|
|
Rank: Rookie Scribe
Joined: 1/8/2013
Posts: 3
Location: United States
|
I've been writing erotica for several years now, and I have to admit that I still have an issue with 'cum' as a spelling for either orgasm or the fluids that accompany it. Usually the context of any given sentence is more than enough to make clear whether someone is having an orgasm or merely arriving, so why is this separate spelling necessary?
I know it's been considered acceptable for decades but it's just one of those semi-literate terms, like 'bar-b-q', that always bothers me when it appears in an otherwise well-written sentence, particularly when it's used as a verb: 'cumming' just looks like really bad spelling to me.
If 'cum' must be used I would suggest that it be used only as a noun, to distinguish between, say, semen, and the act of having an orgasm. For example, "At long last he was coming - groaning with pleasure as he spurted again and again, covering his beloved's face with cum."
Or am I the only one who even notices this anymore? Writers and readers, over to you.
|
|
 
Rank: Story Verifier
Joined: 7/8/2012
Posts: 364
Location: The naughty little world inside my head, United Ki
|
Personally, I agree with your definitions. However, I've written for various publications over the years and it appears to be down to the house-style or preference of the editor. 'Cum' is preferred by several (but not all) top-shelf porn mags. I've had my text changed both ways - I notice but I can't say that I'm bothered.
 
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 4/23/2011
Posts: 2,174
|
I tend to agree with Zen; I use "come" as a verb, and "cum" as a noun.
"There's only three tempos: slow, medium and fast. When you get between in the cracks, ain't nuthin' happenin'." Ben Webster
|
|
Rank: Alpha Blonde
Joined: 2/17/2010
Posts: 4,472
Location: In your dirty fantasies
|
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 1/5/2013
Posts: 250
Location: NorCal, United States
|
DLizze wrote:I tend to agree with Zen; I use "come" as a verb, and "cum" as a noun. Yarp.
"I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set her free." -Michelangelo  Please Enjoy: The Beach, The Workout, The Hike
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 1/17/2013
Posts: 332
Location: Over the Rainbow, Canada
|
I had never actually thought about it until now. I will probably be thinking about it every story I write in the future though! It does make sense.
|
|
Rank: Story Verifier
Joined: 6/5/2012
Posts: 168
Location: Lincoln, United Kingdom
|
If 'cum' must be used I would suggest that it be used only as a noun, to distinguish between, say, semen, and the act of having an orgasm. For example, "At long last he was coming - groaning with pleasure as he spurted again and again, covering his beloved's face with cum.".[/quote] I was only having this conversation with another Author yesterday. I agree with you.
Link to Read; Now You See Me
|
|
Rank: Constant Gardener
Joined: 9/30/2009
Posts: 9,570
Location: Cakeland, United States
|
As with most things in life, timing is everything. And at some point in time even Merriam-Webster will accept and promote cum, cummed and cumming. Look how long it was before they defined ain't. And only then, because 30 to 50% of the population in the Northern Hemisphere regularly uttered it. For decades...before its use jumped the pond.
 The best thing you can do for your fellow,
next to rousing his conscience, is - not to give him things
to think about, but to wake things up that are in him...
to make him think things for himself - George MacDonald
|
|
Rank: The Linebacker
Joined: 3/2/2011
Posts: 3,452
Location: Atlanta, United States
|
I prefer to see cum as both a verb and a noun. It just makes more sense and is much easier to distinguish. cum, cummed, cumming 
Please check out my newest story: "The Legend of Dick Touché"http://www.lushstories.com/stories/group-sex/the-legend-of-dick-touch%C3%A9.aspxOr my previous story: http://www.lushstories.com/stories/milf/10-items-or-less.aspx
|
|
Rank: Story Verifier
Joined: 11/6/2011
Posts: 196
Location: Liverpool, United Kingdom
|
I agree with the OP 99% although I occasionally use cum as a verb for effect Danny
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 10/5/2012
Posts: 4,049
Location: Where Dreams Come True, United States
|
I’m going to have to agree. I actually hate the words cum, cummed and cumming. To me it looks trashy and not well written. I don’t know why. I much rather use the word orgasm. I've been finding new ways to express or talk out when someone is having an orgasm to avoid using those first three words. I just don’t like them. You won’t see them in my stories. I am so glad to see a forum about this. Thanks Zen!
