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I came across the term "sex film actress" in the Op-Ed column The Disposable Woman. I could guess what the phrase meant, as "sex worker" is a new term for "prostitute", and therefore "sex film actress" would be the equivalent for "porn star".

I checked if this term had been used before, and there were a smattering of uses, but it looked so infrequent it seemed as if the term was coined each time. Is there a name for such a phenomenon?

Malady
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Golden Cuy
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    What about a programming language that's constantly re-invented. Lisp? – Jared Updike Mar 08 '11 at 19:13
  • @JaredUpdike - If they could say it clearly the first time they wouldn't have to keep repeating it. – Hot Licks Nov 09 '15 at 23:35
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    ... A bad penny? – Edwin Ashworth Nov 10 '15 at 00:08
  • How can a word that is coined be reminted? Sex film actress means: an actress in sex films. Who knows if she is a porn star. Sex film actress is not a "term". Sometimes people just write things. Not every grouping of words are "terms". Is "action hero movie" a "term"? Is "romance comedy writer" a term? Creating euphemisms or new PC terms is not re-coining just reconning. – Lambie May 05 '19 at 18:46

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I don't think there's currently a word for it, but you could probably get away with calling it a re-neologism. (Although in the case of "sex film actress", the re-phrasing is so pointless even by PC standards that I'd have to label it a "useless euphemism".)

Hellion
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"sex film actress" is more precise than "porn star" as there are many kinds of porn media (and many kinds of porn) and "sex film" narrows it down a lot. Also, "actress" narrows it down to "female" but that's probably redundant based on the context. So using the phrase "sex film actress" might not be a euphemism nor an attempt at being PC, but rather an attempt at being explicit.

Given that this is not a word but rather a phrase with a pretty obvious meaning, it doesn't strike me as being remarkable. If I described Lon Chaney as a "silent film actor" you should know immediately what that means even if "silent film actor" isn't a set phrase.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇
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  • Apart from when "porn" is used metaphorically (such as "food porn"), when is "porn" different from "sex film"? – Golden Cuy Mar 04 '11 at 23:12
  • @Andrew: well, if it's just photos of porn? – Mr. Shiny and New 安宇 Mar 05 '11 at 05:05
  • A "sex film" is synonymous with a "porn film". I'm not sure why one would need to distinguish between an individual who acts in pornographic films and an individual who poses for pornographic photos. The necessity for differentiating between the two nearly-identical professions is almost nonexistent, as far as I can tell. In any case, I find it extremely doubtful that the original author used the term as a deliberate differentiation from a person who poses nude for still photos. – Dr. Funk Nov 09 '15 at 23:34
  • @Dr.Funk - Of course, you're not a sex film actress. (Are you?) – Hot Licks Nov 09 '15 at 23:37
  • someone who only poses for still photos would not be a star. – herisson Nov 09 '15 at 23:55
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The term compulsive euphemization fits in the context of political correctness.

Dr. Funk
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