Vocabulary Turn-offs

[JayDee]

Schlong? S'from Yiddish borrowed to English.

Now, my favourite borrowed term from Yiddish is Zaftig, because it so perfectly describes a certain body shape without the negative connotations associated with some of the English words that might be used. [/off topic]

[Calanthee]

Wang? Where did this word come from?

Yet I have heard it used in the most ancient lyric prose:

[Does your wang hang low, does it wobble to and fro!]

Yo, but something tells me thats not Chinese, so can anyone tell me the source of this little gem?

I was told once that a lot of naughty words, came from German, could 'schlong' be one of them?

Cal,

Someone should put out, a Dictionary of Sexy Filthy Words,and indicating the countries they come from, as a source for writers.... I think it would be a fun read!

[Acal]

King Taejon I of Korea (16th century I belive) was also called Wang Kon

I was reading this really hot novel and the one thing that gave me pause was the author's use of 'bumhole' and 'bum' just made me want to chuckle. 'arse' is pretty much the only term that I really feel it with in erotica. Now clit is perfectly fine how else are you meant to describe it? The only other ways I can think of are flowery terms.

I just hate 'cunt' here in australia its used as a vile derogative word, it really deflates the mood when that word pops up *shudder*

[Helluin]

I maintain an index of all erotica/fanfic related to my pairing of choice, but I have balked on posting a link to a story that referenced "Auron's meat."

(Also

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

is an inappropriate use of screen space.)

Meat is never okay.

I'm torn on the poetic/flowery versus blunt vocabulary. I tend to shy away from the more blunt words like "cock," but there just isn't a good word, so it's started to creep into my PWPs now and then. I prefer beautiful/sensual language, so I tend to veer towards metaphor. Or just find ways, somehow, to describe the act without naming the body parts. But euphemism-erotica can be painfully obvious -- "oh, look, a prude writing a sex scene!" so you can't do that too much.

I like clinical/medical terms the least (penis, vagina), and colorless words like "member."

There are very few words, though, that really stop my ability to enjoy a story, provided it's well-written.

I guess these are my turn-offs:

-- titties (sounds juvenile male)

-- spunk, spooge (see above)

-- dick (see above)

-- globes

-- twat

-- OMG IM CUMMING (instantly causes me to flee, if I've gotten that far)

-- meat.

NO MEAT. Ugh. I get flashbacks.

</div>

[schrodinger]

I'm doing my bit with the graphic cannibalism...

I tip my hat to you sir.

What genius (note the sarchasm) thought of 'schlong'? Some hentai censors certain words like 'pussy' by doing the annoying bleeping thing and putting stars in the word on the subtitles (as if anyone can't figure out what is being said) and for awhile, this certain anime had Sc***** and I couldn't figure out what it was. I just don't understand how that word got started, but I hate seeing it. It's not even a real word. It sounds more like a comic book sound affect.

I've seen it used as a comic book sound effect, along with wank and fap.

As an after thought, I do think the word meat in erotic fiction can be used appropriately, but only when referring to corpses and/or in reference to that which give a whole new meaning to tearing someone a new one

Edited August 13, 2008 by schrodinger

[pel]

How about calling the breasts pillows?

Now that turned me off as I was reading a good smut and then the character reached up and gently squeezed her ample sized pillows. I was like uh, he squeezed her pillow? and it took me a while before I realized that they meant breasts!

But by the time I realized that, I had already left the story and went for another one. It just chased me off.

Beth

Oh man, this one just cracks me up... when my little sister was about three she started calling breasts 'baby pillows' because of snuggling with mom, so that's the only thing it makes me think of. Yeah. If I stumbled across that in a fic it would be a record-fast turn off!

What drives me crazy when I'm writing is that I just hate most of the words for female anatomy! Cock is just such a great all-purpose word. Dirty enough without being vulgar, not too clinical or too absurd. There just isn't a word for vagina that does it for me in the same way. Pussy and cunt, or 'flower' and 'womanhood'. Either it's too flowery or too offensive. Bah... I swear that's half the reason I find m/m easier to write than m/f

One thing I will admit to is being devoted to 'come' instead of 'cum'. I hate that word. I don't care if that's the technical spelling, something about it just turns me off.