Want To Read My Lush Competition Piece? Click Below To Find Out <3
|
|
Rank: Clumeleon
Joined: 5/13/2011
Posts: 3,238
Location: Dundee, United Kingdom
|
It took a bit of digging but I knew this topic had come (or cum) up before: http://www.lushstories.com/forum/yaf_postst18001_Come-or-Cum.aspxThere are a few more responses in there but very similar sort of discussion as here.
|
|
Rank: The Linebacker
Joined: 3/2/2011
Posts: 3,452
Location: Atlanta, United States
|
Often words grow in to acceptance in our vocabulary. Just call me a cumster for supporting the word cum, cummed, cumming. But I have never felt sure about 'came' so I haven't used it in a story. One thing I really like about using cum as a verb is that it does make it raunchier and sleazier. It is edgier. I think it was Clum that said it best on the other Forum thread about this, "just be consistent."
Please check out my newest story: "The Legend of Dick Touché"http://www.lushstories.com/stories/group-sex/the-legend-of-dick-touch%C3%A9.aspxOr my previous story: http://www.lushstories.com/stories/milf/10-items-or-less.aspx
|
|
Rank: Her Royal Spriteness
Joined: 6/18/2010
Posts: 9,094
Location: My Tower, United States
|
i use cum, cummed (my Mistress actually influenced me on the past tense, i used to use came), and cumming regularly. i just like the words. they are raw, sexual, and dirty and i am proud of being a dirty girl. :)
 Blondie's been itching to share another adventure sometime soon...
|
|
Rank: The Linebacker
Joined: 3/2/2011
Posts: 3,452
Location: Atlanta, United States
|
sprite wrote:i use cum, cummed (my Mistress actually influenced me on the past tense, i used to use came), and cumming regularly. i just like the words. they are raw, sexual, and dirty and i am proud of being a dirty girl. :) And I am proud of you Sprite (and your mistress.) 
Please check out my newest story: "The Legend of Dick Touché"http://www.lushstories.com/stories/group-sex/the-legend-of-dick-touch%C3%A9.aspxOr my previous story: http://www.lushstories.com/stories/milf/10-items-or-less.aspx
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 8/11/2009
Posts: 2,020
Location: whispering conspiratorially in your ear, Bermuda
|
Buz wrote:Often words grow in to acceptance in our vocabulary. Just call me a cumster for supporting the word cum, cummed, cumming.
But I have never felt sure about 'came' so I haven't used it in a story.
One thing I really like about using cum as a verb is that it does make it raunchier and sleazier. It is edgier.
I think it was Clum that said it best on the other Forum thread about this, "just be consistent." What he said 
"Whoa, lady, I only speak two languages, English and bad English." - Korben Dallas, from The Fifth Element "If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must man be of learning from experience?" - George Bernard Shaw
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 10/17/2012
Posts: 641
Location: London, Canada
|
Poppet wrote:I’m going to have to agree. I actually hate the words cum, cummed and cumming. To me it looks trashy and not well written. I don’t know why. I much rather use the word orgasm. I've been finding new ways to express or talk out when someone is having an orgasm to avoid using those first three words. I just don’t like them. You won’t see them in my stories.
I'm kind of with Poppet but do find that sometimes they seem to be the best words to use. I don't like to see a constant stream of cum/cumming and "cummed" just eats at my brain so I still use "came" as the past tense. However, there are times when "cum/come" and its forms just feel right in a sex scene. I just try to space them out with other terms. In particular, "I'm cumming" or "I'm going to cum, baby" often seems like just the right thing to have someone saying at times. It does convey what the speaker is really thinking and feeling as their climax approaches. Having someone yell out "I'm having a massive orgasm" just seems ... off. As with all things, it ... um ... comes down to what feels right in the passage.
Bill and his daughter-in-law Becky relieve each other's sexual frustrations with a steamy summer affair Frustration and Relief
|
|
Rank: The Right Rev of Lush
Joined: 7/3/2009
Posts: 2,570
Location: Lost in the ozone somewhere east of Luckenbach Tx,
|
If the reader begins to notice how something is written as opposed to being absorbed by the story being told, then the writer has missed the mark. To me, 'cum' and its variants are best used in sex scene dialogue. Somehow, having sex partners exclaim, 'I'm having an orgasm' or "I'm ejaculating' just doesn't maintain the proper mood. :)  story FWIW, tobeing told, then the writer has missed the mark.
