Semantics - Swinging vs Swapping

[EricSacto2 19]

Hi,

 

In college, my wife and I had a couple of foursomes - with my roommate and his girlfriend, with my wife's roommate and her boyfriend. Recently my wife was talking to another couple and the topic of swinging came up. My wife said that we did some swinging in college.

 

My question is do people think there is a distinction between swinging and swapping? Does one give a different impression than the other? Not necessarily one is better than the other but just different.

 

To me there is a difference - swapping tends to be between couples who have had a previous association while swinging produces the image of keys in a fishbowl.

 

Thoughts?

[Dynamar 246]

My thought is... why does it matter?

[Alura 2,778]

Languages evolve. Years ago, what we do was called "wife-swapping." Nowadays, an expanded concept calls it "swinging".

[sexyshelby 19]

I agree with both Dynamar and Alura.

 

Swinging is what you say it is. It's recreational sex between consenting adults, and that's a pretty all-encompassing definition in my books.

 

"Swinging" just carries a negative image for some people, then again, so does swapping. It's all about how you view it and how YOU define it.

[EricSacto2 19]

Thanks for the reply. I was just wondering if swinging implied something more than swapping. If they are used interchangeably (pun intended ), then that's fine with me.

[WesternSwing 522]

I think technically there is a difference. When we're doing a MFM or a FMF we are not technically "swapping" since the other person does not have a partner to swap with. I am not swapping partners with a single male since he came alone. Same goes for if we play solo, we are not swapping partners. In these cases you can be doing nothing but "swinging".

[lovedoctor 15]

Semantics

[graygo98 148]

Semantics

 

...which is "The science of describing what words mean, the opposite of syntax." So, exactly on point with the question in the OP.

 

I am with Alura... words evolve. And with WS... very tidy summary. Also, for me, "swapping" has a negative connotation. I can swap my boat or my car with my buddy.... but Judy? She's not a possession.

[Sweet_Candy 54]

This is from Wikipedia hope it helps.

 

Swinging, sometimes referred to in North America as the swinging lifestyle or simply The Lifestyle (although this simplified term is also used by people into Leather and BDSM), includes a wide range of sexual activities conducted between three or more people.

 

Swinging activities can include (but are not limited to):

 

Exhibitionism: having sex with a partner while being watched.

Voyeurism: watching others have sex (perhaps with the above mentioned partner).

Soft Swinging or Soft Swap: kissing, stroking, or having oral sex with a third or fourth person. This may be in the form of a threesome or group sex, or partners may literally be swapped.

Full Swap: having penetrative sex with someone other than one's partner, which is the commonly understood definition of swinging (though not necessarily the most common type.)

Group Sex: An all inclusive term for activities involving multiple partners in the same vicinity.

Typically, swinging activities occur when a married or otherwise committed couple engages with either another couple, multiple couples, or a single individual. These acts can occur in the same room (often called same room swinging) though different or separate room swinging does occur. Sex on these occasions is often referred to as play.

 

The phenomenon (or at least its wider discussion and practice) may be seen as part of the sexual revolution of recent decades, which has occurred after the upsurge in sexual activity possible due to safer sex practices that became prevalent during these same decades.

 

While the vast majority of swingers are heterosexual couples, a major part of Lifestyle activities are bisexual in nature. A large portion of female swingers, while they may or may not identify as bisexual, are interested in female-female sexual contact. Male-male contact is more rare, but does occur.

 

Swinging is sometimes called wife swapping, but this term is now relatively archaic, due to the misogynistic implications inherent in this phrase. A more common term is simply The Lifestyle, as it is becoming increasingly referred to in contemporary culture.

[graygo98 148]

Swinging is sometimes called wife swapping, but this term is now relatively archaic, due to the misogynistic implications inherent in this phrase. A more common term is simply The Lifestyle, as it is becoming increasingly referred to in contemporary culture.

 

Perfect

[VanHlebar 187]

Swinging is sometimes called wife swapping, but this term is now relatively archaic, due to the misogynistic implications inherent in this phrase. A more common term is simply The Lifestyle, as it is becoming increasingly referred to in contemporary culture.

 

 

This is funny... MrsVan got us into the Lifestyle. I don't think I swaps her... I think she swap me

 

So how about Husband swapping??

[Alura 2,778]

Absolutely, VanHlebar!

 

I've always gone on record as being in favor of "Husband Swapping." I don't even feel hurt when Mrs. Alura treats me like a sexual object that she owns but is willing to share with special friends.

 

[Mrs Spoomonkey 118]

Swapping is a part of swinging. As Sweet_Candy listed there are many activities that fall under "Swinging" and swapping is just one of them. Spoomonkey and I are Swingers or are in the Lifestyle of Swinging...sometimes we swap, sometimes we just have a single join us (male or female), sometimes (usually Spoo) likes to watch, sometimes we like to be watched. It's all swinging it's not all swapping.

[Chandler 16]

I agree with both Dynamar and Alura.

 

Swinging is what you say it is. It's recreational sex between consenting adults, and that's a pretty all-encompassing definition in my books.

 

"Swinging" just carries a negative image for some people, then again, so does swapping. It's all about how you view it and how YOU define it.

 

I totally agree!

[sereneiders 263]

I believe "swapping" is one of many activities swingers may engage into.

 

When reading the post I was imagining a conversation between two friends:

 

-"So... you told me you were to swap partners with another couple, isn't swinging a little... scary or risky?"

 

-"Eww... wait a second, we swapped partners, but we didn't swing!!!!"

 

-"Oh... now I understand the risks aren't the same, thank you for clarifying it".

 

Would you buy this conversation? It's semantics, yes, but this doesn't mean these have two well defined and different meanings, I'd say the different semantics here applies only for those who knows or have a clue about what swinging is, but for "vanilla" people who doesn't know too much about swinging, both words would mean the same.

[EricSacto2 19]

Would you buy this conversation? It's semantics, yes, but this doesn't mean these have two well defined and different meanings, I'd say the different semantics here applies only for those who knows or have a clue about what swinging is, but for "vanilla" people who doesn't know too much about swinging, both words would mean the same.

 

I guess I haven't been "vanilla" in such a long time that I forgot it's the same.

 

It's reminds me of the movie "Indecent Proposal" where the guy gets upset because his wife is sleeping with Robert Redford. I remember an episode of "Mad About You" were Paul and Jamie are in Vegas and a guy offers Paul money to sleep with Jamie and they both said sure as if it's no big deal. My wife and I would fall in the "Mad About You" category while vanilla folks are more along the line of the movie.