Between the Sheets

There’s a great article by Mark Peters on Nerve.com this week about sexual slang, The Devil’s Dictionary. In a nuthshell, though I recommend you read the whole thing, Peters discusses the little-known language used by authors for years, but not yet recorded in any dictionary.

There are several online dictionaries out there that capture some: Urban Dictionary and (previously mentioned) Sex Dictionary. But, sites like this are user-based…so sometimes the slang is representative of trends and popularity, not steady use. It is, perhaps an inaccurate portrayal of the pervasive sexual language.

According to Grant Barrett, author of the Double-Tongued Dictionary (quoted in Mark Peter’s article), “The key to sex language is, like all language, that it have utility…The good old four-letter words are the most useful by far.” It’s my feeling that as sex comes to the forefront of conversations and becomes a more accepted kind of talk in our society, these words will become more than a forgotten footnote in our culture. With greater use, we may just be able to evolve beyond the well-worn four letter words.

Nerve.com, Double-Tongued Dictionary, Grant Barrett, sex, slang, dictionary, definitions, terminology

Long time ago, I was torn between two very seductive vices: shopping and sex. For quite a while, both were my favorite pastimes. Neither one of them was incredibly intellectual, but both offered a stimulating satisfaction that truly boils down to a little tlc for my spirit.

Both were very primordial preoccupations—fleeting, some might say—as I was caught up in the flesh and my own body image. It might even be said that one fueled the other—shopping and an inevitable feeling of sexiness led to a want to get laid. (more…)