If this isn't comment whoring, nothing is.

[forsyth]

This is probably one of the least important things I could be worrying about. But what the hell, that's what LJ's for.

There's not really a good term in English to refer to the female breast. There's words that describe it, but most aren't really suitable for general use. Breast is entirely too clinical. Boobies is only good for puns and ironic "I'm six!" things. Tits is only good for puns. Gazoongas is right out. There's the romance novel method of involved slanting metaphors. Is there ANY suitable word, preferably one that won't get you slapped by any females in the area?

And yes, there's the same problems referring to genitals of both genders, but I'm not writing porn here.

Comments

[dirkdada.livejournal.com]

I would also cross funbags, love puppies, and jelly donuts off your list.

oddest I've ever heard: Bumbledybobbins

most original over heard at a bar once: "She had the best pair of Laverne & Shirleys I'd ever seen."

You could always go with the fairly neutral "bosoms".

[evilcarp.livejournal.com]

You just can't talk about women's breasts unless you know them well enough to know how they'll react. Even if you had a good word for it, you can't go up to girls and say, "Hey, that blouse really accents your breasts nicely." Just like you couldn't go up to a guy and say, "Wow, your penis looks really good in those jeans."

You just have to feel the situation and know who you're talking to. Like with me, you could say whatever you want. Often when I'm talking with other people, I don't actually directly say a word for "breast" and let them figure out what I'm talking about through context.

[forsythferret.livejournal.com]

This is more for writing rather than regular conversation, though maybe I should be having more conversations breasts figure into. But that's neither here nor there. Obviously, in ficiton, it's going to depend on the character, the setting, and so on, but it'd be nice if there were a simple word for them for like global narrator voice, y'know?

[evilcarp.livejournal.com]

You want one word? As a writer, you actually just want one generic word that will sound right all the time? Instead of using the plethora of words available to you or even just coming up with your own words to describe the thing? I don't believe you've thought this through.

[forsythferret.livejournal.com]

I want a good word. For non-porny uses. I want a word that doesn't seem to exist. To talk about it, rather than sidle up to it, one that's better than just "breats". One that won't get women to murder me, either.

[gwalla.livejournal.com]

Just like you couldn't go up to a guy and say, "Wow, your penis looks really good in those jeans."

Now you tell me!

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing "figure" or "curves" is too generic?

It might help to know what kind of sentences you want to put it in, and what kind of context it's going to be read in, I guess...

[peterchayward.livejournal.com]

I use "breasts" pretty much exclusively.

"Bust" is a fairly neutral term.