Arse or ass?

[sun_sea_sky]

I'm working on a story which is going to have a few references to a character's arse and their arsehole.

Now I believe the American spelling is ass and asshole.

Which spelling do you think would cause the "least surprise" amongst most readers? Where I come from an ass is something you ride (like a donkey) and is pronounced differently to "arse".

But if the vast majority of readers are going to expect ass, not arse, then perhaps I should go with the flow. Any opinions?

 

[lovecraft68]

I think the majority is okay with Ass.

I see arse and it really sticks out.

the word, not your ass.

 

[PennLady]

I'd say if the story is set in the UK, or the Commonwealth, arse is fine. Having an American say "arse" just isn't right. I've read plenty of stories by/about Brits and 'arse' is fine. Of course I'm a bit of a Brit-o-phile and so various British turns of phrase don't trip me up at all.

I say go with what works for you. Most readers will know what you mean. If "arse" is what you think is more natural, then use it.

 

[Euphony]

bingo

I'd say if the story is set in the UK, or the Commonwealth, arse is fine. Having an American say "arse" just isn't right. I've read plenty of stories by/about Brits and 'arse' is fine. Of course I'm a bit of a Brit-o-phile and so various British turns of phrase don't trip me up at all.

I say go with what works for you. Most readers will know what you mean. If "arse" is what you think is more natural, then use it.

Bingo, its whatever your audience is which you cant really control here.

Keep it in character though. If they are brits, arse can bring home that point w/o extra fluff (he grew up in devonshire, son of a wealthy landowner who was emotionally stunted as most of his countrymen are... GET ON WITH IT!!! (credit: Monty Python)

Ass can work too.

And this may be my isolationism talking but "ass" would seem the more universal to me if I had to guess. Everybody's always bitchin about "americanization" of their languages. Ive not heard a single person say we're in america are getting Francophiled. (no, its not a sex act.

Your story, go with what suits ya. Besides, if it seems "off" to you, Id worry it would color the rest of the work. A healthy respect for your audience is good. Cowtowing to them kills the quality of the work IMHO.

 

[TeslaRose]

arse always makes me giggle

use ass if it's meant to be insulting or sexy, arse if you're trying to be silly

the brits will tell you to use arse no matter what, but i think we know better than to trust the british...

 

[sun_sea_sky]

I suppose the important thing is to be understood. Before I realized the extent to which "ass" was used to mean "arse" I had to do a double-take at passages like:

He rode her ass.

"What, she has a pet donkey?" I thought. "How'd that get into the house?"

 

[TeslaRose]

I suppose the important thing is to be understood. Before I realized the extent to which "ass" was used to mean "arse" I had to do a double-take at passages like:



"What, she has a pet donkey?" I thought. "How'd that get into the house?"

lol!!

*pauses mid-fuck* "'scuse me for a moment, love! i'm just off for a jaunt 'round the neighbourhood with ol' daisy here. got any oats?"

 

[Brandie69]

I'm working on a story which is going to have a few references to a character's arse and their arsehole.

Now I believe the American spelling is ass and asshole.

Which spelling do you think would cause the "least surprise" amongst most readers? Where I come from an ass is something you ride (like a donkey) and is pronounced differently to "arse".

But if the vast majority of readers are going to expect ass, not arse, then perhaps I should go with the flow. Any opinions?

On the few occasions when I edit erotica (and on the subset of those few that are writers from the UK and other non-native-English-speaking countries), I try not to change local flavor too much.

I think "arse" and "arsehole" are two that, at most, I would say "go back to this with a critical ear and assure yourself that it sounds right to you."

Because I recognize that not every one of your readers speaks God's English like we do, here in the US of A.



B (putting tongue where it may not belong)

 

[Brandie69]

lol!!

*pauses mid-fuck* "'scuse me for a moment, love! i'm just off for a jaunt 'round the neighbourhood with ol' daisy here. got any oats?"

Jesus, Tesla, get those oats away from my arse! What kind of girl do you think I am?

 

[Stella_Omega]

If you're writing something set in the USA, "arse" will be jarringly wrong. If you've set it almost anywhere else, arse is correct-- except for your American readers who will STILL be confused.

 

[rjordan]

arse always makes me giggle

use ass if it's meant to be insulting or sexy, arse if you're trying to be silly

the brits will tell you to use arse no matter what, but i think we know better than to trust the british...

Bertrand Russell said “Britain and America are two nations divided by a common language.”

