Let's talk about sex, baby...

[weather_eyes]

Another question for all you lovely, helpful people out there: What words for sex were used in the 18th Century?

Today we have words like shag, screw, hump etc... but how would Captain Jack et al have referred to sex?

Many thanks. :)

Comments

[the_dala]

I remember this question floating around back in the day with some helpful links, but damned if I can even recall where I saw it. Hmmm...I like to think that Jack would often refer to the act itself with more technical and important-sounding terms and/or anything that could be contribute to a bad pun:'fornication,' 'coitus,' 'copulation' etc.

I don't believe 'shag' was around at the time (though I admit to using it in fic). I'm curious to know about 'screw,' as it's one of those words that sounds so anachronistic yet seems like it would've been used. 'Making love' was, I believe, more commonly akin to pre-bedroom courtship methods. 'Fucking' is period, and 'swiving,' 'rogering,' 'buggering' (that last might be generally used to refer to anal sex, but I doubt it would matter coming from Jack's mouth).

Really interested to see the answers to this!

[weather_eyes]

I've just found this:

Online Etymology Dictionary

shag (v.)
"copulate with," 1788, probably from obs. verb shag (c.1380) "to shake, waggle," which probably is connected to shake (cf. shake, shake it in U.S. blues slang from 1920s, ostensibly with ref. to dancing).

So I guess 'shag' is OK too. :)

[the_dala]

Interesting history it's got, too!

[weather_eyes]

I was just about to ask if I should be worried that you came up with all those words so quickly! *g*

[the_dala]

Yeah, it seems like one of those words where you'd go "This thing is not like the others!" and then find out it's perfectly suitable

And that sounds like a good read, not to mention useful :)

[yoiebear]

If it makes you feel any better, I own "Very Nice Ways to Say Very Bad Things."