Vulgar terminology - help wanted

[MrGruff]

Folks, and North American folks in particular, I need some advice on slang.

I'm writing a play set in 19th century (1844) Ohio (Warren County) and need my characters to refer to sex in terms which are vulgar but not outrightly offensive. The distinction is between, say, 'shag' or 'bonk' and 'f**k'. The character in question would, in the 21st century, use the two former terms when referring to intercourse, but not the latter.

Suggestions (I may regret that ) or pointers to on-line sources would be very helpful. I have a deadline of 12th November and a lot of pages still to write.

MrGruff

[sardisson]

What a lovely bunch of corn and soybeans you've chosen as your setting

Sorry, I'm the wrong guy to ask about vulgar language , although otherwise my slang contains a fair helping of Ohioan

Smokey

[AdamMoore]

Think Midwestern Bible belt. especially in that time. So Lie, Have Relations something like that.

[ovvldc]

[Guest]

Perhaps Copulate or Frig?

[sardisson]

Actually, I suppose the old meaning of "know" is probably relevant, too, given the time period.

Smokey

[MrGruff]

Thanks for those helpful suggestions. I think, given the subject matter of the play (The Great Disappointment - which also explains the location) 'lie with', 'have relations' and 'know' are probably the best way to go.

It looks like there's a gap in the market for a Thesaurus and Dictionary of Nineteenth Century Mild Profanity if anyone is looking for a project (small gap, small market).

Thanks again,

MrGruff

[yoxi]

If you're looking for mild profanity rather than euphemism, then maybe 'had' is a better word, as though it's not overt, it certainly isn't polite either in the same way that the other terms are.
Or there's the bestial approach, where you use a word like 'tupping' which actually applies to sheep, but everyone knows what you mean (and it's more old-fashioned/bucolic too, but might not work in arable country!)

- yoxi

[MrGruff]

I could see 'tupping' being used in a derogatory way to refer to a third (and fourth) party's activites.

While I was scouring my vocabulary I also came upon 'towsing' a Scottish dialect word from a slightly earlier period which crops up in Robert Burns' work:

I ance was tied up like a stirk,
For civilly swearing and quaffin;
I ance was abus’d i’ the kirk,
For towsing a lass i’ my daffin.

[daffin = flirting]

The word has connotations of ruffling/rumpling.

Still, with less than a week to go I'm going to have to focus on the rest of the play.

MrGruff