[#264] STAYCATION (TORCHWOOD)
Jun. 29th, 2025 03:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Title: Staycation
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 1,000 words
Summary: No vacation would be complete without a little bit of Torchwood intervention.
( Read more... )
Long ago (half a century), I had occasion to translate the word "masochism" into Chinese. At that stage, I wasn't even sure what "masochism" itself meant. Supposedly it was "the madness of deriving pleasure from pain", I guessed especially sexual pleasure — something like that.
Wanting to give the most accurate possible translation into Chinese, I thought I should begin by investigating the etymology of the word, as is my bent. So I pulled out my trusty 1960 Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, my lexical vade mecum. Here's what it had (has — I still keep it on my desk):
[After L. von Sacher-Masoch (1835-1895), Austrian novelist, who described it.] Med. Abnormal sexual passion characterized by pleasure in being abused by one's associate; hence any pleasure in being abused or dominated.
My recollection is that, at the time, I couldn't readily find an English-Chinese dictionary that had the term "masochism" in it, so I may have made up this rendering for it myself, although I'm not absolutely certain that I did so:
zìnüèdài kuáng 自虐待狂 ("madness of self abuse") (129 ghits)
Be that as it may, there's no doubt that the most common translation of "masochism" in Chinese today is this:
shòunüèkuáng 受虐狂 ("madness of enduring / accepting / receiving abuse") (13,700.000 ghits)
It seems that nobody attempted to render "masochism" in such a way that it would reflect the fact that it derived from a person's surname.
Now, more than half a century later, wanting to see the latest understanding of the term, I looked it up in two current etymological reference works.
From German Masochismus, coined alongside Sadismus in 1886 by Richard von Krafft-Ebing in his book Psychopathia Sexualis. Named after Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, whose novel "Venus in Furs" explores a sadomasochistic relationship, + -ism.
In more detail, Etymonline:
"sexual pleasure in being hurt or abused," 1892, from German Masochismus, coined 1883 by German neurologist Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902), from name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-1895), Austrian utopian socialist novelist who enshrined his submissive sexuality in "Venus in Furs" (1869, German title "Venus im Pelz").
Sacher-Masoch's parents merged their name when they married; his maternal grandfather Dr. Franz Masoch (1763-1845) was born in Moldova Nouă in what is now Romania. The surname might be toponymic from a village that is now in northern Italy; or it might be a Germanized form of a Czech surname that amounts to a double-diminutive of given names with a prominent Ma- or -maš element (Tomaš, Mattej, etc.)
The term masochism was coined in 1886 by the Austrian psychiatrist Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840–1902) in his book Psychopathia Sexualis:
…I feel justified in calling this sexual anomaly "Masochism", because the author Sacher-Masoch frequently made this perversion, which up to his time was quite unknown to the scientific world as such, the substratum of his writings. I followed thereby the scientific formation of the term "Daltonism", from Dalton, the discoverer of colour-blindness.
During recent years facts have been advanced which prove that Sacher-Masoch was not only the poet of Masochism, but that he himself was afflicted with the anomaly. Although these proofs were communicated to me without restriction, I refrain from giving them to the public. I refute the accusation that "I have coupled the name of a revered author with a perversion of the sexual instinct", which has been made against me by some admirers of the author and by some critics of my book. As a man, Sacher-Masoch cannot lose anything in the estimation of his cultured fellow-beings simply because he was afflicted with an anomaly of his sexual feelings. As an author, he suffered severe injury so far as the influence and intrinsic merit of his work is concerned, for so long and whenever he eliminated his perversion from his literary efforts he was a gifted writer, and as such would have achieved real greatness had he been actuated by normally sexual feelings. In this respect he is a remarkable example of the powerful influence exercised by the vita sexualis be it in the good or evil sense over the formation and direction of man's mind.
Sacher-Masoch was not pleased with Krafft-Ebing's assertions. Nevertheless, details of Masoch's private life were obscure until Aurora von Rümelin's memoirs, Meine Lebensbeichte (My Life Confession; 1906), were published in Berlin under the pseudonym Wanda v. Dunajew (the name of a leading character in his Venus in Furs). The following year, a French translation, Confession de ma vie (1907) by "Wanda von Sacher-Masoch", was printed in Paris by Mercure de France. An English translation of the French edition was published as The Confessions of Wanda von Sacher-Masoch (1991) by RE/Search Publications.
