Wednesday 7 January 2009

Testosterone boys and harlequin girls

As I was walking to the train station from Uni tonight, freezing my ass and various other parts of my body off, I kept thinking "I can't wait to come home, I need to blog!" See, I felt this need to write, to just let the words out, to create sentences. I didn't necessarily had a theme in mind and God knows nothing particularly interesting happened. I just wanted to make the words flow.

And then I came home and... nothing. I'm making myself type this even though the need is long gone. It's not that I couldn't come up with something to write about. It's just that I don't think I have the energy needed for shaping the thoughts into an entertaining form. So would it be okay to just ramble incoherently?

I spent most of my class fantasising about giving a blow job to that guy. TMI? Okay, yes, maybe, but that's actually not my point. (Yes, I actually have a point this time.) See that first sentence there? The thing is, I could never ever write it in Croatian. It would sound too crude, too dirty, too vulgar. It's liberating, writing in English. I love it so much, but I am detached from it nonetheless. Words I say in English are just that, words. They're not... How do I explain it? It's not that they're not my thoughts, because clearly, they are, but they're not inherently a part of me. Am I making any sense? I believe I could describe having sex in minute detail as long as I'm doing it in English. (Doing it as in writing about it, not doing it as in, you know, doing it.) Another reason for this is probably all the slash I've been reading. I've become desensitised when it comes to body parts and sex acts in writing. They're just words. They don't mean anything. In English. In Croatian, even thinking about writing the words down squicks me.

Recently I read The Time Traveler's Wife. The main characters have a lot of sex. And it bothered me! Just because I read it in Croatian. The author writes about sex without hesitation - not clinical descriptions, but no prettifying it either. She calls things with their names instead of using metaphors Harlequin way. And if it was in English, I'd be totally fine with it. This way, I felt uncomfortable. I have no problem with reading lines like these:
He tongues Jared fiercely for endless minutes, stabbing in deep, using spit and Jared's own precome to get him good and wet inside. It's a tight fit, when he slides a finger in to test; Jared clenches hard around him, groaning down low in his chest, every vein and muscle standing out in sharp relief on his arms as he grips the altar. Jensen works in a second finger, sliding his tongue in between, and smiles when Jared jerks at the first touch to his prostate.
But when I just think about translating it, I turn into a blushing fourteen year old. So stupid, isn't it?

12 spoke back:

nicbeast said...

Strangely, I think I understand...

Krissie said...

Yay! I made sense!

nicbeast said...

I wouldn't go THAT far, but I understood! LOL!

Krissie said...

Haha, OK.

Van said...

Heyyy! I have the same thing!
I thought I was the only one on this one.
I totally get you.
There are some things that sound much better and NORMAL to me in english.
Like for example, sometimes I am thinking to my self...and my thoughts come in english! lool
There are things that said in english are more beautiful and attractive.
I don't know why this happens.
Even if I say "I love you" in english...it sounds way better then said in Portuguese "Amo-te" looool
Go figure!

Anonymous said...

Kurac and cock feel different as words. They mean the same, but they feel different as words.

*nodding* I understand.

Krissie said...

That's not exactly what I meant, Van, but it's pretty close.

SavMed, SPOT ON.

Anonymous said...

I totally get this. To exemplify: I totally get off on dirty talk in English (in fic, obviously). Dirty talk in Dutch? LMAO, seriously. I associate the Dutch words for cock, cunt, fuck... with these crude, ugly, hairy men that drink too much and grope women in bars.

But, unlike you, I have no qualms about describing a sex scene with Dutch words, but, the English sex scene would be hot, the Dutch sex scene would turn me off sex forever.

Anonymous said...

btw, all my sex and lust fantasies occur in English. ALL of them, even when the people in it don't speak the language. Apparently, my brain thinks it's hotter. Or identifies with it differently or something.

Krissie said...

That's exactly it, Erica.

Except in my fantasies no one speaks in either language.

Van said...

I agree with Erica!
Yes, in my fantasies everyone, including me, speak English, lol.
This has to be some kind of disorder....
looool

LadyN said...

I'm late but i totally get it.

I speak Spanish and understand it cuz it's apart of me, but when, let's say, I'm watching a movie in Spanish it completely blows. The poetry of it and the flow is off. I can't relate to it. It sounds corny and i don't like it. I'd rather watch it in English.

Just like saying 'I love you'. In English it sounds like normal words *shrug* no biggy, but when i say them in Spanish i get weirded out. It sounds too deep and personal, like if i should REALLY be meaning it if i say it. And there is no phrase for 'I like you' in Spanish. They're more romantic than just an 'i like you'. Maybe when i'm really in love one day (bawhaha) I'll say it and mean it in Spanish.

You've found comfort in English descriptions and now they're like second nature. Not vulgar, deep and shameful or with more meaning in your own language. I know. it makes total sense.

Funny you should point it out. It was always in the back of my mind but i never put a finger on it or thought about it.

by the way i get those urges to write too sometimes. I know, it's the mood and the right moment and you want it to be perfect and stay in that mind set. Just carry a notebook with you. I had the urge once so bad i stopped and took out my notebook and started to write while i walked. Just don't trip.