Vocabulary Turn-offs

[NinjaGaijin]

Two words I didn't see on the list:

Quim and cunny (popular in Victorian era porn/erotica). Cunt (overcame my aversion to that long ago, it's just a word) and pussy don't really bother me if they fit the overall tone of a story. Personally, I don't see how you can write any kind of anal sex scene without the use of rectum or anus at least once or twice.

Interesting thought.

I like stories with a historical/fantasy setting, and I've always wondered which sexual terms would be anachronistic if used in such stories. Say, mentioning 'anus' in a story taking place in ancient China or the stone age. Wouldn't a Latin word feel out of place?

[lunaticfringe13]

Interesting thought.

I like stories with a historical/fantasy setting, and I've always wondered which sexual terms would be anachronistic if used in such stories. Say, mentioning 'anus' in a story taking place in ancient China or the stone age. Wouldn't a Latin word feel out of place?

For a historical story, if an author wants to go the extra mile, they could always look for the Anglo spelling of the Chinese word for "anus." Can't help with the stone age fantasy story, as I'm not conversant in Stone Age-ese. But, wouldn't a stone age story, written in the 21st century, already be filled with Latin based words? I mean, unless it was written in Cro-Magnon or Neanderthal?

[Guest Tuftiperkys]

Oh this one is easy:

Cum, I agree with the complete juvenility of using this word, use 'come' if you must, it's what you mean in the first place and you don't sound like you're in junior high.

Pussy, Ugh, I don't even like writing it and good god if you really want to mutilate what you mean, Boy pussy. Disgusting.

Cunt, don't mind it so much as an insult but otherwise no, no, no.

And words without sexual context that irk me because they aren't words!: (I will stop reading any story if these pop up)

supposably

irregardless

anyways, it will forever and always be singular

or using -er instead of 'more' e.g. 'funner' instead of 'most fun'

or the phrase, 'on accident' instead of the correct, 'by accident.' It's popping up more and more and I don't know why I dislike it as much as I do but I really cannot stand reading it.

[Guest Savaial]

As far as euphamisms for sex and sexual intercourse, as long as the writing is decent I don't really care what they use. But I do have a pet-peeve for "Manhood."

Come on. That isn't the only thing that makes a man. Reverse it and say womanhood. Ugh.

Oh, and WONDER instead of WANDER. I get this mental image of the town idiot, aimlessly turning circles and confused by everything. "She wondered to the next hill." AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

[shinigamiinochi]

I hate using the word 'come' as come is a verb, cum is a noun. I guess I'm a grammar nazi that way. I got a review today in which the person hated my formal language. In fact, the sentence was 'if there such thing as the benality of evil, then he had clearly found it.' Her complaint was that she had to look up 'benality' and that I could have easily used 'boring'. Well, I got kind of annoyed at that since the term is benality of evil and I didn't think that it was that much of an unknown word. I also don't like dumbing down language because it makes me think that I'm writing to fifth graders. I don't mean to offend anyone that doesn't know the words, but it's like changing the plot to suit a certain type of people. Now, if I used a word like gnathodynamometer (not that I would since I don't think I could ever use that in one of my stories) or eidetic constantly, I could understand a reader's ire.

[Guest Savaial]

I hate using the word 'come' as come is a verb, cum is a noun. I guess I'm a grammar nazi that way. I got a review today in which the person hated my formal language. In fact, the sentence was 'if there such thing as the benality of evil, then he had clearly found it.' Her complaint was that she had to look up 'benality' and that I could have easily used 'boring'. Well, I got kind of annoyed at that since the term is benality of evil and I didn't think that it was that much of an unknown word. I also don't like dumbing down language because it makes me think that I'm writing to fifth graders. I don't mean to offend anyone that doesn't know the words, but it's like changing the plot to suit a certain type of people. Now, if I used a word like gnathodynamometer (not that I would since I don't think I could ever use that in one of my stories) or eidetic constantly, I could understand a reader's ire.

