Breasts, Boobs, Tits, when do you use what?

[Davidbeer1]

The important thing is not to keep repeating the same words, especially in close proximity. Given the nature of our stories, we therefore need all the synonyms we can think of. I like "breasts" for intimate, prolongued contact, and "boobs" for more passing mentions.

 

[YmaOHyd]

You just can't call them 'teats' unless you're on TV at four in the morning interviewing a cow.

 

[YDB95]

Usually I use "breasts", which I find beautiful and dignified. Sometimes boobs, which is a fun word and slightly taboo. Never "tits", which sounds cold and hard, the exact opposite of what breasts are.

 

[jehoram]

Looking back at my work, I find that "breasts" is the word I use most, by far, except in dialog, where I use "tits" or "boobs" (especially with female characters) because I think that's the word that they'd use.

 

[dirk2024]

There's a moderately entertaining scene in The OF Girl by BreakTheBar where Sabrina (I think) explains to another girl that a hot guy has a cock, doctors talk about penises, and "dick" is an insult.

This is a great series!

 

[vanmyers86]

Depends on the narrator or characters. In the my most recent story, the narrator owns a car wash and it seemed obvious to me that he would use the term “tits.” That may be the only story of mine in which it appears- not a fan of it or the diminutive “titties,” which always strikes me as what a pimply adolescent would say. YMMV

 

[SimonDoom]

"Milk pillows" is my go-to, but I often settle for "breasts."

The real answer is, it depends. The tone of the story, whether it's dialogue or narrative, the nature of the character doing the talking/narrating, etc. There are stories where "jugs" or "titties" would be totally appropriate. And there are stories where it would be ridiculous.

 

[dirk2024]

Personally, I like "boobs", but I don't see that often here.

In the stories I am working on, I have been using "tits" mostly as it seems sexy as opposed to "breasts" which is what my grandma would say. (not sexy)

 

[Senor_Smut]

This is an interesting question. Like many others, I try to fit character and situation without overusing any one word. A young character, even in their thoughts, will get more terms like "tits" and "pussy." A more mature character can either be demure, using clinical names even in their thoughts, or more earthy.

But of course that's just the broad strokes. In general, "breasts" is used when it's a (relatively) polite conversation, especially between an older character and a younger one when they aren't sexually involved. For me, "boobs" is a lighthearted word used during sex, between lovers in general, and when the characters thoughts are slightly disordered or out of control. "Tits" is highly informal, and I find I mostly use it in situations where one character gets sick of another's circumlocutions or general tentativeness -- the two T sounds is kind of like a light, pay attention style slap in the face. The other one I use fairly frequently is "rack," but only in a woman's internal monologue or in discussions between woman (see below for why).

"Vagina" is a polite, formal word only used in situations when I want to establish a clinical tone in thought or conversation, and when a character is trying to gain some mental distance from thoughts or feelings. "Pussy" is the standard, probably the word I use as much as all other names for the female genitalia put together. "Cunt" is like "tits." The hard C and the T sounds make it a little shocking, which is great for sex or for someone whose thoughts are filled with self-reproach; I am also a huge fan of the British Commonwealth usage of the word to indicate a stupid or annoying person regardless of gender. The other one I use frequently is "twat," but only in the same circumstances where I use "rack" or when the tone is playful and teasing.

"Penis" is formal, though not exclusively so -- I use it fairly often as a change-of-pace word. "Dick" is the same, just used to keep me from wearing "cock" into the ground. "Rod" and "shaft" only get used when I am desperate, and I always feel a pang of guilt when I do. Mostly, it's just "cock."

The big caveat to all this is that I've talked to a lot of women about how women talk to each other and themselves, and I've found that women -- good friends, especially -- tend to be shockingly vulgar when talking to each other when there are no men present. Guy conversations can run to stupidity, juvenility, and crassness, but for the most part they don't get vulgar vulgar unless they're just vulgar by nature. I am told that when a group of female friends start talking, words like "twat," "rack," and "cunt" are common currency. And I'm pretty sure I'm right on this, because many readers of both genders have been certain I'm a woman -- I've specifically been told that rollicking conversations between close female friends ring true.

tl;dr: It depends.

 

[UnexpectedLuggage]

I tend not to use the more proper terms like penis and vagina. They just sound so clinical. I also don't use boobs. Not sure why, but it doesn't sit well when I see it in erotica.

Everything else I use interchangeably, trying to not use the same word too many times in short order if I can.

 

[iwatchus]

My usage varies a lot story to story. In my most recent story, for Nude Day, the verbiage changes during the story as MC becomes more comfortable with sex, starting out clinical and slowly becoming more comfortable with softer words like pussy. He never reaches anything like cunt. There is a short discussion when he first says fuck instead of 'have sex'.

 

[Rob_Royale]

A fair question and over time I have come up with a pattern (rather unconsciously) on how and when I use the terms.
Breasts, Boobs, Tits
Breasts I use when they are being admired normally not in a sexual situation but leading towards it.
Boobs or boobies I use in a playful way, usually in dialogue. "You like these big boobies, don't you? You naughty boy."
Tits. Pretty much the rest of the time in sexual situations.

Vagina, Pussy, Cunt
Vaigina - like breasts, when it's being admired before sex.
Pussy - anytime, in descriptive sentences and dialogue.
Cunt - I've noticed that in my scenes a pussy becomes a cunt after it's been well used but in an appreciative way. It wasn't something I intentionally did, but it's clear my subconscious thinks of it this way.
I also use slit and hole just to break thinks up during sex scenes, so I don't overuse pussy.

Penis, Dick, Cock
Penis - rarely. It feels too clinical.
Dick - also rarely, but mostly during dialogue. "Show me that big dick, handsome!" But for most of my life it's been used/seen as an insult to someone, so it doesn't fit in my descriptive vocabulary.
Cock - the rest of the time.
I use shaft in place of cock as much as I can, especially in descriptive text during a scene.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Anybody use rack any more?


"She's got a great rack!"

 

[TheLobster]

"She's got a great rack!"

 

[DanDraper]

I like to do it depending on the character I'm writing about. There are different ways a person uses language regularly and sometimes changes depending on the moment they're in.

...