(Wikipedia)Suppose your name was Plarich and somebody coined the term Plarichism as "deriving pleasure from eating insects" because you actually ate some bugs. Wouldn't you be upset at having insect-eating named after you? Wouldn't it be better / more scientific to call it entomophagy? Mutatis mutandis, ditto for some Latinate version of "the madness of deriving sexual pleasure from pain", rather than "masochism".
I will not attempt to sort out the similarities and differences with sadism, with which masochism is often linked, thus sadomasochism, except to say that, although it looks as though it might have a more conventional etymology ("sad"), sadism too is named after an individual, the French libertine Marquis de Sade (1740–1814).
From French sadisme and German Sadismus. Named after the Marquis de Sade, famed for his libertine writings depicting the pleasure of inflicting pain to others. The word for "sadism" (sadisme) was coined or acknowledged in the 1834 posthumous reprint of French lexicographer Boiste's Dictionnaire universel de la langue française; it is reused along with "sadist" (sadique) in 1862 by French critic Sainte-Beuve in his commentary of Flaubert's novel Salammbô; it is reused (possibly independently) in 1886 by Austrian psychiatrist Krafft-Ebing in Psychopathia Sexualis which popularized it; it is directly reused in 1905 by Freud in Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality which definitively established the word.
Incidentally, here's a bit of trivia that may interest some Language Log readers: "Sacher-Masoch is the great-great-uncle, through her Austrian-born mother Eva von Sacher-Masoch, Baroness Erisso, of the late English Rock star and film actress Marianne Faithfull. She passed away in January of 2025". (source)
Selected readings
There has been A Great Squawking audible through the open windows for much of the last week. Yesterday A got to witness the source and then this morning so did I.
You see. There is a slightly scruffy, slightly scrawny magpie, which we wouldn't even necessarily have clocked as a juvenile if we'd seen it by itself? But we didn't. What we saw was it being attended by two actually filled-out adult magpies... up to and including it sitting back on its haunches and raising its mouth to the sky and continuing to yell until food was placed in it.
We have also got to watch it hop around in important little circles, intermittently pecking disconsolately at the ground, because apparently this is how the grown-ups make food appear!!! and it has not yet quite managed to work out why It's Not Working for baby, who is a Good Brave Baby who is doing All The Right Things and yet??? no food?????
And now that we have matched the yelling up with the culprit, I am grinning every time I can hear it, not just when it's visible. :)
“You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!” – no, I’ve got that confused with something else.
Interesting experiment today, as we experimented with the way different worship styles appeal to different personality types.
Both services started at 11 am. I led the Introverts service in the gym. Some quiet background music, a short "thought" and everyone given some time for quiet reflection. All done by lunch.
The Extraverts are still going. Checking the CCTV recording I see that Hnaef started by asking if anyone had anything to share. They're currently onto the third hour of the Peace.
RULES: 1. One secret link per comment. 2. 750x750 px or smaller. 3. Link directly to the image. More details on how to send a secret in! Optional: If you would like your secret's fandom to be noted in the main post along with the secret itself, please put it in the comment along with your secret. If your secret makes the fandom obvious, there's no need to do this. If your fandom is obscure, you should probably tell me what it is. Optional #2: If you would like WARNINGS (such as spoilers or common triggers -- list of some common ones here) to be noted in the main post before the secret itself, please put it in the comment along with your secret. Optional #3: If you would like a transcript to be posted along with your secret, put it along with the link in the comment! |
But this is just plain bizarre: reading the AI summaries rather than watching the series or presumably, reading books.
What is even gained thereby?
It's so massively Point Thahr Misst about why one consumes story-telling that I can't even.
Why not just go straight to: this work manifests [whichever of the whatever the allegedly number it is of standard plots it is] tout court?
I guess these are the people that live on Soylent and pride themselves on 'rawdogging' airflights?
Have they completely eliminated enjoyment and fun from their lives, and if so, WHY????
Conversely, and in the interests of pleasure, there has recently opened a bookshop entirely dedicated to romance, in Notting Hill. (I do cringe a bit at calling it 'Saucy Books'.)
Back in the day, in Charing Cross Road, there used to be a dedicated Romance section alongside Murder One and the SFF section in the basement, all in one bookshop, but that has long been one with the dodo.
Which of these look interesting?