Edited August 21, 2008 by pel

[Guest Flesh_Seraph]

Don't despair if you're concerned about losing readership because of restrictive word choices!

A writer can come up with quite a list of new connotations and mental images by making use of a little poetic license and throwing hyphenations, conjunctions and even the occasional portmanteau into the mix. Even just using two words is fine. If you don't want to use words like tits, cock, pussy, and cum because you might offend, try some of these happy-go-lucky customers on for size!

They've served me well!

Tits:

fuck-udders

fuck-puppets

milk-sacks

fuckbags

chesthogs

Cock:

rape-blade

fuckpole

sex-hammer

wombscraper

sperm spigot

Pussy:

rape-chamber

fuckhatch

dong depository

lube-trench

garbage pail (maybe this implementation is just me)

Cum:

ball-chowder

cockvomit

dickstew

baby-broth

womb-filler

Asshole (and areas beyond!)

Dump-tunnel

Starfish

Poopknot

Fuckpucker

Stinkeye (these all sound like Pokemon)

Don't all rush to thank me at once!

- FS

EDIT: As a newcomer I probably shouldn't be so brazen so soon. Sorry if I offended anyone. Just for the record, this is satire.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Flesh_Seraph

[Guest pontaloon]

i absolutely hate it when i'm reading a slash story and the author keeps referring to the guy with terms meant for girls only. tits and pussy are for girls and if i wanted to read about them i would read a fic with a girl in it! i dont want it poisoning my slash!

[yakaji]

What drives me crazy when I'm writing is that I just hate most of the words for female anatomy! Cock is just such a great all-purpose word. Dirty enough without being vulgar, not too clinical or too absurd. There just isn't a word for vagina that does it for me in the same way. Pussy and cunt, or 'flower' and 'womanhood'. Either it's too flowery or too offensive. Bah... I swear that's half the reason I find m/m easier to write than m/f

I totally agree. Most of what I write is het, and it's REALLY HARD. Pussy sounds too weak and juvenile. Cunt sounds too rough and harsh. Flower and womanhood sound inspecific and avoidant, much like member and manhood. And after those, you start getting into words that are just plain stupid or ugly: twat, slit, gash, fanny, chasm, cavern, hole, box, beaver, etc. They're just awful.

I think I usually try to write AROUND the issue, by using prepositions and descriptions. "[adjective] folds" has also come in handy a couple times, I think.

[JayDee]

I will admit to being vaguely disturbed by one Star Wars story that, as a euphemism for vagina, used the term "her hungry Sarlacc".

[Calanthee]

I totally agree. Most of what I write is het, and it's REALLY HARD. Pussy sounds too weak and juvenile. Cunt sounds too rough and harsh. Flower and womanhood sound inspecific and avoidant, much like member and manhood. And after those, you start getting into words that are just plain stupid or ugly: twat, slit, gash, fanny, chasm, cavern, hole, box, beaver, etc. They're just awful.

I think I usually try to write AROUND the issue, by using prepositions and descriptions. "[adjective] folds" has also come in handy a couple times, I think.

Yes I think "folds" comes in very handy, you can dress it up or down, with moist or damp...make it tender, delicate, fragile, fragrant, heated or hot....and it's truly not so vulgar as those other words you used!

The lovely and fragrant, Cal

Alas, almost as versatile as "folds" for females, is the term "shaft" for men...you can dress it up or down with hard, rigid, slick, thick, long, massive, dripping, fragrant, heated and hot! Etc! Etc! Etc! So have fun all!

[Keith Inc.]

I will admit to being vaguely disturbed by one Star Wars story that, as a euphemism for vagina, used the term "her hungry Sarlacc".

Now that writer has issues...

[Calanthee]

Now that writer has issues...

This ancient one, want to know what is a "her hungry Sarlacc" [her hungry is the part I understand,] as for Sarlacc it sound like a name for an antacid and a gas conditions. Explain please! Dumb, Cal

[JayDee]

Now that writer has issues...

