I got some feedback from a friend today. He's sent me nearly 100 sets of comments. Some nice, some not.
Something he said though, got me thinking. I can't think of a better way to find out...
Doesn't the word "panties" make this a sexier story "knickers"? ;-)
Does it? Opinions here. Come on, I dare ya.
For context, I live in New Zealand. Knickers is the common term here; something we inherited from the British. Increasing American influence has affected that along with everything else though, and it could be that the next generation have a different opinion. Time will tell.
In my stories, though, I'm generally aware of my primarily North American audience, and use the appropriate terms (I draw the line at spelling).
Recently I posted this story with a deliberately Kiwi (that's a New Zealander) vocabulary. I even provided a glossary for the less travelled and terminally introverted. :-) That's what caused the response in the first place, though my friend was talking about a different story just now.
I'm really interested in what you think.
15 comments:
Some email responses...
* You know my vote - Knickers are worn by old golfers like Ben Hogan or Bobby Jones. Panties are worn by fairer sex (when they wear them) and normally removed before sex.
* 1 -- Perhaps, but some of that is my internal images. "Knickers"
brings to mind the kind of undergarments my mother used to wear -- sort of like knit boxers. "Panties" leads me to images of something smaller and more slippery.
2 -- Monolingualism is curable. We in the Hew Hess should broaden our horizons and learn how other people talk. When I read Kiwi stories or ones from OZ, I'm getting good at a quick translation that does slow the rush of the description. "Knickers" can turn me on.
* Even though the word "panties" is used in the plural
sense I still use it in my stories. The fact is, for
me, that the word "knickers" doesn't bring up anything
'familiar' associative wise.....so I stick with
something that does. I know the meaning of the word
"knickers" but have never found it particularly
useful....similiar in a way to the shortened women's
undergarment of a 'bra'.
* IMHO the word "knickers" comes off a bit harsh in relation to the word "panties." Sort of like the difference between "breats" and "knockers." But it's not a serious issue by any means.
* Makes no difference to me. I'd think the internet is cross-the-pond
pervasive enough that "knickers" would be understood by most North
Americans by now and not matter. You might need to explain more
obscure "Down Under" terms like "tanko" or "seppo" (or are those not
in use any longer down there), but "knickers" shouldn't be a big
deal.
(I have NO idea what they mean) :-)
I don't think that it makes a difference, Panties does sound a little sexier as does shorties, but I can use my own imagination unless you describe them for me ;-/0
Shorties, Mr Gently?
You pervert, you. :-)
(Mr Gently, by the way, is the author of the Gently, gently blog, and definitely not me. We do have some opinions that match though. No, I'm not telling)
http://gentlygently.blogspot.com/
Some more emails...
* Knickers... hmm...
Growing up, Knickers was another term everyone
used for the knee length pants young boys wore.
Usually they were corduroy.
Where I come from, it didn't mean panties at all.
(You're not alone, it seems)
* I don't think one is "sexier" than the other. It's just a difference
in language. If your audience is American, I'd use "panties."
That said, I've used "wanking" in my stories even though it is not an
American term. Variety is good too.
(I've used wanking in my stories too. Oh, you mean the word? :-) )
* I would say that which ever side of the Atlantic or Pacific, panties is rather more sexy, though knickers is much more British. Of course there are other terms, briefs, bikinis, g-strings or thongs to name but a few. As for knickers, to me it conjures up something rather different. For instance, I went to an all boys school, but next door was an all girls school and one wing of our school overlooked the girls playing fields. The sight of the girls playing hockey in their navy-blue knickers is a memory that lives with me to this day! Today if you go to Lincoln Inn Fields, London's legal centre, which is a garden square, in the winter you will see young women playing netball in their navy-blue knickers, and believe me there are plenty of spectators. Guess what? They are nearly all men! So I would say the use of 'knickers' all depends on context. I would say that most British women writers would use knickers rather than panties, the word, that is, not the undergarment (mostly thongs these days, anyway, as far as I can see!).
(You've been looking? )
* I am a panties girl myself
(You mean you wear them, call them that, or find them sexy?)
* i think panties are a sexier term than knickers......knickers just doesn't do anything for the imagination
(Oh, I don't know about that...)
More email...
* I think this "knickers" is short for "knickerbockers" who were the Dutch settlers of New York. I assume their pants were knee length, like old fashioned golf pants, and that's where the name came from.
