Presentations
Location
Schewel 215
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Entry Number
87
Start Date
4-4-2018 2:45 PM
Department
English
Abstract
The English language comprises thousands of sex-related words and phrases. Much of today’s dirty talk derives from famous literary and theatrical figures, such as Shakespeare and Chaucer; however, the evolution of dirty talk over the course of linguistic history can be attributed to postmodern society’s cultural influences, such as music, sports, and the sexual industry as a whole. Through analysis of modern society’s use of sexual language, it is noted that spoken vernacular and common phrases, such as euphemisms and slang terms, are the most utilized forms of sexual communication. However, these preferred modes of sexual expression tend to perpetuate the societal construct of male domination over the female counterpart. Vulgarism in sexual language can also be accredited to the social acceptability of postmodern society’s use of slang words. With the development of cruder terms in reference to sexual body parts or acts of sexual expression, in addition to the recent increase of obscene sexual slang, sexual linguistics has undergone a diachronic change since its use in early modern society. Furthermore, the use of sexual language from the early modern era to the present day has resulted in a lexical digression in which commonplace vulgarism has replaced sexual evasion.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Leslie Layne
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Bringing Sexy Back: The Diachronic Change of Sexual Linguistics
Schewel 215
The English language comprises thousands of sex-related words and phrases. Much of today’s dirty talk derives from famous literary and theatrical figures, such as Shakespeare and Chaucer; however, the evolution of dirty talk over the course of linguistic history can be attributed to postmodern society’s cultural influences, such as music, sports, and the sexual industry as a whole. Through analysis of modern society’s use of sexual language, it is noted that spoken vernacular and common phrases, such as euphemisms and slang terms, are the most utilized forms of sexual communication. However, these preferred modes of sexual expression tend to perpetuate the societal construct of male domination over the female counterpart. Vulgarism in sexual language can also be accredited to the social acceptability of postmodern society’s use of slang words. With the development of cruder terms in reference to sexual body parts or acts of sexual expression, in addition to the recent increase of obscene sexual slang, sexual linguistics has undergone a diachronic change since its use in early modern society. Furthermore, the use of sexual language from the early modern era to the present day has resulted in a lexical digression in which commonplace vulgarism has replaced sexual evasion.