Philip Hensher

Why are we so squeamish about describing women’s everyday experiences?

Words relating to women have been so obscured by euphemism over the centuries that they sometimes risk being incomprehensible, says Jenni Nuttall

‘Interior with a Childbirth Scene’, by Lucas Cranach the Younger – a vivid portrayal of female camaraderie [Bridgeman Images]
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  • Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women’s Words

    Jenni Nuttall

    Virago, pp. 304, £16

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Because you read about childbirth

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