# Native Speakers Of American English -- What Would "Fondling" Mean In This Context? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610 "2012-02-03T02:14:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/1 "2012-02-03T02:14:24Z")
Doesn’t matter whether you’ve read the Pit thread (you’re kind of lucky if you have not) to which this appertains but I’m (rather pointlessly, I’m afraid) trying to fight ignorance. The scenario is this. You are an adult in a position of some official power that includes supervision of facilities where children are sometimes present. Your subordinate reports to you that he saw a man you know naked in near proximity to a naked boy. He further reports that the man “fondling” the boy. What conduct would you hear or use the word “fondle” to mean in those circumstances, based on your knowledge and understanding of contemporary American English? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/2 "2012-02-03T02:15:54Z")
Sexual molestation. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/3 "2012-02-03T02:21:24Z")
Yep. Only way it could be taken. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/4 "2012-02-03T02:26:42Z")
Same here. But why am I the only one who voted? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/5 "2012-02-03T02:30:09Z")
I’m not touching any part of this one. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/6 "2012-02-03T02:32:12Z")
If my subordinate reported that he saw a naked man fondling a naked boy, I would expect him to provide a complete description of the act to the police. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/7 "2012-02-03T02:36:40Z")
Fondling always means touching sexual parts in a sexual way. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/8 "2012-02-03T02:39:35Z")
I would vote for a slight revision of the last option, it might involve touching of private parts, or touching of the back, chest, thigh - what would that be considered? On the way to private parts? - but definitely for sexual gratification. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/9 "2012-02-03T03:42:30Z")
What **delphica** said: fondling could apply to the chest, butt, tummy, heck, even the hands and feet. I agree with the last poll option that “fondling” implies “sexual contact,” or, perhaps more accurately, “sexualized contact.” But it doesn’t have to be genital. A friend of mine was once molested by a foot-fondler. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/10 "2012-02-03T04:07:14Z")
Naked? Any non-medical touching is out of bounds. Clothed, I’d go as far as brief, non repetitive touching below the neck and above the navel on guys. On Girls, same thing, but no touching on the front,\* at all\*. This is assuming a position of power or supervision; still, these standards exist in polite society overall. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/11 "2012-02-03T06:26:02Z")
In the context provided, sexual, without a doubt. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/12 "2012-02-03T14:52:53Z")
I don’t see anything ambiguous about the OP; it’s obviously sexual. ---
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/13 "2012-02-03T15:23:27Z")
In that situation, I’d assume it means sexual touching (groping), but I’d also ask for clarification. It’s not completely clear if it means touching the chest and buttocks only, or if it involves genitals as well. I’ve heard it used both ways. Regardless, it’s an automatic call to the police. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/14 "2012-02-03T15:51:25Z")
At this point in time, “fondle” really does not have an innocent meaning. No one takes it as anything but “touching in a sexual manner” (i.e., genitals, buttocks, or breasts). ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/15 "2012-02-03T16:29:30Z")
I have to raise an eyebrow at the option “patting on the head, horseplay, wrestling, but NOTHING sexual”. How often do you have non-sexual nude wrestling between an adult and an unrelated young boy? ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/16 "2012-02-03T16:31:13Z")
I am torn between thinking that it is hysterically funny, or pathetic, that the poster in question (with all his dubious baggage in defending pedophilia) didn’t realize how obvious it would be that he was the sole, lonesome, participant who would vote for the single least plausible interpretation. That’s persuasive! ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/17 "2012-02-03T16:32:44Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I have to raise an eyebrow at the option “patting on the head, horseplay, wrestling, but NOTHING sexual”. > > How often do you have non-sexual nude wrestling between an adult and an unrelated young boy? As well you should be. I will make an exception and say, please visit the BBQ Pit thread and read the fine offerings of **Starving Artist.** That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/18 "2012-02-03T16:37:32Z")
It seems pretty unambiguous to me. Sexual touching of any kind not limited to genitals. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/19 "2012-02-03T16:38:58Z")
At one point it might have meant something broader, but today I can’t imagine it meaning anything else. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610/20 "2012-02-03T16:40:27Z")
do we need another SA thread? he’s certainly not starving from lack of attention. i’ve not even read any of those threads but i keep seeing them pop-up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/native-speakers-of-american-english-what-would-fondling-mean-in-this-context/611610.md?page=2)