: examples from Shakespeare are well-known. The popularity of contemporary comedians who indulge in sexual humor, from George Carlin to Kevin Bloody Wilson to Andrew Dice Clay, reflects the appeal of this form of speech. It is often seen as a form of taboo, in which much of the appeal lies in the shock value of daring to speak "forbidden" words in public.
[edit] External links
- Sex Dictionary — mostly non-slang terms; some slang also
- Urban Dictionary — all types of slang
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