Don't dumb anything down because someone is too lazy to improve their vocabulary! You had every right to be annoyed. Write what you want, how you want it. Actually I'm really offended by that reviewer's complaint. She was either too young to be on here or too lazy to get a thesaurus. Either way she took some of the hard-earned wind out of your sails for nothing. If she doesn't watch out, her love of small words will make her...

banal (adjective)

dull and unoriginal

see boringly ordinary and lacking in originality.

[Guest Zyx]

I will repeat my question now, for it has been completely ignored >_?>

Is "belly" acceptable??? Is there a better word meaning the same thing???

[shinigamiinochi]

belly is fine, and so is stomach.

I don't like it when body parts are named after other objects, like calling a woman's vagina a flower or a guy's penis a salami. Calling any body part after a piece of food is just wrong, especially when oral sex is involved *shudder* Or maybe my sick imagination is the problem.

[Guest Zyx]

belly is fine, and so is stomach.

I don't like it when body parts are named after other objects, like calling a woman's vagina a flower or a guy's penis a salami. Calling any body part after a piece of food is just wrong, especially when oral sex is involved *shudder* Or maybe my sick imagination is the problem.

I agree, totally wrong >_>

though I don't think stomach is okay, it seems to refer a bit more to the inside... and I don't even approve of butsecks >_?>

(I love this new smily I invented >_?>)

EDIT: almost forgot!!! Thanks for answering my question

Edited April 3, 2008 by Zyx

[wattersk]

Calling any body part after a piece of food is just wrong, especially when oral sex is involved *shudder* Or maybe my sick imagination is the problem.

I'm sort of on the same boat. My sin is gluttony, and calling something after food tends to squick me. The only exception is when it's being used in an instructive manner (for example, "Lick it like a popsicle.") I don't mind if a person's trying to describe an action, but to actually call a body part after food is just weird and pretty well makes me avoid that food for a week or two.

Outside of that, I find my preference of vocabulary depends on the theme of the fic.

• I like the use of technical names (vagina, penis, nipples, etc.) when a scene that's designed for purposes other than stimulation.
  
• For softer-themed stories, I prefer words like member, shaft and breast.
  
• When it's meant to be raw or violent I find I prefer boobs, cock, pussy.
  
• For playful scenes I like woody, pillows (or mommy-pillows for really silly moments,)
  

About the only words I don't like for physical description are dick and cunt. Other than that, my preference depends greatly on the theme of the scene or story.

[shinigamiinochi]

I think my aversion to using food to describe genitalia comes from a fic I read a very long time ago. It was slash and the two boys were grilling hot dogs, which some how ended with them having sex. So, when the author wrote, 'he licked his long hot dog like he was dying of hunger' I actually thought that she/he meant 'hot dog' literally

[yakaji]

It's not a turn-off as such, but there are a few phrases I see that just throw me out of a story for being so cliche. What has me thinking about it is a fanfic I'm reading right now that keeps referring to 'ministrations' to describe any generic erotic act. This phrase is just so overused that I die a little inside whenever I read it. I'm not asking for graphic details about what's happening, but can't we find a way to at least write around this word? Every time I see it these days, I can't tell if two people are screwing, fondling, or attending a Church service.

[Zimarah]

I'm not terribly picky, so long as the words they are using fit the context. So if two people are "making love" I don't want to see words like "cock" and "pussy". But even if I run into that, I may just tilt my head to the side for a moment and then move on. So long as it's generally well written, I'm happy.

But if I read something like "heat-seeking moisture missile", I might be laughing a bit too hard to continue.

[Guest Savaial]

heat seeking moisture missle would just make me roll over and die.

I don't care what euphamisms someone uses as long as it fits with the general theme of the work.

[FairyNiamh]

I really don't have the turn-offs that most in here have... (makes me feel weird... kinda, but not really)

Spelling Turn-Offs:

Learnt

burnt

teached

I am aware that for some awful reason you can find learnt and and burnt in the dictionary. But they set my teeth on edge and literally sends chills down my spine.

[shinigamiinochi]

I am guilty of using burnt once in a story, but I don't think that I've used it since. I have this thing about so-called ghetto speak and surfer vernacular. Like reading 'bodacious', not in dialogue, but in the actual narration of the story. Unless your narrator is first person and is a surfer, like if you have a third person omniscient narrator, it's innappropriate and stands out too much. It's like hitting a sudden sharp in a minor scale, when it comes to writing, you want your narration to flow.

