Sexual Relationships 
Sexual Health Why do people say "sleeping with" to mean sex?
Anon-ymous1 Editor
... even when there's obviously no sleeping going on?
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Sorry, should have made the first option be: Don't know, it's dumb.
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What Girls & Guys Said
26 38Because sex mostly happens in a bed.
A more friendly version of the phrase i'd say haha
Because in my country sleeping with someone means sex. Sleeping together we use. Not the "sleeping WITH someone"
We in German we say that they sleeped with each other
Why do they do that? When sex is sex and sleep is sleep?
It's just a play with words.
Usually when people spend the night sleeping in bed together they have sex.
What happens when they don't?
A unicorn is born under a rainbow.
What about the leprechauns?
I mean there is a leprechaun with a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow so that is just a given.
because it commonly happens before the couple actually goes to sleep
Censorship and innuendos in front of kids
Kids aren't idiots.
Because there's obviously more sleeping going on than you can imagine.
Right. Snoozing for HOURS...
It's hard work when you do it right... so I'm told.
Don't know
I don't know because what if you slept beside someone without sex?
Right. Probably since they're two different things.
It sounds less crass or innapropriate. Duh
If sex is crass and inappropriate by nature, then the way we refer to it shouldn't matter one way or the other.
It isn't. But 'We sleep together' is generally more accepted than 'We f***'
Could always say "had sex." That's what it is.
Still though. It's just the "blatant obvious" way that some people don't like. Not saying that you can't say 'we had sex'. Just... Wouldn't tell grandma that, you know?
If you're telling it to your grandma, you're not telling her anything at all, including "sleeping with."
Lol. True mate. Too true. All I'm saying is that some people don't like it when you say 'We had sex', because it makes them feel uncomfortable. I don't mind if people say that to me but I'm understanding of why some people would.
Because it doesn't sound more vulgar
"Have/having sex" isn't vulgar or crude. It just is what it is. If it is crude, then it shouldn't be talked about at all in the first place, no?
I always slept the first time. Is she a spooner or all she wants is to fork.
I think people think the word "sex" implies something intimate or perverse. "Sleeping with" sounds more innocent.
"Innocence" Does Not Exist, People. ↗
Sounds less provocative
For us not to be labeled as perverts, lusty, lewd etc I guess
To me..."sleeping with" means "your partner in the bedroom" where you have sex and sleep it's more than just having sex.
Because we're British and we like to say bad things in a nice way. Like saying 'keeping it in the family' we know it means incest but in othet countries they think it means a secret
Lol that's absurd but upvote anyway.
Cmon, i teach English. I know what out language is about
*our. I updated my keyboard app and it keeps fucking up sorry.
It’s just a euphemism. It also has more of an air of mystery, than say spelling it all out. More people are willing to say have sex or even fuck now, but it depends on who you’re talking to.
Politeness.
See Euphemism
A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
If sex is unpleasant or embarrassing, then why talk about it in the first place? And if it's not, then call it what it is. Calling urine "pee pee" for example is juvenile and stupid. It's urine, not pee pee. Calling sex "sleep" is stupid. Sleep is one thing, and sex is another. Words matter.
Because it doesn't cross that threshold if you're use the right language, or there could be a need or want to talk about it anyway but you just choose your words out of politeness. Urine and pee pee isn't a great example. A better one would be saying urine instead of piss, these are just the words you use when you don't want to sound crass. Words matter, but most people understand using language beyond the literal, e. g context or euphemisms.
Thanks... I understand why people use euphemisms. But again, if sex is something gross and disgusting and vulgar, then why would you talk about it at all. If you need to shield the person you're having a conversation with from the naked truth of your subject, then there's something wrong with your subject, not with the language you're using.
They're not being shielded from the truth, they're just hearing the polite version of the same thing. Things are not strictly either too disgusting or not.
Ehhhh... no. I guess we'll just have to disagree.
If 'sleep together' is semantically equivalent to sex then there's still truth being spoken. I don't see what the problem is.
It's not equivalent; they're two different things. That's the point. Things that are not the same are... not the same.
But they are the same, they mean the same thing. If they didn't then you wouldn't understand what they meant in the first place to even begin to complain about this.
Uh... still no, sorry. If enough people started calling green pens "shmeighlers," then what you're saying is green pens would no longer be green pens. They'd be shmeighlers. Um... I guess? Sure in the most deep-seated philosophical senses, that is true-- that language evolves. But this isn't a case of that. Sex is sex and sleep is sleep. They're two distinct words with two distinct meanings. They are not synonyms. Apples and bananas are not the same thing just because they're both fruit; sex and sleep are not the same just because they both usually happen in a bed. Words have actual meanings. And it's sad to see how many people don't seem to understand this most basic of concepts.
Actually yes, you would be talking about green pens because that's *exactly what you defined* 'shmeighlers' to mean. If enough people started calling dogs "canines," then what you're saying is that dogs would no longer be dogs. If enough people started calling chairs "seats," then what you're saying is that chairs would no longer be chairs. Sex is sex, sleep is sleep and sleeping together is sex. Fucking is also sex and so is the horizontal mambo. Do you know that words can have mutltiple meanings? On top of that you can use whatever phrase you want to mean anything as long as people know what you're talking about and often different phrases or terms are used for different effects. No one is talking about sleeping, only you. Everyone else understands the distinction between sleeping and 'sleeping together.'
Yes... words can have different definitions. Well done. Especially... different words. You can make the point of your comment literally about the evolution of language if you like, even though it's completely beside the point. You think it is the point-- it's not.
My point was that different words can have the *same* definition. You brought up 'the evolution of language,' not me. So are you sure you're even receiving my point? Seems like you've invented a whole separate argument for me.
Nope, sure haven't.
Invented the separate argument, that is.
www.reactiongifs.us/.../yeah_sure_jon_hamm.gif
*Yawn* Okay then.
media.giphy.com/media/11a8FLrVeoLnna/giphy.gif
Stillllll yawning.
👍 Keep at it. You're better at it than arguing your position.
You're better at posting GIFs than debating yours.
I'm not the one that ran out of points. You need a better counter-argument than "nope."