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow (February 2026)
11 (27.5%)
The Regicide Report by Charles Stross (January 2026)
23 (57.5%)
The Beasts We Raise by D. L. Taylor (March 2026)
3 (7.5%)
Some other option (see comments)
0 (0.0%)
Cats!
25 (62.5%)
Via MTSOfan, which writes:
Each of the two zoos I serve as a volunteer has an otter named Piper. Elmwood's Piper recently lost her roommate, Rocky, who had reached a very mature age.
Today, I will meet Piper's new partner, Jet. They've just completed a period of a few weeks off-exhibit, becoming more acquainted. The zoo has just announced that they have come out to play together in public. Hopefully, I'll bring home some photos of Jet.
And there was Surgeon-Major Hicks, that had devized a system of exercizes – began to think upon these matters when I was in the Punjaub – fancied one might bring wounded men back to nigh about full capacity for service – learnt a deal from certain native practices – that came about to ameliorate matters. Along with occasional champooing by that fine woman Sister Wilson, that had learnt the art from the Dowager Duchess of Humpleforth’s ayah.
Dr Ferraby was greatly reassuring – did not in the least recommend that she should spend the next months lying upon a sopha, but walk in the gardens – and sure, a little gardening would do no harm at all, would be beneficial. Conceded that she might have some particular trouble when eventually brought to bed, but that these days, we had that fine new invention, chloroform.
It was also delightful that dearest Mama, on receipt of this happy news, had declared that of course, was this agreeable to Jimsie, she should move to Trembourne House rather than reside with the Grigsons. Indeed this was a time when one wished the presence of one’s mother – sure, there was Grissie Undersedge, mother of two adorable infants and the most sensible of women, quite in the capacity of an elder sister – entirely superior to Rina! – but even so.
So they were quite the happiest establishment. Oh, even in mourning there were certain duties of rank – especially for Jimsie, that had no desire to imitate his father’s very lackadaisical notion of his duties as a peer of realm, and intended to be conscientious about those. So was having certain quiet meetings with the set about the Duke of Mulcaster and Greg Undersedge’s father the Earl of Nuttenford, as well as reading the newspapers and the reports of the undertakings of Parliament a good deal more closely than he had been wont.
Besides, he – along with Grissie, that had effectively been managing the Trembourne estates for some years – were now able to look them over and think about how they might best be run without having the constant drain of the expense of pandering to the late Earl’s hypochondria. Traveling about spaws all over the continent – visiting quacks –
When Dowager Lady Trembourne retired to the continent following the funeral, it was not said in so many words but there was a belief that there was some highly-placed foreign lover – possibly also had a lucky hand at the tables – able to cover her dress-bills by being known to set the style – 'tis a known thing, Grissie had said – so she was not a burden.
Oh, Grissie would sigh a little over the books, and say that even would it not be somewhat unfamilial to turn Mr Grigson’s uncle and mother out of Carlefour Castle, that was let to them on very agreeable terms, was a still prudent thing.
But indeed, they were all a deal happier.
In particular, Nora – Lady Eleanor Upweston, Jimsie’s younger sister – was positively blithe. Revealed, following her father’s death, that he had been considerably inclined to approve the union being proposed to him by Myo’s father Lord Saythingport, between Nora and his own heir, Viscount Talshaw.
They had all been shocked. Myo had no opinion at all of her eldest brother, that as the heir had been indulged all his life. Lord Gilbert Beaufoyle’s reports of his conduct on the Grand Tour had not been prepossessing, and he had now obtained throughout Society the reputation of a boor and a drunkard. Marry Nora! Quiet, shy, very pious Nora! It was quite horrible.
It also argued how very desperate Lord Saythingport was growing: for Nora would bring no great portion to the match, and it was still being gossiped upon how he had sold Cretia to Cyril Grigson, of no rank at all but exceedingly wealthy from his family’s China trade. However, Cretia seemed very well suited with that match – Grigson a very amiable fellow –
But they could now offer the argument that Nora was in mourning for her father and it would be entire improper to entertain thoughts of marriage for some several months yet. By which time Saythingport might have contrived to find some wealthy but more lowly born heiress prepared to trade her gold for the eventual rank of marchioness.
So Nora sometimes sang at her lace-making until she came to the realization of what she was about, and blushed at the impropriety.