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwords. - ROBERT HEINLEIN FROM: Becky -- FOR: Matt -- With Love a Festive contest winner - honest (audio version - very sexy) HOW HUMANS DO IT: a fish-eye view of sex an Editor's Pick - no kidding
|
|
Rank: The Right Rev of Lush
Joined: 7/3/2009
Posts: 2,570
Location: Lost in the ozone somewhere east of Luckenbach Tx,
|
(curses, vilifications and assorted blasphamous remarks) Sometimes I hate not being able to edit my posts. The rest of the time I hate it a whole lot. :(
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwords. - ROBERT HEINLEIN FROM: Becky -- FOR: Matt -- With Love a Festive contest winner - honest (audio version - very sexy) HOW HUMANS DO IT: a fish-eye view of sex an Editor's Pick - no kidding
|
|
Rank: Advanced Wordsmith
Joined: 1/13/2013
Posts: 50
Location: United States
|
Okay! This being a writting site I am going to take the authors stand here. Cum/Come should be used in the context of the situation. If a master were to say "come here my lovely little slut" would mean that she might be moving to her masters side (I would generally put said slave on her knees to enjoy the bruising pain of a concrete floor against her bare knees). However, the foreshadowing effect to put a 'cum hither my love' would signal the explosion of an orgasm with dripping wet consequences running down her legs. So yes contextual clues allow for lots of foreshadowing foreplay in what and how we say those lovely words.
Sex" is as important as eating or drinking and we ought to allow the one appetite to be satisfied with as little restraint or false modesty as the other.
Marquis de Sade
|
|
Rank: Lurker
Joined: 11/30/2006
Posts: 332,070
|
I look at it this way, picture this sentence and allow your mind to go there. "Tommy, are you going to come eat?" "Yea Ma, be right down, I'm coming." "Tommy, are you going to come eat?" "Yea Ma, be right down, I'm cumming." I rest my case. 
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 1/7/2013
Posts: 3,320
Location: United States
|
I never use "come" for "cum" in any situation. When I am cumming, I am most certainly not "coming"... I am already THERE! ;) And I also agree that it is not natural to use terms like "I am having an orgasm" or "I am ejaculating!".. LOL We are not writing medical manuals.
However, no matter what you use, it should flow and seem natural in the situation and style of writing.
But that is just my views on it all.
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 2/5/2013
Posts: 989
Location: United States
|
The first thought I had was other homophones, like to, two, and too. Each of these means something different, but they sound the same. When I see the word "come," I think along the lines of "I will be arriving in an hour." When I see "cum," I think "I'm about to spurt all over your face."
I did double-check in Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com for both of these. Dictionary.com does recognize "cum" as an alternate spelling for "come," which is recognized as slang for semen. So technically, it's acceptable to use either way, but it's more acceptable as "come."
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 2/6/2013
Posts: 1,190
Location: United States
|
I like and see the reasoning in the original post. It sounds great and makes sense. But like some others have said I just love the raunchier sound and feel of the words cum, cummed, and cumming esp. when I am reading erotic stories. And I don't mind the word came esp. since it is something I hear all the time....."I just came". When I read an erotic story some grammar things are on my mind like spelling and someone changing tense and stuff like that bother me. But as far as the words like cum/come to me I just like the more raunchy. Also like John C said I do not like the terms I am having an orgasm or I am ejaculating. I would never use those and I have never had a partner use them. I think what sounds natural is just better and definitely hotter in an erotic story.
|
|
Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 1/7/2013
Posts: 3,320
Location: United States
|
Oh, I do have to add though, that "came" seems more natural in writing than "cummed". So even then there (for me) isn't a set rule. It is what works or does not work.
But we often find things that follow the "rules" in grammar or sentence structure in general that don't flow naturally too. So often times breaking the rules just works better. It also has to do with how we talk and communicate in general. You see this when reading books published from different periods of time.
|
|
Rank: Lurker
Joined: 11/30/2006
Posts: 332,070
|
I use cum as both a noun and a verb. Is there another example in English where the spelling changes between the noun and verb forms, while the pronunciation stays the same? I don't phish for fish, or meat people at meetings. It seems bizarre and arbitrary to have this one word have special rules, doesn't it? Nevertheless, the Oxford English Dictionary lists "come" as correct: Quote:17. To experience sexual orgasm. Also with off. slang. But it also has no listing for "cum" at all, though, aside from the Latin preposition, and lists "come" as the spelling for: Quote:Semen ejaculated at sexual climax, esp. spilt ejaculate. Also (rarely), fluid secreted by the vagina during sexual play. Cf. come v. 17.slang. So it would seem that, in principle the OED agrees with me, but we disagree on which spelling to use. I would say pick one and use it for both parts of speech.
|
|
|
Guest |