Took me the longest time to realize fanny=pussy over there in UKland. Maybe Oz too. I can remember being really puzzled with a story where the woman shaved her fanny for her lover. I'm thinking, Jesus, what's erotic about a woman with an ass so hairy she has to shave it?



rj

 

[PennLady]

If you're writing something set in the USA, "arse" will be jarringly wrong. If you've set it almost anywhere else, arse is correct-- except for your American readers who will STILL be confused.

Ain't that the truth.

And, yeah, what she said.

 

[TeslaRose]

Jesus, Tesla, get those oats away from my arse! What kind of girl do you think I am?

omg you're right! we've only just met! what was i thinking? i'll start with stone-milled buckwheat.

 

[TeslaRose]

Bertrand Russell said “Britain and America are two nations divided by a common language.”

Took me the longest time to realize fanny=pussy over there in UKland. Maybe Oz too. I can remember being really puzzled with a story where the woman shaved her fanny for her lover. I'm thinking, Jesus, what's erotic about a woman with an ass so hairy she has to shave it?



rj

if you think her ass is hairy, wait until you see her arse!!

 

[SamScribble]

It has nothing to do with the reader. Use whichever word the character (or narrator) would use.

 

[Handley_Page]

if you think her ass is hairy, wait until you see her arse!!

Let's not get into the realms of a 'hairy-arsed whatever', 'cos it will take ages to explain to a non-Brit.

If she's an American, she can 'sit on her ass'; if she's from almost anywhere else, particularly Britain, she'll sit down in the saddle and ride her Ass up the mountain. Her Arse is well-shaped, though.

 

[ishtat]

Bertrand Russell said “Britain and America are two nations divided by a common language.”

Took me the longest time to realize fanny=pussy over there in UKland. Maybe Oz too. I can remember being really puzzled with a story where the woman shaved her fanny for her lover. I'm thinking, Jesus, what's erotic about a woman with an ass so hairy she has to shave it?



rj

In Oz we seem to switch between American and British English pretty easily. The east coast, New South Wales and Queensland (about 50% of the population tends to US usage, whereas the other states tend more to British norms.

But all Australians love it when a pretty American tells us who she's 'rooting' for.

A root is a fuck in Oz, and to be described as a good/great root is the highest of compliments.

 

[sun_sea_sky]

Wombat: Eats roots and leaves.

 

[Bramblethorn]

But all Australians love it when a pretty American tells us who she's 'rooting' for.

And Americans named "Randy" are always a source of hilarity.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

And Americans named "Randy" are always a source of hilarity.

Love it!

With a fair bit of exposure to Brit and US English, I would suggest avoiding 'arse' and 'knickers' when meant to excite readers on both sides of the pond.

As I understand, 'arse' is not that sexy, even in UK English and you might do better with, 'butt', 'rear','pucker', 'bottom', 'rosebud', etc.

Talking with an English guy a while back, he said that the expression, 'taking it up the arse', made him lose any erotic interest in a story.

 

[TxRad]

Love it!

With a fair bit of exposure to Brit and US English, I would suggest avoiding 'arse' and 'knickers' when meant to excite readers on both sides of the pond.

As I understand, 'arse' is not that sexy, even in UK English and you might do better with, 'butt', 'rear','pucker', 'bottom', 'rosebud', etc.

Talking with an English guy a while back, he said that the expression, 'taking it up the arse', made him lose any erotic interest in a story.

Then for him, taking it up the ass would be beastly at best.

 

[2981notrohrm]

Somehow I doubt stories about a woman with a big arse would work quite as well, especially given the usual theme of my stories.

 

[SamScribble]

And of course, sometimes, we Brits simply 'can't be arsed' - whereas our cousins across the pond would probably say 'can't be bothered'

 

[RodenAddison]

*Looks around, blinking.* I'll stick with the Forest Gump school of writing. Buttocks, (pronounced butt ox) and the ever popular "gluteus maximus."

Seriously though, arse is very uncommon outside of the UK now (except in western novels).

 

[Bramblethorn]

*Looks around, blinking.* I'll stick with the Forest Gump school of writing. Buttocks, (pronounced butt ox) and the ever popular "gluteus maximus."

Seriously though, arse is very uncommon outside of the UK now (except in western novels).

I can't vouch for the other English-speaking nations, but I assure you it's still common in Australia and NZ.

IME, US-based English speakers are less likely to be aware that other versions of English exist, so if your priority is not startling people, "ass" will be accepted by almost all readers. But if I go changing my spellings just to avoid confronting readers with something unfamiliar, it's only going to leave them even more confused when they discover that February is summer and July is winter.