Matt’s Chitchats – Uncomfortable words and the vocabulary of desire – A Conversation with Marco Scarcelli
The Secret Life of Language by School of Languages and Linguistics - The University of Melbourne
Episode notes
Matt’s Chitchats – Uncomfortable words and the vocabulary of desire – A Conversation with Marco Scarcelli
Words create worlds, and in the digital age, they also create and constrain how we love. In this extended second instalment, Matt is back with sociologist Marco Scarcelli to decode the language of modern intimacy.
We often think of "sex" as a biological act, but as Marco explains, it’s a linguistic minefield shaped by society and culture. From the power of euphemisms to the new terminology of online subcultures, this episode explores how the words we choose can define the relationships we have.
In this episode, we translate the unspoken rules:
· "Sex" vs. "Sesso": Why is the English word for sex considered "sexy" and "novel" in Italy, while the Italian word sesso is seen as "dangerous" and "aggressive"?
· Definin ...