# Can the Latin word "cum" still be used without misunderstanding? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 5, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980 "2012-05-05T13:14:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/21 "2012-05-06T14:48:01Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I suppose it depends on the maturity level of the reader, and their familiarity with Latin infixes. I’m fairly immature, though, so I feel mildly embarrassed for people who live in Cumming, Georgia or have the surname Cummings. [It gets worse.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cummingtonite) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/22 "2012-05-06T17:20:08Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > It can and is used without misunderstanding, but that doesn’t mean a lot of very immature people (like me) won’t be sniggering when it is. Similarly, the number 69. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/23 "2012-05-06T17:35:03Z")
I once considered to study astronomy, but was deeply offended by some prof who talked about “Uranus”. Utterly profane. ---
**Author:** ![nudgenudge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@nudgenudge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nudgenudge)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/24 "2012-05-06T18:11:09Z")
It’s the people who have not encountered the word “cum” in any other context than pornography who bother me. How can they have not already met the word in its original sense? Makes you wonder what other words are tainted by this lack of learning. Perhaps we also need to point out that “sic” doesn’t mean that the aforementioned thing is sick. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/25 "2012-05-07T10:55:09Z")
> [@nudgenudge](#): > > It’s the people who have not encountered the word “cum” in any other context than pornography who bother me. How can they have not already met the word in its original sense? Makes you wonder what other words are tainted by this lack of learning. Perhaps we also need to point out that “sic” doesn’t mean that the aforementioned thing is sick. Why would they have encountered it? It’s used in a few holdovers from Latin, in some place names where knowing what it means is irrelevant, and apparently by people unaware of the word futon. On the other hand, porn is ubiquitous, and talking about sex even more so. I was pretty sheltered in the sexual sense as a kid, and even I knew about the meaning of cum at age 9. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/26 "2012-05-07T11:17:13Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > [It gets worse.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cummingtonite) and for teaching me that word, I love you. Personally, I first encountered the orgasm synonym in print written as “come” same spelling as the innocuous homophone. It was when I was in about sixth or seventh grade- you know, Stephen King reading level. I think I first encounter it in the novel _It_. The meaning was “to achieve orgasm”, the spelling was “come”. So, I have always taken “come” to be the proper spelling for any work that has to cross the desk of a publishing editor. “Cum” is the spelling for porn only. I would only write it as “cum” if I was parodying or making a commentary on pornographic material. Otherwise, I would use “come”. The context would make it clear to anyone reading _cum_ comprehension. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/27 "2012-05-07T13:41:09Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Exactly. Unless using it in an actual Latin phrase it cums off very pretentious. Not to me it doesn’t. It was a while before I even realized it must be Latin. Really it’s not even Latin but a Latin word adopted into English with a slightly different meaning. I don’t hear it much anymore but I’ve never heard it used in a remotely pretentious way, and in the end it’s just convenient - a one syllable word that (as far as I can think of) has no proper alternative. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/28 "2012-05-07T14:34:02Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > …I’m fairly immature, though, so I feel mildly embarrassed for people who live in Cumming, Georgia … Or Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Remember, Virginia may be for lovers, but in Pennsylvania they have Intercourse. “Virginia is for lovers” is the official tourist slogan for the state of Virginia. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980/29 "2012-05-07T15:17:17Z")
[This](http://www.cum.co.za/)is a major chain of bookstores in South Africa…_specialist_ bookstores, and not the speciality you might think. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-latin-word-cum-still-be-used-without-misunderstanding/620980.md?page=1)