Problems with sex terms. A poll.

Right then. I'm in the middle of writing a Remus/Sirius sex scene and I am trying to decide which terms to use for 'penis' and 'buttocks'. Those terms sound too clinical for many readers, and I don't think they would work here anyway, so I reserve them for special characters and situations. I have never encountered this problem before because I have never written an explicit sex scene between two adults; while writing chan I use 'bottom' for 'buttocks' and simply use a childlike term for 'penis' or I just don't use the word at all--rather, I say something similar to "then he took himself into his hand" as it is obvious what "himself" is.

The story is in Remus's point of view, so here is the trouble: When Remus is having sex with someone, how does he refer to their nether regions? He is an adult here, around the time of OotP, and I think that is also a good thing to take into account.

I have been using 'prick' so far, and I am pretty satisfied with it, because it sounds adult in size to me and not as vulgar as some others. As for 'buttocks' I am stumped. Any suggestions? :D

Poll #235255 Words for Willies

Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All. Participants: 24

Which 'penis' term do you recommend for this situation?

View Answers

Penis

0(0.0%)

Cock

21(87.5%)

Dick

0(0.0%)

Prick

1(4.2%)

Erection

2(8.3%)

Other (leave comment)

0(0.0%)

Which 'buttocks' term do you recommend for this situation?

View Answers

Ass

3(12.5%)

Arse

19(79.2%)

Bottom

2(8.3%)

Bum

0(0.0%)

Butt

0(0.0%)

Other (leave comment)

0(0.0%)

Do you know whether 'arse' is taken in the same manner as 'ass'?

View Answers

It is harsher.

2(9.1%)

It is milder.

2(9.1%)

They are exactly the same.

15(68.2%)

Other (leave comment)

3(13.6%)

Any other comments on the matter would be great!

6 comments — :

( 6 comments — Leave a comment )

bookofjude

2004-01-19 06:13 am (UTC)

:-? As far as I know, the only difference between arse and ass is a dialectal one. Though I suppose you could assume that since arse isn't used as much in America as ass, it could be considered milder. Then again, perhaps not :-?

nattish

2004-01-19 06:31 am (UTC)

As far as I know, the only difference between arse and ass is a dialectal one.

This is what I assumed, which is a little unpleasing to me because I dislike the term 'ass' in reference to sex, so I began using arse while writing fanfic because, since I am American, arse sounds like nothing at all unsavory to me (something no one would flinch over if it were in a children's book), and so it would be the perfect term to use if it really were pleasanter than 'ass'. But it is difficult to say how the term would sound to a thirty-something year old British man. Then again, wizarding culture has its influence too, so I am entitled to some artistic license there...

2004-01-19 06:58 am (UTC)

Hmm, yes, I do agree with you; I've personally read "arse" several times in children's books, specifically those from the 1930s, and it seemed to be a rather mild vulgarity back then, sort of like how "idiot" is used today. Etymologically, it really has nothing to do with an ass as in the animal, but I remember being told that it was.

But it is difficult to say how the term would sound to a thirty-something year old British man.

Well, here in Australia they're quite definitely interchangeable, and I believe that arse would sound the same to a thirty-something British male as ass would sound to a thirty-something American male. :)!

I could be wrong, though. :-?

wikdsushi

2004-01-19 07:10 am (UTC)

As far as I'm aware, "arse" is slightly milder than "ass" in relative contemporary usage. Arse is just that: arse. It can refer to a body part or a person. Ass, on the other hand, in America can mean a body part, a person, or an animal, and an animalistic application automatically brings up the crudeness factor. Americans are also a lot more uptight about swearing, so anything strictly American is going to have a harsher connotation by default. *cuts rant about comfort with swearing and sex vs. violence*

Keep in mind, this is from the POV of an American married to a Brit and who has spent a good deal of time immersed in British culture. I'm not an authority; I just try to convince people that I am. ;)

switchknife

2004-01-19 10:59 am (UTC)

I've always felt that 'ass' was cruder, although that might be because I've been reading too much British pr0n, and 'arse' seems milder to me now.

isiscolo

2004-01-19 04:32 pm (UTC)

Of course you are probably going to want to vary the terms you use. I draw from the pool of cock, erection, prick, and arousal (more or less in that order). And use arse.

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Problems with sex terms. A poll.