300+ Dirty, Sexy Words for Historical Writers
One of the things creators of historical fiction get the most pushback about is the use of “anachronistic” words, especially swear words or sexual words. That's where this little guide comes in.
300+ Dirty, Sexy Words for Historical Writers contains timelines of the earliest known use of common words for sex, body parts, courtship, and insults from Old English to the early 1970s, according to the latest information collected by The Oxford English Dictionary Online. These twelve timelines provide writers with period-accurate language, as well as a wealth of alternatives, to help them write intimate and steamy scenes. Now that’s a happy ending.
FAQs
Why The Oxford English Dictionary?
The Oxford English Dictionary is the result of herculean efforts by scholars to find the earliest instances of each word in the English language, what it meant in historical context, and what it means now. Although new research is coming out all the time, every example of "earliest use" in the OED has been extremely carefully vetted by experts. While the OED can sometimes be slow to update its entries, it's as bulletproof as it gets.
What does “earliest use” mean?
“Earliest use” in the OED is based on the earliest known example that has been found in writing. For a word to be used in writing implies that its author believed its meaning would be understood by readers - or that context alone could make it abundantly clear to that generation. Many words (e.g. balls, melon, play) mean something else in different contexts, so the dates here represent their earliest use in a sexual, insulting, or sweary context.
Is this guide for me?
This guide is for anyone who needs to know which words were being used for body parts, sex acts, and bodily/sexual swearing from Old English to the early 1970s. It’s also LGBTQIA2+ inclusive, so if you’re offended by vulgarity or sex acts beyond missionary-style, this is not the guide for you.
Does this contain all sex words and swear words known to humankind?
No. That would be both impossible and unhelpful. But there are more than 300 words in this guide, so chances are, many of your favourite words have made it in.