Dirty Words

A witty and original look at the language of love and sex, from words of seduction, to words for genitalia and the dilemma of describing 'the deed' itself. What flower takes its name from the human testicle? Is your husband rantallion? Does your wife sport a merkin? What's a wittol, and why were they once drummed out of town while sitting backwards on a horse? Is sacofricosis a crime, a disease or an hors d'oeuvre? Morton roams through centuries of etymological lore to explain the origins of the language of love and sex. It is the perfect book for language-lovers and lovers alike.