8 Ridiculously Inappropriate Phrases And Acts In Sherlock Holmes Stories

8. Ejaculated €“ A Study In Scarlet

In A Study in Scarlet, the novel responsible for introducing the world to possibly the most famous fictional detective on the planet, our narrator John Watson informs us of his surprise at a shocking revelation by claiming that he 'ejaculated.' The intention of this term is to show that he exclaimed and shouted in surprise, yet the imagery invoked in the mind of a modern reader is one which is laden with lewd and socially frowned upon connotations. It is clear in the context that this word is not being used to suggest that John Watson is performing an act of sexual nature in the midst of a gripping mystery, yet in a brief and casual reading of the book it is hard not to be amused in our culture by the use of this term. The use of this terminology represents the very stark contrast between 19th Century language and our own; despite speaking identical words, the meanings we have attached to words is distinctly different from its original meanings. The modern medical advancement and the decreasing stigma surrounding sexuality means that certain words are have transformed to create vastly different implications.