(Yeah, but how does use of the term make you *feel*?)
* This is a trans-Tasman comment - not what you were looking for. However,
FWIW, here in Australia the term "nickers" has connotations of being
more British, more juvenile, and/or more "déclassé" - a bit down
the social scale. Any or all of those could make a story more sexy, in
the right context. It's certainly less commonly used than the term
"panties" - in fact generally only if one is striving for one of those
effects. As peejay said, schoolgirl's nickers, or perhaps the admonition
"don't get yr nickers in a knot, luv".
As for plurality, it appears to be usage, deriving from the fact of
having (embracing?) two legs - as trousers, panties, nickers, slacks.
* I prefer the word lingerie in place of both bras and panties.
Compare the the three sentences below, which do you find more aluring?
John's mouth watered as Jane entered in the room wearing a red hot bra
and matching panties.
John's mouth watered as Jane entered in the room wearing a red hot bra
and matching knickers.
John's mouth watered as Jane entered in the room wearing red hot
lingerie.
Personally knickers sounds like a candy bar that has been mis-spelled.
(I like the 'knickers' one. :-) )
* no
I'll go with knickers...the flip side being knockers.
Love your blog!
Oh, knickers and knockers? No tits, breasts, or boobs?
I've got a few more...
* Feel? Well, "knickers" used as "panties" denotes to me a British-style underwear term, but it connotes to me an old fashioned term with a certain quaintness. When I read in a story that "she slipped her knickers down her luscious thighs," I don't think of bikini briefs or thongs. I think of an older style undergarment.
But that's probably caused by my lack of currency. I first ran into the term in victorian-setting erotic literature, and I have never actually heard a living nineteen-year-old female call her own panties "knickers." My ignorance, however, informs my impressions.
Feel? I do not mind the term at all. It helps me locate the setting, not in the USA but in Britain or in one of its "more recent" colonies. "Trainers" and "lift" and "petrol" are terms that do the same.
Keep writing. I like knickers slipping down her luscious thighs. :)
* Does the word "panties" make for a sexier story than "knickers"?
I think you probably know what my answer is, but I'm knicker-biased anyway. Interesting thought though. There is very much a place for both (but not in the same story - I know I've made that mistake!) For me when I write, it depends on who I think I'm talking to and what I want to say, and that varies story to story. Being English, sometimes "panties" feel unnatural...okay, bring on the double entendres!...I'm sure lots of men would agree etc. etc....but sometimes, only "panties" will do.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I believe the question should not be which word makes for a sexier story, but which word is more appropriate for the story. In conclusion, I would like to suggest that it is subtle and attentive description of said underwear that is the crux (or crotch) of the matter. As....someone (*grin*)...wrote for me not so long ago...
...his rough practiced fingers sliding through both sides of her knickers, ignorant of the pretty lace or the sweetly innocent colour, only interested in her damply immediate needs...
I am instantly FAR more interested those fingers violating the flimsy pretty fabric. Who cares what her smalls are called?!
But, if you're going to pressure me in your Kinsey way, put me down as an "Aye" for knickers. It's the prerogative of the reader of erotica to be familiar with standard essential terms - if they think "knickers" are something to do with golf....well. Let's just say they're missing out. :)
Navy blue knickers of school girl hockey, damn that takes me back 15 years.
Anyway now that I feel old I'd still say stick with knickers but then I am Scottish so I would probably vote for the British terminology. I would go into reasons why I prefer knickers over panties but its 2am, I've been reading blogs for the past hour. I've clicked so many blogs I can't even remember how I got here and my eyelids are heavy. But I have bookmarked the blog and I'll come back to read it another time.
If knickers is the word you'd use then I'd use it! Knickers it is where I'm from (the UK) - panties always sounds a bit pervy to me.
'knickers' sounds more british. In nz more girls are starting to use 'panties' though'. The single item is called 'panty' and the plural is 'panties'. So, she is not wearing panties, but she is wearing 'a panty'. That is what women in nz need to get clear on.
It's just the thing a young New Zealander would say, so I say 'knickers'should stay
In my view the only word for female underwear is KNICKERS. The word panties just isn't sexy.
For a girl to say,"I'm not wearing any knickers" instantly gives me a hard on as I try to picture the view up her skirt.
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