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Erotic Language: Going Back to the Roots
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Erotic Language: Going Back to the Roots I am continuing my exploration to see what can be revealed about the nature of the erotic through its language, if we study the etymology of words. Some discoveries: 1. Cunt The word quaint derives from the same roots as cunt. Cunt is believed to derive from a Germanic root kunton "female genitalia", which also gave rise to Old Norse kunta (ancestor of Norwegian and Swedish dialectical kunta and Danish dialectical kunte), Old Frisian, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch kunte, and the English doublet quaint. The proto-Germanic root of cunt is ku- "hollow place", while the Indo-European root of Latin cunnus is (s)keu- "to cover, to conceal", the etymological meaning of cunnus being "sheath" 2. Kiss Some languages make a distinction between the kiss of affection and that of erotic love (cf. in Latin, there is saviari for "erotic kiss" and osculum, literally, "little mouth," for kiss of affection). The word ?embrace" (from French embrasser came about in the 17th century when the older word for kiss in French, baiser (from L. basiare), acquired an obscene connotation (to fuck). I?d love to learn if other languages use different words for different types of kisses. 3. Clitoris From Greek, kleitoris, probably from kleiein "to sheathe? (as in sheathing a sword). Kleis has a second meaning of "a key, or a latch." Yes, I like this second meaning: the clitoris as the ?key? (to unlocking the door). Many sources take kleitoris literally as Greek "little hill," and related to Greek kleitys, a variant of klitys "side of a hill," related to klinein "to slope," from the same root as climax.  4. Irropoi This is Japanese word for colorful, but it also means amorous, sexy, erotic. I think there is a suggestion that when one is amorous or sexy or horny, one is colorful, or in a flush or blush of red. 5. Morboso This is word in Spanish for morbid, gruesome, but also for sexually alluring, erotic. I think the link between these two quite different meanings of the word morbid could be that what is morbid?as well as what is erotic?provokes curiosity (as revealed in the phrase ?morbid curiosity?). 6. Testicle From Latin, for testis. Testicle is usually regarded as a special application of testis as meaning ?testify? or "witness." The word is used for the balls presumably because it "bears witness" to virility. 7. Pudendum From Latin pudenda, via gerundive of pud?re to be ashamed. Now how much different might be the course of history or women?s sexuality in Western culture if the word for ?pudenda? or ?vagina? had an association in its roots with being proud rather than being ashamed. 8. Searching for milk Often in slang a connection is made between sex and hunger. In Chagga, an African language, this connection is confirmed in the expression for ?horny? being ?searching for milk.? Now maybe as an exercise to take full advantage of these terms and their etymological associations, I should invite readers of this post to see if they can use all eight of the highlighted terms in the same sentence. p.s. The name of the flower pictured is Clitoris |
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3/25/2010 3:14 am |
Irropoi... liked that one very much, so suggestive... I'm wondering if you might share with us some of the terms in Spanish for things erotic or sexy that have no adequate English equivalent or that you find most difficult to translate into English?
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3/25/2010 3:11 am |
I miss the erotic love of a kiss~ Among swingers, you find couples that allow fucking but not kissing of partners in an exchange. [image]
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3/25/2010 3:09 am |
Other ways to say "kiss" in English -- buss, smooch, smack, peck, "Yankee dime," osculate, taste ... what am I forgetting? You would think we'd have more words for kiss in English.
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Other ways to say "kiss" in English -- buss, smooch, smack, peck, "Yankee dime," osculate, taste ... what am I forgetting? Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety. Other women cloy The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry Where most she satisfies. For vilest things Become themselves in her, that the holy priests Bless her when she is riggish. ~~ from Antony & Cleopatra
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Irropoi... liked that one very much, so suggestive...
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3/24/2010 7:06 am |
I miss the erotic love of a kiss~ ~I never want you to think that you are anything less than amazing~
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