x-rated linguistics

Sex or sexual intercourse to be specific, is an essential part of our lifestyles be it simply for pleasure or for the continuation of mankind. What is highly intertwined with sex is the language used to express sexual attraction and desire which are natural processes of any sexual intercourse. For the longest time however, the aspects of sex Read more →

Ever wondered why people speak the way they do? Well that’s because our language use is affected by a myriad of factors. Research in sociolinguistics has shown that language use is an ‘act of identity’, in which people convey what kind of person they are (Bucholtz & Hall, 2004). Differences in regional provenance, social class, and ethnicity can create distinction Read more →

In his article Eat Your Words, linguist Mark Morton (2004) deftly remarked that ‘the language of food and the language of sex often tangle and interpenetrate, like the tongues of kissing cousins’. The use of food as a metaphor for sex in Western media is overdone and predictable, with popular sexual slang such as ‘creampie’ or ‘popping her Read more →

Is there a particular way that gays speak? According to the documentary, yes there is. ‘Do I Sound Gay?’ examines David Thorpe in his quest to sound ‘less gay’, addressing the stereotypical features of gay speech. The documentary also raises the question of where this ‘gay voice’ come from. Was it in their nature since birth, or something birthed out Read more →

Language, sex, and food are inevitable components in our lives. We cannot run away from the fact that all three elements are basic needs; parts of the foundation of our nature as human beings. We are required to fill our stomachs, so as to not starve. We are sexually frustrated when we have libido but unable to release Read more →

What is queer linguistics?

Queer, unlike its name, is not only centred on homosexuals and other sexual identities alternative to heterosexuality. ‘Queer’ is an umbrella term for the sexually deviant, and those socially stigmatized for deviating from what is agreed to be the norm. A central focus of queer linguistics – queer theory questions the establishment of the norm and its Read more →

‘Do I Sound Gay?’ addresses a feature that is associated with being gay; the gay voice. This 2014 documentary provides a peek into an unexplored issue of sexuality and its associations with how one speaks. David Thorpe, the director of this film, shared his own life struggles of sounding “gay”, which was interestingly shared by many in Read more →

Thorpe’s documentary made me realise that there’s so much more behind the gay voice than just hyper articulated vowels and stressed sibilants.

Time calls it a playful and heartfelt investigation. NPR (National Public Radio) calls it a charming, wry and compelling portrait of internalized homophobia and liberty. I call it somewhat of an epiphany. Through this highly personal documentary film, Read more →

Queer Linguistics is a specific area in the study of language and sexuality that is based on queer theory. Queer theory does not refer to a single theory but is a cluster of perspectives which questions heterosexuality and its naturalness (Cameron & Kulick, 2010). The term ‘queer’ was first used as a new category in sexuality to include people Read more →

By the very nature of its name, the definition of queer linguistics cannot be easily parsed. While the word “queer” has undergone amelioration from its initial use as a slur to an in-group marker of identity, its use in an academic context was originally meant as “a signifier without a stable signified” (Barrett, 2002), so the discipline can only be Read more →

Foregrounded by gay and lesbian activism in the 1970s and 1980s, which challenged the concept of a coherent and homogenous gay or lesbian identity (Motschenbacher & Stegu, 2013), the “queer” agenda emerged to highlight the diversity within the non-heterosexual community. Initially coined as a derogatory label, it was reclaimed to categorize all positions that did not conform to the heteronormative Read more →

“Do I Sound Gay” is a 2014 documentary produced by David Thorpe, a journalist and film director. Thorpe documents his journey and efforts in changing the way he speaks, attributing a lot of his dissatisfaction in life to be due to the fact that he sounds gay. Within a couple of minutes into the documentary, Thorpe quickly establishes Read more →

Language has, and always will, remain the means in which we express and construct our sexual identity. Heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, he, she, man, woman, girl, boy; these are just some of the terms that we use on a daily or regular basis when one asks to describe ourselves. It is simply inherent for us to use these gendered personal Read more →

Let’s face it – even though the society’s attitude towards sex is becoming more liberal, talking openly about sex is still somewhat taboo. You can’t shout out loud “I lost my virginity last night!” without earning a few side glances. However, this does not discourage us from talking about the taboo, but rather use euphemisms to approach the Read more →

“I’m going blind from this sweet-sweet craving, whoa-oh Let’s lose our minds and go fucking crazy Ah ya ya ya ya I keep on hoping we’ll eat cake by the ocean

 (“DNCE Cake by the ocean lyrics – Google Search”, n.d.)”

As we all know, food is a basic necessity in life. Everyone must eat and drink to Read more →