 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2008) |
Sexual slang is a set of linguistic terms and phrases used to refer to sexual organs, processes, and activities;[1] they are generally considered colloquial rather than formal or medical, and some may be seen as impolite or improper.[2]
Related to sexual slang is slang related to defecation and flatulence (toilet humor, scatolinguistics). References to the anal tract are often given a sexual connotation in the context of anal sex (in particular, in a context of male homosexuality).
While popular usage is extremely versatile in coining ever new short-lived synonyms, old terms with originally no pejorative colouring may come to be considered inappropriate over time. Thus, terms like arse/ass, cunt, cock and fuck should not be considered "slang," since they are the inherited common English terms for their referents,[citation needed] but they are often considered vulgarisms and are replaced by euphemisms or scientific terminology in "polite" language.
- ^ Richard Guy Parker; Peter Aggleton (1998). Culture, Society and Sexuality: A Reader. Routledge. p. 421. ISBN 978-1-85728-811-7.
- ^ Timothy Jay (2000). Why We Curse: A Neuro-Psycho-Social Theory of Speech. John Benjamins Publishing Company. pp. 176–177. ISBN 978-1-55619-758-1.