I actually went back to the start to see if there was any kind of castration tag or mention of Vagina Dentata or something I'd missed but, no, it was just a euphemism, and the hunger was metaphorical.

This ancient one, want to know what is a "her hungry Sarlacc" [her hungry is the part I understand,] as for Sarlacc it sound like a name for an antacid and a gas conditions. Explain please! Dumb, Cal

See here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarlaac

With picture!

[Calanthee]

I actually went back to the start to see if there was any kind of castration tag or mention of Vagina Dentata or something I'd missed but, no, it was just a euphemism, and the hunger was metaphorical.

See here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarlaac

With picture!

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity, I remember it from the movie Now! Cal

[Kagayaki]

I've onece read an RP log--a rape scene, and one of the terms used was 'mangina'. Yes. For the exact body part that you're thinking of. It sounds so derogatory towards gay men. I can't stand 'man-meat', either. It just sounds well...rednecky and 5th-grader-ish. And while I realize that tone and POV is important, I hate words like 'pussy' and of course, everyone's favorite c-word for women. ...Okay, I'm actually guilty of using said words in my own vocabulary, but when written, it just sounds so coarse. Yeah, I know that 'cunt' actually once meant 'rabbit', just like how 'cock' meant 'rooster'. And I really dislike how characters have to announce their orgasms to the world! I'm like, okay, we KNOW you're cumming (and probably faking it like in the porn movies).

I know I'm odd, but I like the term 'vulva'. It's the technical term for a woman's genitalia, and it just sounds pretty. Much prettier than 'vagina', which is just one ofrice. And 'flower'...ugh. That sounds too much like a ballerina or something. And I'm talking about female parts when I like to write yaoi. I agree that 'cock' can be used only so many times. I like 'length' and 'shaft' better. The readers know what you're talking about yet it doesn't sound like a high schooler wrote it.

And funny story: I didn't know what a cock was until I was about 17 or 18, yet I've been reading yaoi fics since I was 15. Innocent or stupid...?

[yakaji]

Okay, I just had to do this... I've really enjoyed this thread, and especially seeing some of the really REALLY bad vocab out there that, thankfully, I haven't had the bad fortune to encounter in reading. So by way of tribute, I wrote a little something. (If you don't know the fandom, ignore, or read knowing that (1) Kanda is Japanese and stupid, (2) "Moyashi" is his nickname for Allen, (3) Similarly, "Rabbit" = Lavi)

In: Anime > . to F > D. Gray Man > "Anachronicity"

http://anime.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600045413

Apologies for ficcage in forums, but.... I had to do it. Some of these terms are just so BAD.

Also...

And funny story: I didn't know what a cock was until I was about 17 or 18, yet I've been reading yaoi fics since I was 15. Innocent or stupid...?

If you don't mind me asking, what did you think it meant in yaoi before you knew what it was?

[Peace-Love-Yaoi]

Okay, does it bother anyone else when people use the word "bloom" to refer to a butt-hole. That makes the think, "Hmmm... he has a flower on his ass? Hope Joe doesn't have allergies." That just bothers me for some reason. I prefer the words: hole, entrance, or maybe "the puckered flesh." I just hate the flower analogies. We aren't plants, true?

So I am going to discuss some of the words from the list you guys made, as well as a few of my own.

Penis- I don't mind this word as long as it isn't hard. For example: "After his lover came into his mouth, he let the limp penis fall from his lips." Here is an example of it used wrongly, "He pushed into his lover with his hard penis." It just sounds wrong to me.

Manhood- I actually like this word, IN MODERATION! Throw it in when you feel you need a little diversification.

Cock- Honsetly I use this word alot. It is best used with masturbation in my opinion than actual sex.

Jizz/Jizum- Eww! Does that sound like someting you want inside your body? NO!

Mounds- This is the worst word for breasts that I have ever read! All I can think of is piles of dirt... very flattering. "He massaged her piles of dirt with his calloused hands." Nice.

Boobs- This just sounds like a 4th grader wrote it. "He unbuttoned her blouse, exposing the flesh of her chest. He finally pushed the fabric off her shoulders so he could see her boobs fully." Turn off! I actually like the sentence until that horrible word.

