Today’s post might be R rated.
If you’ve ever wondered when the vulgar names of certain body parts entered the English lexicon, then wonder no more.
Today, I present to you an extremely “handy” graph created by Lapham’s Quarterly , and it shows just that.
Here’s what I find funny:
Almost all the terms for “butt” are so polite. There’s “fundament” (1297), “buttocks” (1300), “rump” (1475), and “bumfiddle” (1675). Bumfiddle? In 1851, we progress to the vulgar “rear end.” It’s not until 1930 that we actually see a somewhat vulgar term used in “ass.”
Now, compare that to the terms used for sexual intercourse: “swiving” (1300), “carnal knowing” (1400), “occupying” (1544), “(To play at) Hot cockles,” (1627). Then there’s the boring “sexual intercourse” (1753), followed by “shagging” (1772), “mattress jig” (1896), and “nookie” (1930).
Perhaps the most vile words are saved for lady parts. The most amusing contrast is “nature’s treasury” (1635) and “c**k alley” (1785). I fully blame the extreme shift in vulgarity over that 150 years to the creation of America. ‘Merica.
I’ll have to stop there. Many words I dare not repeat on this blog for fear of horrific search terms finding their way on here. My Lolita book review attracts enough creepers and perverts, so I’d rather not make things worse.
Here’s the full graph from Lapham’s Quarterly. Guard your eyes and prepare to blush (Click twice on the graphic below to see it full size):
You can also see the full graph at Lapham’s Quarterly.