[Monkey Lady]

Let's see, words I can't stand...

-Jizsm -how do you even spell that! I hate it, it is just vulgar and not in the good way.

-cunt- it makes my hackles rise every time. I've read the book CUNT and I still hate that word; it's ugly

-cum-someone else mentioned using 'come' instead. I agree

-sword, mighty sword, throbbing sword, etc.- it's just cheesy and really misleading as to what the real thing is like (and more of an amusing image than sexy)

-box

-spunk-just not that sexy, kind of juvenile

-pussy...it's not as bad as cunt, and in the right kind of fic okay, but definitely one that I don't care for

-bucket loads (of anything)

-anus/penis/vagina-too clinical, but tolerable

-manhood-too over done by romance novels (though so is 'length' and I don't mind that one)

-proof of her innocence- I'm not sure why...maybe it's just a little too 'used'

-Oh oh ah ah yes yes that's it yes oh god!- It's distracting and you could just use description to imply those noises, along with a little verbal usage. I've read whole paragraphs where most of the words are just sounds and it makes me think 'meh, the rest better be good, 'cause I'm skipping this part'.

-Five minutes after meeting: "I love you! Marry me!"---Seriously? That just makes me think the author is like thirteen. Maybe "God you're sexy, I want to sleep with you for a while, k?" but 'I love you'? ...eh

So that's a bit of vocab that pisses me off in a fic, all of which could probably be fixed by a good beta. I had a beta point out that I used 'dude' in just about every conversation between two young men, and another who said I used 'muttered' and 'murmured' too much. I was like, 'huh, you're right. That must be annoying to read.'. Get a beta, they work wonders.

[Guest Zyx]

Let's see, words I can't stand...

-Jizsm -how do you even spell that! I hate it, it is just vulgar and not in the good way.

-cunt- it makes my hackles rise every time. I've read the book CUNT and I still hate that word; it's ugly

-cum-someone else mentioned using 'come' instead. I agree

-sword, mighty sword, throbbing sword, etc.- it's just cheesy and really misleading as to what the real thing is like (and more of an amusing image than sexy)

-box

-spunk-just not that sexy, kind of juvenile

-pussy...it's not as bad as cunt, and in the right kind of fic okay, but definitely one that I don't care for

-bucket loads (of anything)

-anus/penis/vagina-too clinical, but tolerable

-manhood-too over done by romance novels (though so is 'length' and I don't mind that one)

-proof of her innocence- I'm not sure why...maybe it's just a little too 'used'

-Oh oh ah ah yes yes that's it yes oh god!- It's distracting and you could just use description to imply those noises, along with a little verbal usage. I've read whole paragraphs where most of the words are just sounds and it makes me think 'meh, the rest better be good, 'cause I'm skipping this part'.

-Five minutes after meeting: "I love you! Marry me!"---Seriously? That just makes me think the author is like thirteen. Maybe "God you're sexy, I want to sleep with you for a while, k?" but 'I love you'? ...eh

So that's a bit of vocab that pisses me off in a fic, all of which could probably be fixed by a good beta. I had a beta point out that I used 'dude' in just about every conversation between two young men, and another who said I used 'muttered' and 'murmured' too much. I was like, 'huh, you're right. That must be annoying to read.'. Get a beta, they work wonders.

I disagree with a shitload of this stuff, but I should be doing other stuff so I'm not going to explain.

[shinigamiinochi]

