Julian Barnes

I don't like euphemism.

And, you know, if people object to it, tough.

Well, I was a very lowly figure on the oxygen dictionary.

It's a new supplement.

But I worked on letters between C and G. And my specialities were sports words and dirty words.

No, I don't want to pollute your airwaves.

Oh, come on.

Okay, I'll tell you.

Well, the criteria are if they've been used in print more than a certain amount of times.

And you might like to enjoy the... You know, the Oxford Dictionary is a dictionary on historical principles, which means...

that it's illustrated by quotations of the word and its derivatives down the last, you know, well, since the English language came into existence.

And the first use, and you can look it up in the dictionary, of the C word is actually a street name.

in the 14th century, which is recorded.

It's called Grope C... Lane.

Grope, yes, yes.

And it was obviously a sort of area where the prostitutes gathered.

So it acquired that name.

Yeah, it's a street name.

It's a street name.

Yes, like, you know, Goldsmith's Avenue and that sort of thing where the goldsmiths.