Essence- I don't like this word because it makes me think of perfume. "With one last bob of her head, John released his essence into her willing mouth. Sue was touched that he remembered Axe body spray was her favorite." Yum.

Cum- I think this is better in rough situations, come is for more romantic or intimate settings.

Now! This is my biggest pet-peeve I hate in scenes where there is oral sex and a male is on the recieving end, but they make it sound like come tastes sweet. I guess they have never had performed oral sex on a guy. Cum is salty, not my favorite afternoon snack, okay? This is from one of my stories: "He moaned as the taste that was half salt, half Shikamaru, and completely delicious. "This makes it seem semi-realistic, on the other hand: "He moaned at the taste that was as sweet as sugar." Cum is not as sweet as sugar!!!

End of rant.

[makoed]

wrong grammar is the worst turn-off for me though... when i see grammar mistakes in almost every sentence i just go off to find another story.. one or two mistakes don't matter.. but in every sentence? geez..

and why does almost every sex scene say that cum is sweet??? that is so wrong... and using 'sex' in every sentence is just annoying.

[Harley Quinn hyenaholic]

I think the only word that turns me off is 'cunt'. That, and lousy spelling. Not just regular mistakes that slipped the eye, but things proving that there's no way that somebody could have given it a proof-read.

Or that a dog jumped on a keyboard randomly.

[DodgeSuperBee]

Kagayaki, I also find "mangina" very juvenile and I can see why it would insult men. Plus, good point about characters announcing that they're climaxing. If a reader would have no idea were it not for the "announcement," the scene could've been written better.

Peace-Love-Yaoi, I've never come across it in a fic but now that you mentioned it, "bloom" is probably not the best word choice for something that isn't exactly blooming. Also, I cannot agree more that "boobs" is an exceptionally juvenile word choice. Unless it was being spoken by a juvenile or exceedingly drunk character, if I came across that word in a story I'd be tempted to check the author's profile to make sure he/she wasn't underage.

I was going to ask this question in a separate post but it might be appropriate here. Is the phrase "he took her" acceptable as a softcore way of describing penetration if it's not the woman's first time? I've read the phrase "taking a virgin" before but I was assuming it could be used in other ways, and now I'm not so sure.

[Peace-Love-Yaoi]

I was going to ask this question in a separate post but it might be appropriate here. Is the phrase "he took her" acceptable as a softcore way of describing penetration if it's not the woman's first time? I've read the phrase "taking a virgin" before but I was assuming it could be used in other ways, and now I'm not so sure.

I would say that the phrase "he took her" could be appropriate for a woman's first time, even if she is not a virgin. If you write it, and it still doesn't feel right, you could try something more along the lines of: "She opened herself to him and he took what she offered hungrily(lovingly?)." That is what I would use anyway.

Peace-Love-Yaoi

[knight]

God...unless used for a religious conversation.

Oh God, Alex, I want you," Emily cried against his shoulder. (Then proceeds to call out God's name

during sexual intercourse.) Why?? God isn't making her/him feel that good. Alex is.

"God..." Emily screamed, tears of fustration, staining her cheeks as she waited for Alex to explain what happened. "Why did you sleep with her?"(God didn't sleep with anyone or make Emily pissed)

Lots of the ones that have already been listed too.

knight

[shinigamiinochi]

For me, using 'God' during sex is acceptable. I'm an atheist and I use 'god damn' all the time. Saying 'oh God' or 'Jesus Christ' during emotional moments is simply an exclamation like 'oh, shit'. I doubt that excrement has nothing to do with the situation, but it's an acceptable phrase. It's like my sister's constant use of 'holy fudge'. I know that heavenly chocolate has nothing to do with her stubbing her toe, it's just how she expresses herself.

[DodgeSuperBee]

Thanks, Peace-Love-Yaoi. I love your suggestion and that would be a great (and hot!) way to describe a loving scene, but alas, the scene I wrote involved two characters who were only sleeping together in hopes of conceiving. Thus there wasn't any true love involved although they're close friends who care about each other.