This particular afternoon the weather was so very fine they had taken their work to the summerhouse in the garden – Nora with her lace-pillow, Grissie with her lap-desk and Edmund and Adelaide playing at her feet, while Myo was about embroidering bookmarks that she might present when solicited for the next raffle or charity bazaar.
For was a day when they were in some anticipation that Lady Pockinford and Thea might call, and 'twas very like that there would be some good cause or other that Dumpling Dora was about!
It was Thea alone that was ushered into the summerhouse.
Mama, she said, has had a message from Rachel Demington that there is some muddle to do with the preparations for the Seamstresses’ Summer Workshops, so rushed off quite willy-nilly to convoke with her on the matter.
She disposed herself in a comfortable lounging chair, and looked about at 'em, and smiled. La, 'tis wicked unfilial in me, but is Mama not here I may enquire whether you, Nora, go visit Aggie and Hughie and see aught of Sister Linnet?
Nora put by her lace-making, so that she might give a lively account of how matters went in the parish of St Wilfrid’s, and add that there was a deal of asking after Lady Theodora.
Thea sighed. Would that I might visit 'em, but I had ado enough over pursuing my singing lessons at Zipsie’s –
At this moment arrived, very welcome, lemonade, just what one would desire on such an afternoon, along with an array of dainty sandwiches and cakes.
After they had refreshed themselves with these, and were still idly nibbling, Grissie remarked that no-one could object to Thea’s joining a married woman friend in her own house for singing lessons.
Thea sighed again. Entirely not, one would suppose. And Mama has come round – but. She looked down into her empty glass.
She looked up again. I am in somewhat of a dilemma.
That was intriguing, thought Myo. Was there some matter of a friend of Lord Rondegate that had spied Thea singing and taken a notion to her?
Thea put down the glass, clasped her hands together, and commenced the tale. Her Grace of Mulcaster had approached Miss McKeown about certain songs that had been composed by Lady Jane Knighton’s late cousin Grace Billston, that she was very desirous of hearing once more. Miss McKeown declared that her voice was no longer fit for the performance – still had copies – mayhap did she ask Zipsie?
So, she had taken the songs to Zipsie, that had been very impressed, and said, why, she could, she dared say, sing 'em, but seemed to her that they were better suited to Thea’s voice. And had tried 'em over with Thea, and they were very lovely songs –
But.
She looked up at her auditors. The words are from poems by Sappho, and was not Sappho a pagan poet?
I apprehend, said Grissie, that she was an antient Greek and thus would not have had the benefits of Christian revelation. But Thea dear, you would not be performing these songs publicly, would you?
Thea shook her head.
Nora gave a little gulp, and cleared her throat, and said, is it for Lady Jane, that is so noted for her good works, and wishes this remembrance of a departed friend, I am not sure one can see any harm. But mayhap I might ask Hughie – and Sister Linnet –
Thea jumped up to kiss her cousin. That would be an immense kindness.
She desired 'em to tell her of their own news – was there not some matter of looking over one of Myo’s brother’s Oxford friends that might suit Jimsie as a secretary?
Oh, indeed, said Myo, a Mr Averdale, second son of a country squire in the Midlands somewhere – has his own way to make in the world one understands – a very clever fellow that has won scholarships and prizes – already shows a grasp of what the position would entail – proposed that he should come for a probationary period over the summer –
Do you not spend the summer at Worblewood?
Quite so! Will provide a quiet retreat – well, moderately quiet, Mr Chilfer has writ a very kind letter saying that he would be at leisure to come explore what he fancies is our buried Roman villa, and are we having excavations I am like to think Lucie and Lewis will both be very ardent to come and dig – quite aside from the attractions of the trout-stream – Grinnie may have other invitations but of course would ever be welcome –
I wonder, said Grissie with a grin, whether Lady Balstrup intends pass the summer at Attings.
Myo gave a little groan. Though I am more concerned about any gatherings my father purposes at Roughton Arching. At least we shall not be obliged to attend any revels there.
But, she thought, Worblewood was perhaps a little too close to Roughton Arching for Nora’s peace of mind. They had not considered over this problem yet. Mayhap she should go to Monk’s Garrowby with Grissie and Greg though one doubted whether she would find the Merrett uproar congenial.
She would doubtless be happiest with Aggie and Hughie but, the East End, in the height of summer? However, did she stay with the Pockinfords, she was like to feel a persecuted martyr, even was that prig Simon about his travels by then.