Azure Jane Lunatic (Azz) 🌺 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
azurelunatic) wrote2002-07-21 09:11 am
azurelunatic) wrote2002-07-21 09:11 am
On defining words, a condensation of a comment
The word "polyamory" has one denotation and several connotations.
From the word's roots:
"poly" = Greek, "many, much"
"am" = Latin, "to love"
"ory" - Latin, suffix, "tending to, etc."
(source: English Words from Latin and Greek Elements: Second Edition, Donald M. Ayers, revised by Thomas D. Worthen. The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1986.)
There we have it: "Tending to love many" from the word's roots. There is the denotation. All else is connotation.
Clearly, there is not a word in current use that means "to have sex with many", love not entering into the discussion. This is a lack that is sorely felt.
As the word "polyeroticism" has been used by the polyamorous community for some time, how about "multieroticism"?
"mult" Latin, "many"
"er(ot)" Greek, "Love"
or even
"multiamory", keeping it all in Latin. But "amor" has developed the connotation of love that is more than just sexual, while "erotic" is clearly connected to sexuality.
I am not only polyamorous, as I have many romantic loves, I am also multierotic, having sex with many people, with or without benefit of relationship.
Try the words on for size.
From the word's roots:
"poly" = Greek, "many, much"
"am" = Latin, "to love"
"ory" - Latin, suffix, "tending to, etc."
(source: English Words from Latin and Greek Elements: Second Edition, Donald M. Ayers, revised by Thomas D. Worthen. The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1986.)
There we have it: "Tending to love many" from the word's roots. There is the denotation. All else is connotation.
Clearly, there is not a word in current use that means "to have sex with many", love not entering into the discussion. This is a lack that is sorely felt.
As the word "polyeroticism" has been used by the polyamorous community for some time, how about "multieroticism"?
"mult" Latin, "many"
"er(ot)" Greek, "Love"
or even
"multiamory", keeping it all in Latin. But "amor" has developed the connotation of love that is more than just sexual, while "erotic" is clearly connected to sexuality.
I am not only polyamorous, as I have many romantic loves, I am also multierotic, having sex with many people, with or without benefit of relationship.
Try the words on for size.