Once again, if you listen to the words that people are offended by or just don't like to read, we'd have to make up NEW words just to write a full sex scene *rolls eyes* when you get down to it, it doesn't matter what we right, it's going to bother somebody. I am never offended by a word, because it's not a word that is ugly, its how its used. Like the word 'cunt'. I'm a girl, but that word doesn't offend me when used in a sex scene because I know the author means vagina. Now, if I was walking down the street and someone called me a cunt, oh, it's on now! Same thing with bitch, say that to me in the right tone of voice and I will punch you, but if I hear it in the throws of passion, it doesn't really bother me as much. Nothing really offends me anymore, I'll get pissed, but disgusted, no. I'm an English major and I love words, they all serve a purpose and I'd never be as immature to stop reading something on the basis of a few words. Now, if the entire story is rife with grammar problems and incorrect spelling to the point that I have to pause just to understand it, then I'll probably have to stop reading, just because I'll get a headache. Me, I like the literal language. I like saying what it is. Semen can be called cum, because that is the vernacular of the word. I have never heard a conversation in which the term 'man juice' has been used. 'Cum' is a noun. 'Come' is a verb. He came. The cum. Not 'the come'. Not 'he cum.' That just doesn't make any sense. So, if you're going to use the term 'come' in place of ejaculation, use it correctly. None of this 'the come' shit. Also, in a sex scene, vulgar is good. Vulgar is great, bring on the vulgar! Now, if you're writing a romantic, sappy love scene, vulgar words might ruin the tone, but in a 'we're really horny and we just need to fuck' kind of scene, vulgar can actually improve it. Personally I don't like sword imagery because of hentai I've watched with mutilations and it gives me flashbacks to reading Shakespeare ("unsheathe your sword"), not necessarily a bad thing, but it makes me wince a little. When it comes to anal sex, we seem to have deleted all acceptable terms. Can't use 'butt' because it's immature, can't use 'channel' because it sounds wrong, can't use 'entrance' because it grosses you out, and can't use 'anus' because its too clinical. As a yaoi writer, I'm stuck at what is deemed acceptable. And I refuse to use the term 'love hole' in any sentence on personal grounds. As for writing out moaning as dialogue, I find that sexy. Really, there are only so many ways to say 'he/she moaned, groaned, cried out' ect and I have a personal issue of repeating myself. I agree that there is no such thing as love at first sight. You know absolutely nothing about this person so it's impossible for you love them. You can lust after them, but love is literally impossible. And I have never used the word 'dude' in a sentence because, according to my cousin, he has never heard it used outside of surfer movies. Same thing with 'beyotch' or 'hatin''. Unless you can explain that your character comes from an area where these words would be used, don't bother putting them in. In my home town, they were never used, but here at college I hear them all the time and I understand that it is a regional thing. So, yeah, language, if you're going to use it, use it correctly and don't stress about sex language, everyone has their own personal hates.

[Guest Zyx]

Is "bum" only for the british? It sorta sounds soft, in a good way.

[bitBlackmage]

Let's see, words I can't stand...

-Jizsm -how do you even spell that! I hate it, it is just vulgar and not in the good way.

Behold! My newest religion! Jizsm!

[Raphaella]

I would like to ask if sword would be appropriate for; let's say a more painful, description of anal sex. And if one were writing in a Dungeons and Dragons type setting where the vocabulary, in the actual novels is similar.

For those of you who dislike the word cunt, I was wondering if you would at all read a BDSM type story, or a Dom/Sub. I find that when the characters are playing a role, or just being themselves, for that matter, the word cunt can be quite apt in some instances. It matters not if they use the name as an 'insult' to humiliate their partner as some characters enjoy that sort of thing, or if it is used to describe a woman's (insert proper word here) With the proper setting and an appropriate story line I feel the word has merit.

Just like if the characters were into talking dirty, "Oh you are such a dirty whore!" or "Tell me you like it, you filthy ____" Just some thoughts on this matter, is all.

Wait I have to add some words I find particularly amusing… Thanks PorkChopExpress8..

God Stick

Shame Cave

As featured on the daily show. ZING!

[Calanthee]

Oh! Golly gee boys and girls... I am just not into the word "dingle-dangle" to describe the male penis... even though it does dingle and dangle it's just not sexy, and that goes for the word "hoo-ha" to describe my lady's unique folded flowered parts... totally disrepectful truly.

Just imagine the phrase, "The evil warlord dared to put his dingle-dangle, in the lovely fair maidens hoo-ha and pounded away, until the poor lady screamed and fainted." See I told you, it's just not sexy!

Smirking, Evil Cal

[greenwizard]

That's it... I'm inventing new words!

[Guest Zyx]

Is "bum" only for the british? It sorta sounds soft, in a good way.

ANSWER MY QUESTION